on any budget
Are you looking for great gifts for writers? Sometimes those lonely writers in your life could use a little love. And if you’re the writer in your life, maybe it’s time to reward all your hard work with something nice. I’ve rounded up several great gifts for writers. They range in price from $31 to a few hundred, so there’s a gift for every budget. Don’t know any other writers? Treat yourself!
A Golden Stapler ($31)
For keeping their you-know what together. Nothing says “I have arrived” like over-the-top office products. Okay, this little beauty by Swingline isn’t real gold, but it looks like gold. And this office brand has been around forever, so it’s a little bit Mad Men. Get the Swingline gold stapler on Amazon.
Notebooks (obviously) – $12-$25
For many writers I know, analog is still king. The biggest draw of paper notebooks is that things don’t get lost on paper the way they do when you’re using a bunch of different apps for note taking. Also, there’s just something that feels right about writing with a pen. For keeping track of projects, I swear by Behance Action Method journals. These are hardcover notebooks, available in different sizes, that are organized according to the action method from the creative minds behind Behance. The pages provide space for prep/focus, notations, and action steps, which you check off as you go. Of course, you can always go classic and purchase beautiful, functional moleskine notebooks, which are wonderful and always make a writing day feel more writerly.
A Moleskine Smartpen Smart Writing Set($149)
Write with actual ink on actual paper using the Moleskine smartpen, which is made of aluminum and has a nice heft. Your handwriting (or doodles) are converted to images, PDF, or transcribed into text. The moleskine app keeps track of where you are in any notebook, and allows you to change pen color and other elements of your text.
The Moleskine Pen+ is sleek and lightweight, and it’s a natural fit for writers who already love Moleskine notebooks. Price: The pen and notebook set is currently $149, reduced from $199.
Get the Moleskine Pen+ Smart Writing Set on Amazon.
The Novel Writing Toolkit $49
Show her you support this whole writing thing by giving her The Novel Writing Toolkit, a set of four information-packed workbooks to help her write her novel from start to finish. Think of it as a writing crash course. These are all downloadable, so they’re the perfect last-minute gift. Just include your recipient’s email address and your gift message upon checkout, and the workbooks will be delivered instantly.
A Minimalist Desk ($225)
Help your modern writer friend clear away distractions and get to the point with a minimalist writing desk. The Ivy white lacquer desk is a cool 43″ and is just a good-looking white surface on legs. You can buy this minimalist white desk at One Kings Lane.
A Caffeine Infusion for Early-Morning Literary Champions $39- $279
For the aficionados who only drink fresh-ground, there is the amazingly efficient and undeniably good-looking Breville Grind Control, which can be set to grind the beans and brew the coffee before your Hemingway gets up in the morning. Leaving him more time to cuddle with you, of course.
I did tons of research before I bought mine a year ago, and the Breville is still, as of this writing, the only model under $300 with a burr grinder. I also love this one because you can choose how strong you want your coffee, and you don’t have to fill the water tank every time. If your writer friend doesn’t know the difference between a bad and a burr (horrors!) not a stickler about the grinding, Cuisinart makes two very affordable models with a blade grinder: The Cuisinart DGB-900BC Grind and Brew and the DGB-625BC (under $100!). Both are programmable.
Stand Up and Write $39 – $363
If your literary friend works on a laptop, this portable sit/stand desk, just under $40, is ugly but serviceable. For me, the important thing is to begin the day standing. I don’t like rolling out of bed and going straight to a chair. The Luxor Stand-Up Desk provides a more substantial workspace for under $400, without the assembly pains and with a sturdier crank system.