Don’t
get me wrong. Journals are lovely, and I have a drawer-full. But there are
other, and often better, ideas for gift giving to a writer. If you have a
writer stowed away in a closet, dank basement, cramped garret (No lie! Oxford
Languages Dict. defines garret as: a top-floor or attic room, especially a small dismal one traditionally
inhabited by an artist), or other suitably tight, dank place please
consider some of the following ideas for this holiday season.
1. Memberships & Conferences: Writers pay a lot of money to belong to groups that support their blood-letting work. These groups host conferences and bring in editors and agents for your writer to meet. Writers need to network—if for no other reason than to kvetch over how tiny our workspaces are. Some suggestions: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (Of course!), The Romance Writers of America, The Science Fiction Writers and Fantasy Writers of America. The list goes on. Take a tremulous journey up to that garret while your writer is passed out from agony and peek at what s/he/they is writing. Then go find a suitable organization to bolster your writer. Create a gift coupon and fund a conference given by that writing organization. Writers need to get out and about! They need vitamin sunshine.
2.
Books: Always, books! Writers not only write
books, but they are also voracious readers. Classics in the area they write in
are a good bet (but check bookcases first to make sure they don’t already have
a particular title). Also, craft books and books of writing inspiration for
that 3am slog when your writer is wandering through the kitchen finally having
decided that the body needs nourishing. Get your writer something to read while
s/he/they has a little nosh. Some recommended titles include: The Poetry Home Repair
Manual by Ted Kooser, Story by Robert McKee,
The
Heroine With a 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar, Picture This by Molly
Bang or Writing Picture
Books by Ann Whitford Paul.
3.
Tools of the trade: Does your writer need new technology? A new
laptop? A new printer? Small portable projector for presentations? A sound
system? Or, perhaps, with all the Zooming we are doing lately, a better computer
camera and ring light? Be a spy. Check out how your writer writes, or does
group talks and school visits. Is she still using ocher to write on the walls
of the basement? For goodness’ sake, get her updated! Here’s
a handy little mobile scanner. I bought one and love it. Or maybe, a
nice-sized paper shredder? (NOT to cast any aspersions upon those many drafts,
mind you!) And this seems to be a thing—for any writer still wandering in the
dark ages before computerization: a
typewriter keyboard to use with a tablet. Connect with USB or Bluetooth. It
even does nifty things like dropping down a line when the carriage returns.
Such nineteenth-century magic!
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4.
Software: There are some great programs and online
subscriptions that ease the burden for your bleary-eyed writer. Here are a few
that many writers feel are necessities: Living
Writer (at the top of the best writer apps list for a couple of years), Scrivener,
Final Draft, (for writers of
screenplays),
Storyist (for Mac users). Also,
there’s Prezi, a presentation software. And Duotrope,
a publisher database and submission manager. In addition, consider video-making
software for creating trailers.
5.
Subscriptions: This
should be thought of in conjunction with books. Are there craft or industry
journals you know your writer would love? Or can you continue a subscription? Again,
check out the writing closet/garret/basement. Snoop around and see what kinds
of magazines your writer is reading. And take a quick peek in the loo. If your
writer is using magazine pages in place of TP—I’d recommend not resubscribing
to that particular publication. (Unless, of course, you want to save the good
stuff for the rest of the family.) Here are some to consider: Writer’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, and Poets &
Writers.
6. Book-selling items: If your writer has books out in the
world and attends book fairs and festivals, why not provide a box of handy
items to help with selling? Easels, sign holders, book holders, markers, card
display items, a credit card slide like Square
and a handy-dandy cart to tote everything around in. Here’s
one like mine, that I love! Because
it’s made for carrying tools, it’s extra sturdy, big wheels, and a taller handle.
Also, do throw in a bottle of water and a sandwich—just in case your writer is
too weak to stand and talk to hundreds of folks in one day. (And it wouldn’t
hurt to include a comb, or some decent clothes.)
7.
Fun stuff: What about getting items personally made that
reflects your writer’s book(s), or interests? A coffee cup with the cover
design of her/his/their book on it? A necklace or earrings with something
pertinent to the book. Just search on “personalized gifts” at the Etsy
site. Or what about a personalized face mask, blankie, pillow? (Surely
your writer needs a pillow for when s/he/they collapses?) You can get that done
here at Printerpix. And while your writer is passed out on
the floor s/he/they might want to glance up and take a gander at a couple of
cool charts available from uncommongoods.com, such as literary
insults or proper English
usage. (After all s/he/they might could wake from a delirium mumbling about
double modal verbs. You wouldn’t want that!)
8.
Writer T-shirts. (This
is assuming your writer occasionally comes out of the writing lair to change
into something clean.) Zazzle.com
is a fun place to find some. And there are more at Out of Print (including some
pretty nice writer/nerd mugs). Or have a t-shirt personalized. I especially
like Café Press’s
create your own page where you can put a message to your writer on a
T-shirt (and other things) like: Remember to put your pants on today.
9.
Wine and a massage/a new experience:
Wine and massages are always in season for writers. But I highly recommend
getting someone else to do the massage if your writer is just finishing up
NaNoWriMo and hasn’t bathed in a month. On the other hand, you could gift your
writer with a new experience related to what s/he/they are writing, like
swimming with dolphins at the Dolphin
Research Center. (Then you wouldn’t have to mention
the dreaded word: bath.)
10.
Time: The best gift of all. Make up a couple of fun
time to yourself coupons to be used at the writer’s discretion. A
caveat: don’t give this gift if your writer tends to hide away for weeks at a
time, anyway. Instead, give yourself a few we/I want you here coupons
and pretend it was a gift from your writer to you. Be sure to squeal, “How
thoughtful!” as you take them from your stocking. Your pre-occupied writer
won’t remember whether s/he/they gifted them, or not.
11. Space: I must add this last item. If your writer is hunched over
in a closet, or is always banging her/his/their head on the roof rafters, consider
creating a bigger space where papyrus can be spread out and your writer can
really get down to work. Can you afford a redo/enlargement of a writing area?
(I think I’ll circle this item and slip it onto the spacious desk in my
husband’s HUGE office.)
Finally,
if you must, get a journal from one of those dollar bins by the checkout aisle.
You can always insert into it that magazine renewal card you’re paying for, a
gift card for wine, or a receipt for some online technology. (Just avoid the journals
with pink unicorns. No writer needs more than one of those in a lifetime. To my
secret admirer: please, no more!)
Now,
excuse me while I climb down from my garret to stretch. Ahh!!! Have a happy
gift-giving season.
Shutta
Great ideas, Shutta. What a fun post.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great ideas!
ReplyDeleteSo many fun ideas!
ReplyDeleteI can HEAR you saying all these things, Shutta, with your special brand of humor. Love it.
ReplyDeleteoops I didn't mean to be anonymous ;)
Delete