Have you purchased all your Christmas gifts yet?
As much as I don’t like to think about it, 2017 is almost over, and Christmas is less than two months away. Time to start thinking about what to get that awesome writer on your list (or, if you’re a writer, to drop some hints).
Here are some great Christmas gifts for the writers on your list. The best part? You can order most of these in your pyjamas (yep, pyjamas. With a “y.” I’m Canadian, eh?).
I digress (I do that a lot). Without further ado, here’s a list of 12 great Christmas gifts for writers.
Please note that there is one affiliate link in this post, to the Writers Den. If you choose to purchase a membership using my link, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. To see our full affiliate disclosure, please click here. The other links in this post are no affiliate links.
- Scrivener
Scrivener is a software program that helps writers to organize their writing. It’s “a word processor and project management tool that stays with you from that first, unformed idea all the way through to the final draft.” It allows writers to stay organized by keeping all their notes, research, and interview texts in one place. It helps to keep creatives organized—not always an easy task. Scrivener costs a one-time fee of $40 for the software. But you can get a 20% discount by signing up through this website. This would be a great Christmas gift for any writer on your list.
2. A class or coaching from Be a Freelance Blogger
If the person on your list loves to blog and wouldn’t mind getting paid for it, Sophie Lizard has got them covered. On Be a Freelance Blogger, she offers a class to help people get started as freelance bloggers in 28 days. This course goes for $147 for a self-guided study, or $297 for a supported edition, which includes one hour of one-to-one mentoring, plus daily access to the instructor(s) via email.
For the more seasoned blogger on your list, there’s the client hunting masterclass, which will help bloggers to attract more—and higher paying—clients.
And if you want to give a truly special gift, you an also buy one-to-one mentoring with Sophie Lizard. The prices range from under $200 for a single session, to over $600 for an intensive mentoring package.
Decide on you budget for Christmas gifts, and pick the one from the options above that will fit that budget.
3. Bamidele Onibalusi’s “The Freelance Writer’s Success Starter Guide”
Bamidele’s blog, Writers in Charge, helps aspiring writers to be in charge of their writing business, earn good pay for their words, and to grow their careers. He’s helped a great many people to earn well from their craft.
I participated in Bamidele’s “Earn your first 1,000 as a freelance writer challenge,” and can attest to how helpful Bamidele is to beginners as well as seasoned writers. For those who missed the challenge but still want to learn about earning money from their writing, they can certainly check out Bamidele’s blog and the myriad posts he’s written on the subject.
But if you want to make things easier for the aspiring writer on your list, Bamidele’s The Freelance Writer’s Success Starter Guide should be a good resource.
4. The No BS Class on Freelance Writing
I’ve personally taken The No BS Class on Freelance Writing, and can attest to how much valuable information any beginning freelance writer will get from it. This class is not about how to write, but how to turn your writing into a business. It’s run by Ian Chandler, a freelance writer, and Jacob Jans, who runs Freedom With Writing. The course has everything you need to know in order to get started as a freelance writer. It does not provide much information on other types of writing.
If the aspiring writer on your list isn’t yet sure what kind of writer he/she wants to be, sign up (or have them sign up) for the free lifetime membership on this page. A beginner’s class is in the works for 2018, and it’s gonna be awesome. It’s called “The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Getting Paid for Your Writing,” and it’ll teach you about all the different kinds of writer you can be today, how to get started, and how to get your first gig. Stay tuned!
5. For MultiTalented Writers: Barbara Sher’s book “Refuse to Choose!”
I’m what Barbara Sher calls a “scanner.” I’m interested in a lot of different subjects, I have a passion for lifelong learning, and if I had a tonne of money to spend, other than travel, I’d spend it on all kinds of courses. Many writers fit this description. Creative people are often interested in many different subjects.
I’ve finally embraced this aspect of my personality, thanks in part to Sher’s book, “Refuse to Choose!
6. An eReader
If the writer on your list doesn’t yet have one of these, it would make a great gift. Most writers are avid readers, and being able to carry an entire library everywhere they go is a dream come true. There are so many options for eReaders on the market now, and the prices vary. For people who love Amazon and who tend to shop there for eBooks frequently, you can’t go wrong with a Kindle, and several options are available.
At the higher end, the Kindle Paperwhite eReader
For a less expensive option, you can get the All-New Kindle E-reader
7. An iTunes Gift Certificate
If the person on your list already has an eReader, an iTunes gift card
8. A beautiful journal
What writer doesn’t enjoy writing in a gorgeous journal with beautiful, fresh pages? Whereas I do most of my writing on the computer these days, I still love writing in cursive in a beautiful journal, and since reading Refuse to Choose!
9. Pens—lots and lots of pens
If you’re looking for something a little lower on the price scale, fear not – most writers will be more than happy with a gift that won’t put a dent in your wallet.
As cliché as it may be, most writers love to buy/receive pens. I know I can never have enough pens. Mostly because I misplace them, but also because I live in a house with 4 other people who misplace them as well.
I bought a box of 100 pens at the beginning of this year, and I think I could probably only find about 4 at this point, without doing a huge deep clean of the house (and who has time for that? I’d rather write). These are my favourite pens.
10. Word Games
Most writers love word games, but not all of us are patient enough to sit through Scrabble. Enter Bananagrams.
11. Membership in The Writers Den.
The Writers Den is an amazing community of writers, as well as a treasure trove of information on anything writing related. There are discussion forums, courses, webinars, and more. Membership costs US$25 per month, and it’s worth every penny.
Carol Tice runs the Writers Den, and she’s a no-nonsense lady with a tonne of information and experience to share. She also says it as it is, and advocates for fair (and good) pay for writers. My kind of person.
The Den is not always open to receiving new members, so if you can’t get a membership before Christmas, do get on the mailing list so you know when they open the doors again. It could make a great birthday or anniversary gift for the writer in your life.
12. For the MultiTalented Writer: membership in the PuttyTribe.
Writers are creative people. With all this talk about niching, some of us forget that being a writer requires creativity and broad thinking, and creativity and broad thinking require interest in a wide variety of subjects.
Many writers are what Barbara Sher calls “scanners,” what Margaret Lobenstine called “Renaissance Souls
Membership in a group of people who understand our wide interests and passion for learning is a welcome addition for people like us.
At US$19 per month, you get access to a huge library of learning that the members have created, live group calls, and more. The PuttyTribe isn’t always open for enrollment, so be sure to sign up for the mailing list to be notified when the doors re-open.
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There are many more options, but these are some solid ideas for Christmas Gifts for writers. Your gift is sure to be a hit if you pick any from this list.
Do you have any other ideas for awesome Christmas gifts for writers? Or are you a writer who wants something that’s not on the list? Let us know in the comments!
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