What’s the best gift for an Author?

Sometimes the creatives are the hardest and easiest to shop for. You may know what to ask for, but sometimes, you don’t. There are so many options, and what is it you really need to be a better writer? Is it that special mug with a quote from your favorite author, or a new desk because the old one’s tainted with bad writing? In reality, there’s no perfect gift for every writer, but here are some ideas for the author in your life.

My Top Six Gifts for Authors:

1. Craft Books
   • Craft books are a more formal title for books that teach writing. These are exceptional gifts for every writer because even a New York Times Best Seller is still learning about the craft of writing each day. The great thing about craft books is they range from motivational to instructional. So far, my top Fiction Craft book is Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern. This is a great book for new and experienced writers to explore the shapes of fiction and learn/refresh on literary terms thrown around in writing circles at all levels. Find it here on Amazon.
   • Another brilliant series of craft books is written by K.M. Weiland. She focuses on her way of planning, formatting, and writing her novels. I feel that her teaching style works for me and might work for you as well.
2. Writing Prompt Books
   • Writing prompt books can also leech into the craft book realm, but their primary focus is to inspire new ideas, concepts, and prompts the writer might not have considered yet. One of my favorites is The 3 A.M. Epiphany and The 4 A.M. Breakthrough by Brian Kiteley. What makes this set one of my favorites is the opening lesson gets you in the mindset for the writing prompts. It tells you what aspects of that category are important and why you should practice them. I have yet to go through all the exercises in the books. These are great reference material for a writer stuck on a certain aspect of their story, or if they just want some practice exercises for a certain aspect of their craft.
3. A Good Mug
   • Whether you drink coffee, tea, water, or soda, a good mug can make the difference in your comfort. The great thing is, depending on the type of mug you’re looking to get, many are customizable. The best way to choose the perfect mug for your writer, or yourself, is by tying it to the things they love. My wife knows I love my dog, so mugs about being a dog dad or with black labs are my favorite. I also have a few Pokémon mugs to keep me true to my fandom. So, work off your writer’s, or your own, favorites. I’m sure through Amazon, Etsy, and many other sites you can find the mug that will fit perfectly for that writer in your life.
4. A New Book
   • Too many books? Impossible. If there’s one thing Authors love more than writing their books, it’s getting behind on their “To Be Read” shelf. Buy a book from their favorite author they don’t have yet, get them a book from a new Indie Author, or share one of your favorites with them. Especially if you share one of your favorites, have a conversation about it after they finish it. There’s nothing more satisfying than talking about a book both of you loved, or the differences you noticed.
5. Desk Deco
   • Personalizing your writing space can turn it into a comfortable area to spend minutes to hours writing. Every writer has their muse, object, or book they always keep on their desk. Try to find that something for them, and it may change with the books they write. Every novel, short story, or memoir requires a different atmosphere. There’re always more options than you may realize. So, if they’re not working behind a closed door and have shared some details with you, work off that and get an item from another story that fits what they’re working on.
6. Writing Software
   • This is a wide area to work with. Sometimes just having Microsoft Word is all a writer wants to track their progress. Others want an in-depth and assisted software like the Novel Factory. Writing software can be simple, Microsoft Word, too complex, Scrivener. So, talk with your author and find out what they use, and would like to use. I used Microsoft Word for the longest time, but once I tried Scrivener, I found a new way to write my novels. Mind you, it took a lot of lead time watching and practicing with tutorials, but I’m still happy with the switch. Sometimes that change in writing software can spark the mind in a new way, but don’t worry, a lot of them can be affordable, and it’s just finding what’s the best fit for the writer in your life.

Conclusion:

As long as the gift you give to your writer comes from the heart, I think you’ll be okay. There may be many other options that other writers want, everyone’s different, but these should get your mind jogged for any of those short notice gifts. If you’re a writer and looking for ideas what to ask for this year, I hope this helped. Thank you for reading today’s post on the Top Six Gifts for Authors 2022. And remember, keep learning, keep writing, and stay fresh, my nugs!

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