Ten Great Gift Suggestions for Writers by Diana Flegal

It is that time of the year when we purchase gifts for those we love. If a writer is on your list or you write and want to leave a list around for Santa to find, check out the items below. Something is bound to fit your price range and get you started. A happy writer is a prolific writer and a prolific writer hones their craft, and increases their chances of getting published. 

10) Good Pens Basic yes, but needed and will be appreciated. Check out this extensive list written by The Pen Addict. Wow, made me want to go on a pen buying spree. My favorite pen is the Zebra Z Grip.  I like how smooth it writes. Pens make great stocking stuffers.

9) Writing Pads To be spread about the house, readily available for times of inspiration. A nice touch is personalizing these pads with the writer’s name. A more expensive version of this would be a digital tablet, Ipad, Kindle Fire or Microsoft’s new Surface Pro tablet which I am drooling over.   

8) A life supply of Post it Notes- no explanation necessary. J

7) A virtual Assistant. If cash is in your stocking, you might want to spring for one of these. Michael Hyatt has been recommending them for years. I have one client who has a great one. I want one. Waah! A Minnie me. Here are Michael’s recent suggestions on what to watch out for when hiring one.

6) Dropbox. I could not function without this and at every writers conference we end up singing its praises round a dinner table. Most beginning writers can get away with the free version, but if you are well published or just a prolific writer and have a lot of manuscripts in various states of completion (W’sIP) you might want to do as I have and pay for the larger capacity. Dropbox sinks your files to all of your devices. I like to get away from my desk and move in the evenings to the couch with my laptop. What ever I do that evening, shows up on my desk top the next day. No more emailing files to each device. Love it!

5) Writers Market Guide/ Christian Writers Market Guide. I recommend my authors get a guide, not especially for the publisher content (that changes often but it’s helpful) but the writers contest information, the short story options, and the list of magazines looking for submissions. A real platform boosting aid.  

4) A Whiteboard If you are visual and like to track your story line or just list your projects to stay on track a whiteboard can be a very helpful tool. You might want to use one to remind you of outside commitments as well. Writers tend to enter their space and forget other important matters. Just sayin.

3) The Desk Chair Ball the ultimate core strengthening, posture maintaining seat for all. And when one has writers block, or is frustrated for any reason; rejected again, busted by your editor for dangling modifiers- again…, just bounce a while and the creative juices will flow.   

2) Dragon Speak or similar dictating program. If inspiration hits you while driving? Speak into this device and it will type it later into your manuscript files.   

1) Drum roll please. The number one gift on every writer’s wish list is an all expense paid trip to a writer’s conference. Writer’s conferences come in all sizes and price ranges. There are one day conferences, weekend, and week long ones. There are local conferences and conferences held in exotic locations. Google writer’s conference in your area, state and country of choice. Check out this Fun in the Sun cruise that popped up when I googled it. I wonder if they need any more agents for that one?? Maybe next year.