100 Best Gifts for Writers: Best Writing Books, Courses, Apparel, and More!

by Joe Bunting | 21 comments

Finding the right gifts for writers in your life can be challenging. After all, what do you get people who spend so much time living in their own heads and imaginations.

Best Gifts for Writers

It's even worse if you're the writer! What do you tell people to get you for Christmas gifts, birthday presents, and other holidays?

But don't worry friends. We've got you covered with over 100 of the best gifts for writers ever. We've got writing software gifts, writing apparel gifts, writing book gifts, and even the best book writing planner money can buy.

Let's get gifting, shall we?

One last thing to note before we begin. A few of the products below are affiliate links, meaning we earn a bit of money for each purchase, which goes to help keep us supplied with our own books and gifts for the writers in our lives. This didn't affect our review or inclusion on our list, but we wanted to let you know!

Gifts for Writers Table of Contents 

The Best Gifts for Writers: Books!

Writers are always readers, and almost always, the best gift you can get the writer in your life is a great book. 

Book Subscriptions

Some of the best gifts arrive over time! These are our favorite book subscriptions so you can give the gift of regular reading.

Audible Subscription. This is one of my favorites. With an Audible subscription, you can get an annual or even 3-month subscription so your writer can pick out one audiobook a month! Choose your gift threshold at $15 for one month, $45 for 3-months, $90 for six-months, and $150 for a full year.

Book of the Month Subscription. BOTM is the perfect subscription box for book lovers, allowing you to choose one book per month from their shortlist of new and exciting books with $59, $99, and $199 gifting thresholds.

Kindle Unlimited. Unlimited reading in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program, which has over 4 million books! Not bad! You can give 6 months for $59.94, 12 months for $119.88, and even two years at $172.66.

Parnassus First Edition Book Club: Parnassus Booksstore in Nashville, TN will send a signed first edition each month. Amazing right?! Starts at $35.50 per month with shipping.

Two other independent bookstores with terrific book subscription services: Wild Geese Bookshop (in Indiana) at $35 per month and Shelf Life (in Georgia) at $30 per month.

Craft Books

There are hundreds of great books written on the writing craft, and these can be a great help to writers who want to get better and accomplish their writing goals. Here are some of our favorites:

General Inspiration

  1. Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts by Matt Bell. Guides writers through writing a novel, focusing on rewriting and refining.
  2. Let's Write a Short Story! by Joe Bunting. A practical guide to jumpstarting a career in writing through the craft of short stories.
  3. 14 Prompts by Joe Bunting. Offers creative and engaging writing prompts to inspire writers.
  4. You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins. Empowers aspiring writers to embrace their identity as writers.
  5. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Discusses the nature of inspiration and creativity, encouraging readers to embrace curiosity.
  6. The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr. Shares wisdom on writing memoirs, blending personal experiences with practical advice.
  7. On Writing: a Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. A revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, part memoir, part master class.
  8. The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of The Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman
  9. The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass: Discusses how to write with emotional authenticity and depth.
  10. Elements of Fiction by Walter Mosley
  11. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. A guide to writing practice and a philosophy of life.
  12. The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith. A guide on how to write a memoir that people will want to read.
  13. The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch. A comprehensive guide offering wisdom and practical advice on the art of fiction from a seasoned author and teacher.
  14. Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott. Lamott's book offers her own insights into the writing process, blending humor with practical advice.
  15. The Write Fast System by J. Danforth. A guide to creating your own writing productivity system, one that will help you write faster, create a sustainable writing habit, and accomplish your writing goals.
  16. The Way of the Writer: Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling by Charles Johnson. Johnson shares his personal journey and experiences in the world of writing, offering valuable insights into the craft of storytelling.

Story Structure

  1. The Write Structure by Joe Bunting. My book that shares the story structure framework we use at The Write Practice, a system designed to help people write great stories using timeless structural techniques faster. You can learn more about The Write Structure plot framework here.
  2. Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee. Much of what the world knows about story structure comes from Robert McKee, a screenwriting and storytelling guru who has been teaching live workshops to writers and screenwriters for decades. This is a foundational text.
  3. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Shawn Coyne. Shawn Coyne took Robert McKee and other's ideas and created a practical, objective plot framework that has helped thousands of writers and editors craft better stories. This book was transformational to me and so many.
  4. Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder. Snyder's influential book presents a structured method for screenwriting, laying out basic plots, fifteen core scenes, and other structural techniques to structure your writing process.
  5. Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Brody translates Blake Snyder's book for novelists, giving a systematic approach to brainstorm, outline, and write a novel using the Save the Cat method.
  6. The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. This book lays out the origin of the “hero's journey” monomyth that inspired George Lucas and so many others.

Revision and Style

  1. Revision and Self-Editing by James Scott Bell
  2. Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen by Mary Norris
  3. The Describer’s Dictionary by David Grambs
  4. The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
  5. The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers
  6. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language edited by William Morris
  7. Elements of Style by Strunk and White
  8. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

Publishing and Beyond

  1. Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum
  2. The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman
  3. Your First 1,000 Copies by Tim Grahl
  4. APE: How to Publish a Book by Guy Kawaski and Shawn Welch
  5. Scrivener Superpowers by M.G. Herron

 Non-Craft Books That Are Still Great

  1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
  2. You Are a Badass: How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
  3. The Art of Noticing by Rob Walker

Inspiring Poetry Books

One of the most inspiring kinds of books for writers, though, is poetry. Reading masters of language play with images and emotions takes my breath away. Here are a few of our favorites:

  1. The Carrying by current U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón 
  2. Good Bones by Maggie Smith
  3. The Bell and the Blackbird by David Whyte
  4. Counting Descent by Clint Smith
  5. Devotions by Mary Oliver
  6. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

Writing Courses

The Write Structure Course Mockup

The Writer's Starter Pack. This one is special because it's from us! In The Writer's Starter pack, you'll get seven of our best writing classes at The Write Practice normally $743, all for $299, more than 60 percent off. This is a limited time deal for Black Friday so make sure to get it quickly if you want it.

Writing Classes from The Write Practice. Alternatively, you give your writer a $49 per month membership to all of our classes and our workshopping community. This is a great deal for writers who want to learn the craft in a supportive environment. 

100 Day Book. You can also give your writer friend the gift of a finished book through our class 100 Day Book. Over the course of 100 Days, they will be guided through the process of writing a new draft of their book. It's an amazing program that has helped thousands of writers finish their books.

Masterclass. Through Masterclass, you can learn from some of the best living writers in the world, like Malcolm Gladwell, Margaret Atwood, James Patterson, Neil Gaiman, and more. See our full Masterclass review or sign up here

Skillshare. Skillshare, like Masterclass, offers online classes by award winning and bestselling writers. Check out our top 7 Skillshare classes or sign up for a subscription here.

Writing Journals and Planners

Moleskine. The writer's notebook of choice over the last 100 years, this hardcover journal is perfect for the writer who wants to keep their words safe. Alternatively, check out Leuchtturm1917‘s similarly beautiful journals.

Rifle Paper Co. Another company that makes beautiful, premium journals is Rifle Paper Co. Check out their spiral, bound, and stitched notebooks here.

The Write Plan Planner. Finally, if your writer is looking for a planner that will specifically help them write a book, check out The Write Plan Planner, a premium, hardcover book writing planner we designed that combines everything we've learned about how to finish writing a book! Get it here.
The Write Plan Planner Perfect Bound

You can also see our full list of planners for writers here.

Writing Software and Apps

Writing is hard, and having the right tools and software can make the process easier. You can find all of our favorite pieces of book writing software here, but here's a couple of the most giftable.

Dabble. Dabble has quickly become our favorite book writing software, combining some of Scrivener's best features (drag-and-drop chapter editor, notecard view, and manuscript target and productivity tracking) plus write-anywhere cloud syncing all in a more user-friendly, easy-to-use package. You can even gift Dabble Premium to your favorite writer here

Scrivener. Scrivener has long been a favorite word processor for writers working on longer projects like books, where traditional tools like Microsoft Word tend to struggle. Learn more about Scrivener here or grab it for your favorite writer here for $59.99.

ProWritingAid. Our favorite grammar and style checker! Give the gift of perfect writing (or at least writing with fewer errors!) You can subscribe normally, or gift Lifetime access or a 1 Year Subscription $60 here.

Publisher's Marketplace. The best tool to help you get published. Find literary agents and publishers to submit to, get a stream of the latest deals in the industry, and hear all the latest publishing industry related news. $25 per year here.

Cloud-Based Writing App
Word Processor for Books
Grammar & Style Checker
$10 / month
$59.99
$10 / month
Cloud-Based Writing App
Word Processor for Books
Grammar & Style Checker

Tech Gifts for Writers

Writers need tech too! From eReading devices to laptops to distraction-free writing devices, these tech gifts will kindle joy in every writer (pun intended, obviously).

Kindle Paperwhite. Read comfortably anywhere (even in low light environments). Download new books instantly wherever you are. Long-battery life (up to 10 weeks!), it's hard to beat the Kindle Paperwhite.

Best Gifts for Writers: Kindle Paperwhite

Freewrite Smart Typewriter. This is a distraction-free writing tool designed for writers who want to focus solely on writing without the interruptions of the internet. It features an e-ink screen and a full-size mechanical keyboard, combining the simplicity of a typewriter with modern digital convenience, allowing you to sync your work to the cloud. A very cool (if a little expensive) gift! Check out the Alpha version for a more budget-friendly option.

Digital Voice Recorder. Walking is one of the best ways to tap into your creative flow. What's more, walking and talking out your novel or article can be a great way to get a lot of “writing” done while getting your daily steps. This voice recorder from Sony is a good fit, with good quality, long-battery life, a large amount of storage, and a fairly budget-friendly price. Pair it with the dictating guide for writers, On Being a Dictator by the ultra-prolific Kevin J. Anderson, to give the gift of dictation to the writer in your life.

reMarkable 2 E-ink Note-taking Tablet. Another great distraction-free device for better idea capturing is the reMarkable 2 note-taking tablet. Use it to jot down ideas, map story arcs, handwrite scenes, or just do some world-class doodling. A great companion to the writing process!

Writing Stimulants (AKA Caffeine!)

It's no secret that most writers have a (un)healthy love for caffeinated beverages. Here are some of our favorite coffe and tea-related gifts for writers.

Novel Tea Literary Blends. Tea inspired by your favorite novels? Yes please! DonQuixoTea has to be the best one, right? Get them here.

Fable Grounds. A cool coffee company with literary themed roasts! Pemberly Roast? Ghost of Christmas Past? Book Dragon blend? Outlander coffee? I would like them all, please. Check them all out here.

Funny gifts for writers: Coffee Mug for WritersMugs for Writers at The Write Shop. We created our very own set of funny coffee mugs for writers. Check them out here.

“Just One More Chapter” Mug. I love this mug for book lovers! Grab it here.

Build Your Own Writer's Block Busting Basket

Combine some or all of these into the perfect gift basket for your favorite writer:

Rory's Story Cubes. A fun dice game to get your story brain moving that you can play by yourself to break writers block or with others.

Sticky notes and Index Cards. Who doesn't need index cards and sticky notes to help stay organized?

 

Bulletin board. Once you have your index cards, you're going to need a corkboard to put them on. Here's one that's large enough to hold them all. 

Timer. Set the timer and get writing! This rotating productivity timer let's you quickly set it for 5, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minute increments. Or just take a look at the clock. Perfect for your writing sprints.

Earplugs. Stay focused with a set of foam earplugs. Or, bonus, go for a pair of AirPods Max noise cancelling headphones

Blackwing pencils. Beautiful, iconic, and lovely to write with. 

Green Felt-tip Flair Pens. The perfect pen to mark up your manuscript!

A Cozy Blanket. When you sit in front of a computer or notebook for long periods of time, especially in the early morning or late at night, it's easy to get cold! Thus, a cozy blanket is must. I think this knit fleece from LL Bean, which reminds me of my grandma, is my favorite.

Motivational Stress Balls. For all those hard writing moments!

Your own Zen Garden, but table top sized.

Thinking putty. We all need things to do with our hands while we think. That's why this Thinking Putty is perfect. 

A House Plant. Freshen up the air for thinking with a house plant (tip: the easier to take care of the better). 

Alternatively, have someone make your gift basket for you with The Scribbler Box, the subscription box for creative writers, combining stickers, apparel, craft books, journals, writing tools, and more. Starting at $19.99 a month here.

Writing Clothes and Apparel

What about gifts for the writer who wants to show off? Below you'll find our favorite apparel and funniest gifts for writers.

Socks for Writers

Christmas Gifts for WritersEvery writer loves a pair of thick, cozy socks to wear when snuggled up at their writing desk or preferred writing space. Here are some whimsical options:

T-Shirts for Writers

World's Sexiest Writer T-Shirt

Who doesn't want a t-shirt that fully captures the essence of their creative journey. Here are some thoughtfully designed options that blend style with literary flair:

Literary Hoodie

Work in Poe-Gress HoodieWork in Poe-gress Hoodie. Most writers enjoy a fun pun. We created this hoodie (also available as a t-shirt) to combine literary puns, writerly jargon, and winter warmth. For a gift that will keep your writer friends cozy, motivated, and slightly silly this year, look no further than this hoodie.

 

Shoes for Writers

Shoes are a fun way to give style a little spunk. Try one of these options for a pair of eye-catching footwear for your writing companion.

Book Lover Jammies

Sometimes nothing is better than a cozy set of pajamas and a great book. These jammies from CafePress are fun and comfortable—and perfect for curling up with a new favorite read in bed, on the couch, or anywhere your friend enjoys lounging.

The Write Hat

The Write Hat. Help your favorite writer express their true identity with this great baseball cap. I have one of these and love it!

 

More Apparel

Christmas Gifts for WritersPride & Prejudice Tote Bag ($29).This looks like just another tote bag with some Edwardian English women fanning themselves as they admire an eligible bachelor with a large fortune who is obviously in search of a wife. 

All of that is true, but if you whip out your magnifying glass you can also read the first 20,000 words of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. That's right, this is a tote with words. You can get this one and totes for other classic books here from Litographs.

Penguin Classics Postcards ($17)We should all be writing more postcards. We really should. But let's be honest, you probably won't. Even so, these awesome postcards of classic books make for great bookmarks. You can also decorate your writing space with them. Or just regift them to your friends. So many great options. Get your Penguin Classic postcards here

You can also get this set with famous quotes in literature.

Matchbooks that Look Like Actual Books ($8). OK, I don't smoke, and while I do light the occasional fire, I rarely use matches. But I still want these crazy little matchboxes that look like actual books because they're so cool. Someone, please buy these for me.

Christmas Gifts for WritersLes Misérables Scarf ($39). Okay, this is our last book-on-a-garment item, but come on. You can't deny it would be cool to have a scarf printed with 30,000 words of Victor Hugo's masterpiece.
One cool feature of Litograph's scarves is that you can choose from dozens of different books, or even upload your own book (!!!) and choose your own font and color (I like the looks of Petit Formal in blue). Customize your own literary scarf here.

 

Fingerless Writing GlovesFingerless gloves keep a writer’s hands warm and free to type without hinderance. And like the scarves mentioned above, Storiarts offers these gloves covered in text from a variety of classic novels, like Still I Rise to The Night CircusGet your writing gloves here.

 

headbandLiterary Headbands with TextOkay, I know I’ve shared a lot from Storiarts already, but I couldn’t help offering one more gift idea from their amazing collection. Nothing shouts “I love books!” or “I love writing!” more than a headband with quotes from a classic novel. Perfect for keeping your hair back when typing, or ears warm when your out for a morning walk—brainstorming ideas for your next story or current WIP. Get a headband with text here.

 

Writing Decor

Next, here's our favorite decor perfect for the writer who likes to set the “write” atmosphere for creativity.

Smells Like a Bestseller Candle

Funny gifts for writers: lego typewriter

Other Gifts Every Writer Loves

Spotify Premium Gift Card. Nothing inspires like music. Give your favorite writer Spotify Premium for unlimited, ad-free (i.e. distraction free) music. 

Apple Gift Card. Every writer needs a computer, and for most writers, Apple is the device of choice. You can get your favorite writer an Apple gift card here.

Canva ProCanva Pro gives writers an opportunity to design images without boundaries. Whether or not they’d like to design a professional looking image for a social media account like Instagram, or their very own book cover, Canva is simple to use—and comes with thousands of images and graphics. Get a friend Canva Pro with this link.

Let us know in what writing-related gifts are on your list?

PRACTICE

Think of a character in your work in progress. Then, write out his or her Christmas wishlist. List at least 10 things. Share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop, and if you post, comment on the wishlists for a few other writers. Not a member? Join us

Have fun and happy writing!

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris, a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

21 Comments

  1. Jay Hicks

    Yesterday I heard about a pen that has an inbuilt light … you know, right!!!! No more nocturnal plot brilliance lost down the rabbit hole. I WANT.

    Reply
    • Joe Bunting

      Nice! You have the link?

    • sherpeace

      Yes, link would be good! 😉

    • Jay Hicks

      I ended up getting one on eBay as I’m in Australia. Known as night writer, or aviation pen. There were some in the States through Amazon and eBay also.
      Happy writing and wakeful jottings.

    • Joe Bunting

      Pretty cool!

    • Jay Hicks

      Thanks cat lover!

  2. Bruce Carroll

    Well, my WIP is set in the summer, so a Christmas wish list is unlikely. Having said that, my protagonist would likely wish for the following:

    1. To find her parents.
    2. To be with Tommy again.
    3. A place to call home.
    4. Not to be hunted anymore.
    5. To learn who the man in her dreams is.
    6. To learn what the strange words she keeps remembering are.
    7. To have her memory restored.
    8. To have her sight restored.
    9. Driver’s license.
    10. Maybe a nice, long nap?

    Reply
    • Joe Bunting

      Ha. That’s an intense Christmas list!

    • Bruce Carroll

      It’s an intense story. It’s funny how the creative process works. I never would have thought I was capable of writing a thriller. But I had an idea for one, with (in my opinion) a really cool character. I didn’t want to write it so much as I wanted to read it. And that was the conundrum: if I didn’t write it, it would never be written and I would never read it.

    • Joe Bunting

      I LOVE that as a motivation, Bruce. Glad you’re sticking with it. 🙂

    • Bruce Carroll

      I aim to be my biggest fan. I want both versions of the novel (I am planning two slightly different versions), the graphic novel, a Blu-ray copy of the movie, tickets to opening night of Akiko the Musical on Broadway….

      Granted there is only a small chance of things like a graphic novel, a movie, or a Broadway musical version ever being made. But if I don’t write the book, that small chance drops to 0%.

      How’s that for motivation?

    • sherpeace

      That’s the best reason to write there is. I remember looking everywhere for something similar to my story before I really went to work on it. There was nothing & still is nothing even slightly similar to my story.
      Best of luck to you, Bruce!

    • Bruce Carroll

      Thanks, sherpeace, and best of luck to you, as well. There are similar works to mine, but none has a lead like Akiko.

    • Ashley Hampton

      This Christmas list makes me want to read your book! Your character, and your story by the sound of her Christmas list, sounds extremely interesting!

  3. Brandon Dukes

    Hi, @joebunting, this has nothing to do with Christmas but I am struggling with an analytical essay over “The tragedy of Macbeth” and I am writing on how the supernatural plays a role in Macbeth. Could you please give me tips to how I can at least make an A. I have already read your blog on writing which helps me a little. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Joe Bunting

      No secrets, but ask yourself, “How can I have more fun with this essay?” More fun equals more engagement, and more engagement equals a better grade. Always.

      Here are a few more ideas: thewritepractice.com/writing-an-essay/

  4. TerriblyTerrific

    I want that notebook, the Edgar Allen Poe socks, and the mugs. Those are awesome!

    Reply
    • Joe Bunting

      Me too. Me too.

  5. sherpeace

    I was hoping to reblog this on my wordpress blog. That way, I thought I could give hints without it seeming too obvious! 😉 <3
    Wishing you all awesome holidays!

    Reply

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