It’s the holiday season, and if you’re here, there’s a writer in your life that you’d love to delight with an awesome, unique gift. This list of unique gifts for writers and authors includes things both tangible and intangible, cheap and expensive, personal and impersonal — and hopefully, a gift for any situation. I hope you find what you’re looking for!

(Note: I have not been paid to endorse any of these products. I’m just a writer who loves unique writerly things.)

 

1. A signed copy of their favorite book

Price Range: $20+

All writers have idols. What could be more special than giving them a book that’s been touched by the hands of a master of their craft? The good news is that you’ll likely have options, because most book lovers (and writers are invariably book lovers) have more than one favorite book. The best part is that asking about favorite books is a very casual question, so you won’t even ruin the surprise!

Tips

Finding a signed copy of a recently released book will be easiest, as you can sometimes find them at your local bookstore (Barnes and Noble tends to carry signed editions). I personally love browsing my local used-books stores, like Half-Priced Books or Bookman’s, because they often have signed books for pretty reasonable prices.

Anything more than a year old, I’d search for at AbeBooks or Ebay, though be careful not to be tricked with a forgery.

Older books (such as classics) may be impossible to find signed, but a great alternative would be an early edition (such as a first edition), though expect those to come at a hefty price.

 

2. A personalized pen

Price Range: $5 – $45

Nothing feels more official than writing with a pen that has your name on it. Even if they typically type rather than write with pen on paper, every writer carries a pen around (because you just never know!). The nice thing about this gift is that it can fit a variety of budgets and styles. I found pens as cheap as $10 shipped and many higher quality ones around the $50 mark.

 

3. An exquisite writing journal

Price Range: $20 – $60

This is especially applicable if your writer enjoys pen-and-paper writing. I love soothi’s journals in particular because they’re crafted with writers in mind. Many of their journals feature quotes from books or writers on the covers. They’re incredibly customizable. They use almost entirely recycled materials and their paper is handmade out of cotton. Lastly, they plant a tree for every journal made.

If a soothi journal isn’t in your price range, however, lots of online shops offer beautiful, personalized journals. You can even create your own design using a service like Shutterfly or order a customized journal from Etsy.

 

4. A fun magnetic poetry kit

Price: $15

Your writer will love playing with language with this magnetic poetry kit. Playing with words is a great way to warm up for a writing session. There are several themed kits so you can pick one that your writer would enjoy most. (Options are Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Revolution Poet, Geek, Bitch Kit, Pride and Prejudice, Nature Poet, Cat Lover, The Artist, and more.)

 

5. A writerly T-shirt

Price: $10 – $15

Great for writers who love to announce their passion through their fashion.

 

6. A sweatshirt for the colder months

Price: $20 – $40

Getting dressed with the intention to write in the morning is a good way to set yourself up for success.

 

7. A mood candle

There are several writer-themed ones, but if your writer enjoys setting the mood for the writer sessions, you can’t go wrong with asking their favorite scent.

 

8. An amazing writerly plant pot

Price: $15

Is your writer also a plant lover? Spruce up their writing space with a brand new plant — inside the head of a famous writer! This admittedly hilarious plant pot line includes luminaries such as William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Jane Austen. Being a writer can get lonely sometimes. Plants are scientifically proven to improve your mood, so why not help a writer out?

 

9. For the adult writer in your life: Writers’ Tears Irish Whiskey

Price: $22+

Is your writer 21+ and a lover of spirits? “Enjoy a dash of inspiration and a thirst for curiosity” They have an entire line of flavors, which their website helps you explore so you can select your favorite. Scroll further down to find signature cocktails any writer is sure to love. I love their thoroughness!

 

10. The Writing Manifesto Print

Price: $37

Inspiring wall art for their writing space.

 

11. A new favorite mug

Price: $10 – $20

The options here are endless. I mean it. There are so many great mugs for writers out there. This one is especially great for the screenwriter in your life.

 

12. Stickers for their writing machine or journal

Price: $3

Stickers can make great stocking-stuffers or small gifts. They’re also easy to send with a card or a letter with little fuss!

 

13. Composition book coasters

Price: $23

All writers need liquid fuel, so help them protect their writing surface with these stinking cute coasters.

 

14. Memo board or bulletin board

Price: Around $20

Even though I type on my computer, I still brainstorm on paper and find it incredibly helpful to have inspiration pictures, ideas, quotes, and notes on a bulletin board above my computer.

 

15. Scrivener: novel-writing software

Price: $49

This writing app is a one-stop shop for organizing all the elements a novelist needs to keep track of: worldbuilding, character sheets, chapters, chapter summaries, chapter notes, and so much more. Honestly, if the writer in your life is a novelist AND a type-A organizer (like me), Scrivener will rock their world.

 

16. A writing playlist

Price: Free!

This is the DIY gift that keeps on giving. Creating a playlist of ambient sounds and inspiring (lyric-less) music for them to write to is a thoughtful gesture for the writer in your life. Plus, there are plenty of playlists you can draw from for inspiration.

 

17. A coffee shop gift card or outing — on you

Price: It varies. $25?

Invite your writer friend to your favorite local coffee shop. Going out to write can be a nice change of pace! Consider supporting a local coffee shop rather than a chain store. The unique setting is sometimes the perfect recipe for inspiration.

 

18. A novelty USB flash drive

Price: $145 (pictured) but here’s one for $13

Writers always need somewhere to back up their files. This is their life’s work — and you’re helping them safely preserve it. You can even find USB flash drive necklaces, so your writer can take their work in progress everywhere with them.

 

19. A bookish case or sleeve for their laptop

Price: $26

Odds are, a laptop is your writer’s most prized possession. They’ll love a creative way to keep it safe. Etsy also has plenty of customizable options if you’d like to personalize it with the writer’s name.

20. A useful subscription

For the writer who doesn’t enjoy “things,” consider a useful subscription, like:

• Chicago Manual of Style, $43 for one year. This is the “indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders…” on all things grammar.
• Grammarly Premium, $30 for one month or $144 for a year. Some writers swear by this automatic grammar and spell-checker. Grammarly stepped up their Premium subscription by offering plagiarism detection, clarity-focused sentence rewrites, word choice suggestions, fluency revisions, and more.
• A literary magazine subscription for the literary (rather than commercial) writer. Prices may vary and often there are discounts. Some famous ones include Ploughshares, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and the Virginia Quarterly Review.

Want more unique gift ideas for writers?

Visit my Pinterest board with 500+ unique gifts for writers and bookworms. I’ll be updating this through the gifting season with more unique gifts for writers!

 

What else does the writer in your life need? Leave me a comment below with other unique gifts for writers!

Wishing you gift-giving success,