Inexpensive Holiday Gifts for Writers

By Sandy Nicks (Guest Blogger)

A gift for the writer in your life doesn’t have to cost as much as a laptop or an iPad. Most writers I know get excited just going to an office supply store. They love to browse for special pens, notebooks and anything else they need for their office. And while most writers will appreciate gift certificates to an office supply chain or a book store, the gifts listed below will add a thoughtful touch.

Coffee Mugs - Like most people, writers rely on some form of caffeine to keep them writing throughout the day and into the night. A mug with a writing related saying on it is sure to keep them awake. I have a few with both funny and inspirational sayings on them. Of course, adding a pound of their favorite coffee is a nice touch to this gift!

T-Shirts – Give them something they can wear while working on their prose. Let’s face it, hanging out in a t-shirt is comfy, and when your writer is sitting at the computer smacking their head against the keyboard it’s important that the rest of their body is comfortable. T-Shirts with writing-related sayings are cool. I have one that reads – “EDIT is a four letter word” and my favorite reads – “I hear voices…character voices.”

Journals – Even though we live in a digital world with numerous options for keeping notes, a handheld journal is a necessity to a writer. They come in many styles and don’t have to be “powered-on” to begin writing. Some writers use them for random thoughts, character development, story ideas and snippets of dialogue. Whatever the reason, having a journal handy is invaluable. I personally love spiral bound, 5x7 ones with lined paper. I have three hardcover journals with one word embossed on the covers – thoughts, ideas and jottings. My husband bought them for me! They also have an elastic band attached to the back cover so you can slip it inside to “bookmark” wherever you left off.

Books on Writing – From instruction to inspiration, there are hundreds of books on writing. Whether you buy one in print, e-book or on a CD, you really can’t go wrong with this gift. Well, unless your writer ends up spending more time reading about writing than actually writing! I also suggest checking the publication date because while most books are timeless, some may be outdated due to the ever changing landscape of the Internet.

Subscription to a Writing Magazine – There are numerous magazines dedicated to writing. Some are genre specific, but most are for writing in general. Save your writer a trip to the book store and have their favorite magazine delivered right to their door!

Mini, Hand-Held Recording Device – These are awesome to keep in the car or in your pocket. Also, most are digital and don’t require a tape. When the muse strikes and your writer can’t grab a pen to jot down their brilliant idea, they can just pick up this handy device and hit the record button. Your writer won’t ever have to worry about losing a precious gem of dialogue or next article idea again! Just make sure they’re careful if they decide to talk and drive ; -)

Package of Blank CD’s and/or a bunch of Flash Drives– Every writer needs CD’s or flash drives in order to save their notes and a copy of their manuscript. One can never have enough blank CD’s or flash drives. I prefer flash drives because they’re small, easier to carry around and the transfer of precious information is quicker than a CD.

Digital Photo Frames – These can be costly, but you can find a decent one for about fifty-dollars. These photo frames add a nice touch to any desk. Why clutter your writer’s space with numerous frames when they can have one that holds all their favorite photos?

The above gift ideas are fairly reasonable in price and will put a smile on your writer’s face. However, if you can afford to spend more there are always cool gadgets like e-readers, iPads, and one that I’m considering – software that transfers voice to words on your computer. It claims to be three times faster than typing! It sounds cool, but for me, I’m not sure if I can initially get my book done by talking out loud. My brain goes so fast when I’m writing that the thought of saying it out loud first makes my head spin – LOL I’m also not sure if the software could keep up with me!

If you have any gift ideas you’d like to share, I would love to hear about them! I also wanted to let you know that my husband prints t-shirts and we have leftover stock from a writing web site we used to own. If you’re interested in a t-shirt, please email me (sandy@sandynicks.com) and I can tell you what we have left. We have about 10 different sayings and they’re reasonably priced! If you mention Beyond Romance – you’ll get a substantial discount!

Bio: Sandy Nicks lives near the Jersey Shore with her husband, 4 kids and 9 spoiled pets. She writes romantic comedy (Falling for Autumn, Book 1 in the Sisters for All Seasons series is available now & Book 2, Crazy Days of Summer, will be released in 2011) and time travel romance (Circle of Eternity, available now) for Vanilla Heart Publishing. When she’s not writing, she loves going to the beach, reading, hanging out with the kids and taking her dogs to the reservoir.

To learn more about Sandy and her books, please visit: http://www.sandynicks.com , follow her on Twitter [ http://twitter.com/sannicks ] or contact her at: sandy@sandynicks.com Sandy’s books are available in print and various e-book formats including Kindle, Nook, iPad, Sony and more. You can purchase her books on Amazon, BN, and many other online retailers.

I want to thank Lisabet for having me today! I also want to wish all of you a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!