45 Charming Gifts For Authors & Aspiring Writers
A list of best gifts for aspiring and professional writers. This gift-guide will show you the best recommendations on what to give to a writer.
Writers are strange creatures. Sometimes they look at their work and think to themselves. “This is genius. I’m the best writer in the world.” Other times they feel like they aren’t good enough to put words together to make a decent sentence. No sane person chooses this career path voluntarily and sticks with it. And those who are not crazy are likely just talentless hacks who write boring stuff.
It’s not easy trying to understand what goes on in a writer’s mind. It’s like trying to make an ice castle in the Sahara–pointless and a waste of time. On the other hand, finding a gift for a writer is simple. They’re insecure people. It’s a professional hazard. You have to pick a gift that makes them feel better about themselves and boosts their ego and they’ll love you for it.
Following is a list of the best gifts for aspiring and professional writers. Pick one that suits your recipient’s style.
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I Make Stuff Up T-shirt
Making stuff up for a living was something writers do. Although nowadays some journalists and media have been doing it for clicks and ad views. The difference is when the former does it we know to call it fiction and the later give us fiction disguised as the truth. A writer is supposed to create a world out of their imagination based on their observations about reality.
This well designed t-shirt made for writers will amuse any writer who takes pride in their profession. It’ll make a fine gift for any aspiring and professional writer as long as you pick the correct size.
Vintage Style Backpack
Many aspiring writers grow up reading the classics, which tend to be from a time a few decades before them. They often become fond of and prefer items that have a vintage look. They see the modern designs as soulless and lacking of beauty.
This vintage design laptop backpack is something a writer with old fashioned tastes will be glad to own. It’s practical, looks classy and will make a great gift that’ll impress your recipient.
DIY Whiskey Infusion Kit
If your recipient is a whiskey guy or gal who isn’t shy of experimenting with their own recipes, consider giving them this DIY whisky infusion kit as a gift. This way they’ll have something productive to do when the muse is on vacation and they’re waiting for inspiration to strike and get a drink or two out of it.
The kit comes with two glass prep bottles, six whiskey ice cubes and a set of premium ingredients. It’s a classy gift that’ll make you come off as a gift-giver with good taste.
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
I don’t recommend giving writing guides to aspiring or professional writers. If they need one they can buy it for themselves. Also, most of these guides have conflicting and vague advice that is more harmful than useful. There are a few exceptions though. A few books that are really good and must haves for any writer who’s willing to improve their craft. And if they don’t own a copy you can be the one who gets them one. I’ve included them in the list.
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose is not a writing guide. It’s a reading guide. It shows you how to read better, more efficiently, paying attention to the writing styles and details that a writer ought to be paying attention to. Your recipient will find this book helpful and consider it a thoughtful gift.
Vinyl Record Player
If your recipient is an old fashioned type, as writers often tend to be, they likely prefer analog over all things digital. But the thing about analog gadgets is that they lack the convenience of the mass consumed digital devices. Which is why a device that combines the old school with the new is a perfect fit.
This Victrola vinyl player mixes the retro look with modern functionality. It can play vinyl discs and also connect to bluetooth devices, making it the perfect music player for any old-school guy or girl who loves music. If your recipient doesn’t own one already you could surprise them with this portable vinyl player.
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Pyramid Book Rest
The perfect gift is the one that combines practicality, aesthetics and relates to its recipient’s interests. Reading a lot is a professional requirement for writers. This classy pyramid book rest will help them do it with comfort.
If your recipient is a writer who loves to read, they’ll appreciate getting this useful tool that’ll make their reading sessions more pleasant.
Book Themed Night Light
One thing you can be certain of about any real writer who’s not a hack is that they love reading and books. After all, it starts with enjoying reading the works of other great writers before one has the desire to create something of their own. If your recipient is a writer they’re likely fond of all things that look like a book.
This book themed night light is a cool gift idea for any professional or aspiring writer who loves reading. It’s useful, looks great and will please any night owl who needs a little lighting for their bedtime reading sessions.
Typewriter Print Tank Top
Those cheesy “I’m a writer,” or “I will put you in my novel” t-shirts are lame. Writers hate clichés so if you gift them one like that they’ll roll their eyes and depending on how honest they are will either give you a fake smile or make a snarky comment about your choice. You don’t want either to happen.
The better choice would be to give them something that is clever and original. This “weapon of choice” tank top fits that. It looks cool, well designed and will impress any writer with good taste.
Deep Work by Cal Newport
We live in a world full of constant, perpetual interruptions from the same devices that make our lives convenient. Knowing how to log off and get your mind to focus on a task long enough is essential to get any meaningful work done. It’s important especially for writers. Writing requires thinking and an ability to focus for long hours.
Deep Work by Cal Newport is a book that tells you how to do it. It’s well researched and discusses techniques used by many great minds to achieve great focus. Your recipient will appreciate getting this very useful book.
Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses
Recipients tend to prefer aesthetically pleasing gifts over ones that are more functional. It’s better to have a bit of both qualities to make your gift more likely to succeed.
This classy set of old fashioned whiskey glasses is a perfect gift for any old school writer who loves his whiskey. They’ll be pleased with the vintage look.
Typewriter Keyboard
Typewriters are pretty much extinct for all practical purposes, but for a writer they represent the golden age of writing when writers typed away at a typewriter with passion and craze till they had a manuscript out. Famous writers like Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Jack Kerouac all used them. There is something romantic about these low tech machines that continues to attract writers to them even today.
It’s not really practical though to use a typewriter in the age of laptops and wifi printers, so it’s better to stick to the modern devices. This typewriter style keyboard will get your recipient the same feel and aesthetics as the real thing. This keyboard will make an impressive gift for any writer who’s a romantic at heart.
Writing Definition T-shirt
The act of writing involves a lot more work than just coming up with fictional events. You have to delve deep into your own psyche to make sense of things, to understand how the world works. And that can be a painful process. You have to be willing to be honest about the things you don’t want to be honest about.
When a writer gives it his all, he’s bleeding on that paper in hopes to be authentic enough for his reader to feel his pain. Real writers will be able to relate to this message. This t-shirt will make a fine gift for any dedicated writer.
Wooden Puzzle Set
You don’t have to be very specific with your gifts. No matter how well you think you know of your recipient’s needs and wants, chances are it’s not going to match exactly with what they know. It’s better to target your recipient’s general interests when picking a gift rather than going for very specific ones. This way you’re less likely to miss the mark.
This beautiful wooden puzzle set is a cool gift idea for a writer or anyone who works in a creative field. Focusing on a problem that is unrelated to your main work tends to help the subconscious work in the background, which can lead to breakthroughs that direct focus sometimes can’t.
Personal Library Kit
Everyone who has ever owned books knows that most people don’t return stuff they borrowed until you make repeated requests. It’s a frustrating experience. This personal library kit solves that problem by borrowing the methods that have worked for official libraries for centuries. With this your recipient will be able to track and assign deadlines to the borrowers.
If your recipient is a somewhat nerdy writer who owns lots of books, they’ll appreciate this kit as a gift.
LED Reading Light
A night light or table lamp will help you get by when you’re in the mood for a bit of late night reading, but they do have their shortcomings. For one, you can’t carry them around on your travels and, also, the abundance of light they spill can irritate a sleepy partner.
This LED reading light is a perfect solution for those problems. It’s portable, rechargeable (good for outdoors), and easy on the eyes. This will make a useful gift for writers who are in the habit of late night reading.
Writing Tools
This is one of the handful of writing guides that I will recommend giving to a writer. Any aspiring writer could use this book to take a closer look at their own style and find effective ways to write better prose.
Written by Roy Peter Clark, an experienced writing coach who has trained many talented writers and journalists working today, this guide is a must have for an aspiring writer. It’ll make a great gift for any humble, aspiring writer who’s willing to improve their craft.
Hemingway Style Pencil Cup
You may be wondering why they’d call a typewriter shaped pen holder a “Hemingway pencil cup.” It may seem like there is no real reasoning behind the name, but there is some logic behind it. Earnest Hemingway believed in writing his first draft with a pencil rather than just typing it out on a typewriter. He felt that the extra step of converting the written word into a typed manuscript allowed him to add to it, edit it.
I wonder if he would have been the great writer he was if he wrote on his macbook at a Starbucks. I doubt it. If you choose this to be the gift for your recipient, make sure you tell them this fact. Maybe they’ll adopt it and find it useful.
War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Human motivation is a tricky subject to learn. For decades scientists have tried to understand what makes us tick and there’s some conflicting information on the subject. Some suggest it’s willpower that’s the key, others argue that it has nothing to do with that, rather it’s our ability to focus and pay attention that helps us find motivation. In his book The War of Art Steven Pressfield offers a more artistic view of the subject of motivation. He describes an entity that prevents writers and artists from achieving their true potential. He calls it resistance.
However you explain it, whether through the working of the brain or through metaphors, most writers do stumble upon motivational blocks often. This book might be able to help them out. A useful gift any struggling writer will appreciate.
Whiskey Decanter Set
If your recipient is a man or woman of taste and loves whiskey, they’ll be thrilled to get this stunning whiskey decanter set as a present. Writers tend to be notorious drinkers–some prefer wine, others like whiskey. They rely on the drinks to get the words out.
This set comes with a decanter globe and a set of four glasses. And unless your recipient has a drinking problem which a gift like this won’t help with, they’ll be charmed by your superior gift-giving skills.
Writer Themed Ceramic Vase
Writers love their books. For them they’re more than just showpieces to decorate their places. In the age of short attention spans and anything requiring more than five minutes of attention is unbearable, we still don’t mind spending hours, sitting still in a place reading.
This pen holder vase is for writers and readers. A simple yet likable gift.
Study Lamp
Different writers have different routines. An artist has to figure out, through trial and error, what works and doesn’t work for them. Some wake up early and write for a specific amount of time and some work at night because they like the peace and quiet that nighttime offers.
Although even the most organized writers can’t control when the inspiration may strike and so a study lamp is a necessity. An old fashion lamp like this is preferred by most. This will make a fine gift.
On Writing by Stephen King
On Writing by Stephen King isn’t a writing manual. It is rather his memoir in which he shares his life experiences along with some insights about writing he learned on the way. There is some great advice in there, for instance, King tells you to do two things above everything else if you want to be a writer. Read a lot, and write a lot.
It sounds too simple to be true, yet it makes sense. Of course, the unwritten part is how the writing and reading involves a lot of reflection and practice. Any aspiring writer will enjoy reading this book by one of the most prolific horror writers in the country.
First Lines of Literature Mug
Usually, I don’t recommend mugs as gifts, no one likes them, and they probably have too many to use, but in this case of specific kinds of creatures, namely writers, anything that evokes memories of a book they love, makes a fine gift.
One of the perks of this is if they get bored working or find themselves creatively blocked, they can take a break and read some of the lines for inspiration. Who knows? A line from Moby Dick may shoot some brain waves that generate an idea for the great American novel.
Typewriter Coaster Set
Your caffeine addicted, beer sipping writer friend probably doesn’t mind a few rings on their table. After all, coasters are kind of lame. They remind us of people who make horrified facial expressions when someone accidentally keeps a mug on their furniture.
This coaster set is not lame though. It’s kind of cool. They won’t mind using these awesome coasters just because of the awesomeness. A fine present.
Writer Emergency Pack
A truly effective tool to get the imagination going, to get the writer out of a block. Some writers have a hard time putting down the first words on paper. Once they get the basics right, they work like a writing factory, but till then they are miserable.
This writer’s emergency pack makes it easier to open your mind to new possibilities. Just to give you a little push. It even has some tips they might find useful. A very useful tool to have in a writer’s toolbox. Even if just for emergencies. Makes a very likable and thoughtful gift.
Kindle Oasis
In his book On Writing, Stephen King advises any aspiring writer to do two things above anything else–read a lot, and write a lot. This advice is so simple, that it’s hard to believe it could work. But if you interpret it correctly, it is the best advice you’ll ever get.
Kindle helps you with the reading part. You can download any book you want to read. Tons of great books are available for free on the Gutenberg Project. It has some great features. Inbuilt dictionary, vocabulary builder, no back-light (Good for eyes), battery lasts for weeks. The perfect reading machine. If you’re looking for a gift for an aspiring young writer who doesn’t own a kindle, this is the best choice.
Bolt Action Pen
If giving a regular pen to a writer as a gift isn’t your style, consider this bolt action style pen. It looks much more interesting than any pen you’d find in a stationary and will make a cool gift for a writer.
In case your recipient is someone who’s fond of unique and unusual accessories, they’ll appreciate getting this gem as a gift.
Typewriter
I know, it’s not like anyone uses a typewriter anymore. They’re right there with the dinosaurs and Myspace users in the extinct category. Still, if you’ve got some money to burn and the recipient is someone special or close to you, this will make a fine gift.
No aspiring writer will mind owning a typewriter, even if they’re not planning to replace their laptops with it. Maybe they can use it to switch things up once in a while.
Work in Progress Workbook
To master any skill you need to have practiced it for years till doing it becomes second nature. At first doing something feels unnatural because of the sheer amount of decision making involved in the process. When it comes to writing a book or a story the questions that will face you are going to be something like: where to start? Who am I writing about? Where? How? And more such.
This workbook is ideal for aspiring writers just starting out and trying to get in the habit of writing stories. It’ll make a fine gift for any new writer trying to learn the process. Once they have gotten used to the basic structure they can break the rules and write without such aid.
Digital Voice Recorder
Ideas. Mischievous bloody things. They appear and disappear as they wish. They don’t care where you are when they arrive, or what you’re doing. The best ideas will come at the most inconvenient times. While you’re in the bathroom, or in the bed ready to fall asleep. If you’re too lazy to get up and get a pen and paper, adiós, they’re gone forever. You’ll think you will remember the good ones. No, you’ll just remember you had a good idea.
A voice recorder comes handy in this situation. Any idea you get, you just have to press a button and say it out loud. Especially useful for writers since a forgotten idea can cost them a Pulitzer.
Banned Books Coffee Mug
Having a book banned is like a badge of honor for a writer. If your ideas are too hot for the big government to let be exposed to the public, it means that you’re a revolutionary who scares them.
This mug might not be for everyone but it certainly has a transgression vibe that’s intriguing. You can gift this to a bad boy writer you know.
The Writer's Toolbox Set
Mechanics use their tools to fix things. A writer needs his tools to fix his stories. This writer’s toolbox set has some useful items that can help a young writer fix a storytelling problem.
This is not meant for published authors though. Some people don’t like using these things for work. They think it’s silly. It depends on the outlook, I guess.
Luxury Pen
In the film The Words the protagonist, an author, meets an old man in the park. The man asks him to sign his copy of the book and when the writer is unable to find a pen. The old man says with a smug expression, “A writer without a pen.”
The old man had a point. Writers must carry the tools of their trade. And you can be the one to give them a stylish luxury pen they can carry with them. This will make a classy gift for any writer.
The Emotional Thesaurus
Writing is more than telling of events. It’s how you tell a story that matters more than what it is you’re telling. It’s a delicate art that a budding wordsmith has to work on and master. Readers love to be seduced by clever wordplay that takes them on a literary ride.
Describing a feeling to others may be the trickiest thing an author has to do. A writer needs all the words they can use to convey emotions in their arsenal. The Emotional Thesaurus is just that. It’s a book full of useful words, definitions and synonyms a writer can use in their work. You can gift this to any aspiring wordsmith trying to hone their craft.
Leather Journal
A bit of traveling is what every writer must do once in a while. Go to different places, meet new people, learn from them. For some it might seem terrifying to travel alone (especially introverts), but once you get over the initial fear you’ll come to love the experience. As good as the teacher’s journey can be, it helps to pen down your thoughts before they fade away. Ideas are not always easy to come by, so it’s important to not forget them.
These beautiful journals are like candy to writers. They can’t have enough of these. Ask me, I have tons of these. Research suggests that writing by hand rather than typing is better for creativity and learning. Tell them that.
The Book of Awesome Women Writers
If you wonder why there is so much disparity between male and female writers you see in the classics it’s no accident. For a long time women were barred from this profession. It’s as if they weren’t interested in what women had to say or express. It took a long line of courageous women who pursued their ambitions despite all the obstacles to change things. Thanks to these pioneers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Jane Austen, Rachel Carson and many more, girls today can dream of pursuing writing as a profession.
The Book of Awesome Women Writers explores many such women in history. It’ll make a fine gift for a girl who loves writing.
Reader Iron Sculpture
Reading, and a lot of it, is what one has to do to learn the craft of writing. This is why you’ll find a ton of books in a writer’s home. Real writers don’t learn how to write sitting in classrooms. They read, they write, they observe and think.
With all those books lying around, a gift like this will be very useful. This reader iron sculpture/ book holder looks like modern art. A great gift for readers and writers.
Writer's Messenger Bag
Writers are old fashioned, stubborn souls who have a hard time letting go of the old ways. The past is always more romantic than the present for a writer.
You wouldn’t see most people other than hipsters rocking these vintage looking messenger bags, but writers in the past did use them. And chances are your recipient will love this. They can use this to carry their laptops and scripts.
Eco Friendly Notebook
If your writer friend is the “go green”, “let’s save trees” type, they might not feel good about using pages and notebooks to write. But writing on paper can be a better and more productive experience.
This Eco friendly notebook solves the dilemma. It’ll help them write better and not feel guilty about it. This is simple enough but it’ll engage their emotions and they’ll be grateful.
Monthly Planner
Professional writers know that if they spend their days waiting for inspiration to strike, they’ll die without ever putting a proper word down on paper. You have to show up and give it a shot before the muse blesses you with her presence.
A planner helps with getting organized so that you stick to the schedule. If your recipient is an organized professional they’ll likely appreciate this beautiful planner as a gift. Give them this if they’re the kind of person who prefers practical things as gifts.
Story Idea Cards
When it comes to coming up with ideas, sometimes what a writer needs is to get the thoughts flowing. A simple overused cliché idea may evolve into something spectacularly novel and unique.
These cards are designed for the sole purpose of achieving that. If you think they’re not that useful you’re underestimating them. Like I said, all we need sometimes is for the creative mind to get to work, eventually something will come out of that. Obviously, this is a very useful tool for writers. They’ll love this. May be even credit you in their next novel.
Typewriter iPhone Case
Like how a dumbbell is a symbol for gym bros, a typewriter is for all aspiring writers. Somehow it makes our pupils dilate.
If your recipient owns an iPhone, you can give them this phone case. It’s designed for writers. And it looks super cool.
Reusable Notebook Writing Tablet
As the threat of climate change and global warming destroying the planet looms over us it’s wise to do whatever we can to minimize our carbon footprint. And while some writers prefer writing with their hands over typing on a computer (Woody Allen, one of the most prolific Hollywood writers, rejected computers) they have to find the middle ground for the sake of humanity.
This little device solves the problem. With this reusable writing tablet you can use a stylus to write like you would on a normal piece of paper and even erase stuff. Great for brainstorming and noting down stuff when coming with those ideas for the next great American novel. It’ll make a thoughtful gift idea for any eco conscious writer.
Waterproof Notepad
Dalton Trumbo, arguably the most productive Hollywood writer of his time, took a notepad with him in the bathroom. He would pen down ideas while sitting in the tub. This was the time no one was supposed to disturb him.
Good ideas can strike us anywhere, and as you might already have experienced, you get more creative in the shower. A relaxed mind wanders freely, more creatively. However you should not let these thoughts get lost in your mind by the time you are done. These notepads help you with that. They’re waterproof, so won’t get spoiled in the water. Encourage your aspiring writer friend to use this method. They might come up with a great idea because of you.
Bibliophile Reader's Journal
Learning is most efficient when the information in question is organized. The human brain is wired to find structure and meaning in the things we learn. It’s why we connect to stories; there’s a beginning, middle and end. Organizing and making sense of what they’ve read and the observations that came with it is important for writers. They learn their techniques from reading
Bibliophile Reader’s Journal helps readers take notes about the books they’ve read in an organized manner. This is a useful tool for any writer to have. It’ll make a fine gift for any aspiring or professional author trying to hone their craft.
