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.
