Looking for a special gift for the writer in your life? We've scoured the web to find products and subscription services that we think are the perfect fit. From witty fashion to shot glasses featuring famous writers and their thoughts on drinking—you're sure to find something that will make the perfect gift.
The Writer's Toolbox: Creative Games and Exercises for Inspiring the 'Write' Side of Your Brain
The Writer's Toolbox kit is a thoughtful one because for many writers, the hardest part of what they do is just getting started. Designed by creative writing teacher Jamie Cat Callan, it includes a 64-page book filled with exercises intended to get a creative plot rolling. The book provides first sentences, non-sequiturs, and last straws to help get stories started, as well as spinner palettes to introduce unexpected plot twists.
Writer T-shirts by independent designers
Noted for its online marketplace full of handmade and unique designs, Etsy is a great resource for looking for just the right gift for the writer in your life. Its writer t-shirt collection is an easy way to browse for a statement piece that fits into any writer's wardrobe. From witty to infamous and everything in between, what better way to treat a writer than with something soft and comfortable for them to write in?
Digital voice recorder with built-in USB
A digital voice recorder is a standard tool of the trade in most writing professions. Smartphones have limited capability in capturing voices in wider ranges, so most writers turn to a digital voice recorder for interviews, which are part of the process of putting together any content—from journalism and technical manuals to marketing and creative fiction. Digital voice recorders like Sony's series with built-in USB allows for quick transfer of recorded interviews to a PC or laptop, with expandable storage (Micro SD card) for up to thousands of hours of recording.
Cocktail Courier subscription
Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker…alcohol and writing have gone together like peanut butter and jelly for, well, a long time. So, what better gift to give the writer in your life than a subscription to "the world's greatest cocktails from the world's best bartenders" from Cocktail Couriers? With prices starting at $50 per month, you can choose a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month subscription. Your favorite writer will then receive a box delivered monthly, biweekly, or weekly (your choice) full of all the necessary ingredients (including garnish and step-by-step instructions) to make between 4-12 alcoholic beverages. Oh, and of course, alcohol is included.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Few modern writers are as prolific and successful as Stephen King, which is why his half biography/half how-to-manual, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, is such a great read. In it, he talks about the basic tools of his trade, including how and why a writer should always have them on hand, so it's highly informative. He also has a lot of inspirational advice for writers dealing with rejection and trying to set positive and productive work habits in their daily writing practice.
Phrase Books/ Writers' Thesauri
While there are hundreds of phrase books and writers' thesauri on the market, this set by Angela Ackerman really breaks it all down into digestible chunks. Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of six bestselling books for writers. Her books are available in six languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. Ackerman is also co-founder of Writers Helping Writers® as well as One Stop for Writers®, an innovative online library built to help writers elevate their storytelling.
Literary coffee mugs
These 12 oz. mugs are perfect for writers looking for that extra inspiration with their first cup of coffee in the morning. From banned books to first lines of literature to Edgar Allen Poe, the selection is so good, you might want to get more than one! All mugs are microwave safe. They're also sold by the Unemployed Philosophers Guild, which is a small, Brooklyn-based company specializing in unique gifts for sophisticated tastes.
6-piece shot glass set of famous literary lushes
Another creation from the sophisticated minds at the Unemployed Philosophers Guild, this shot glass set celebrates six immortal literary figures who are as famous for their drinking as they are for their work. Featuring Lord Byron, Oscar Wilde, Dorothy Parker, Winston Churchill, W. B. Yeats, and Charles Baudelaire, each shot glass contains a colorful portrait of the writer along with one of their most famous quotes on drinking.
