He got up and sat on the edge of the bedstead with his back to the window. “It’s better not to sleep at all,” he decided. There was a cold damp draught from the window, however; without getting up he drew the blanket over him and wrapped himself in it. He was not thinking of anything and did not want to think. But one image rose after another, incoherent scraps of thought without beginning or end passed through his mind. He sank into drowsiness. Perhaps the cold, or the dampness, or the dark, or the wind that howled under the window and tossed the trees roused a sort of persistent craving for the fantastic. He kept dwelling on images of flowers, he fancied a charming flower garden, a bright, warm, almost hot day, a holiday—Trinity day. A fine, sumptuous country cottage in the English taste overgrown with fragrant flowers, with flower beds going round the house; the porch, wreathed in climbers, was surrounded with beds of roses. A light, cool staircase, carpeted with rich rugs, was decorated with rare plants in china pots. He noticed particularly in the windows nosegays of tender, white, heavily fragrant narcissus bending over their bright, green, thick long stalks. He was reluctant to move away from them, but he went up the stairs and came into a large, high drawing-room and again everywhere—at the windows, the doors on to the balcony, and on the balcony itself—were flowers. The floors were strewn with freshly-cut fragrant hay, the windows were open, a fresh, cool, light air came into the room. The birds were chirruping under the window, and in the middle of the room, on a table covered with a white satin shroud, stood a coffin. The coffin was covered with white silk and edged with a thick white frill; wreaths of flowers surrounded it on all sides. Among the flowers lay a girl in a white muslin dress, with her arms crossed and pressed on her bosom, as though carved out of marble. But her loose fair hair was wet; there was a wreath of roses on her head. The stern and already rigid profile of her face looked as though chiselled of marble too, and the smile on her pale lips was full of an immense unchildish misery and sorrowful appeal. Svidrigaïlov knew that girl; there was no holy image, no burning candle beside the coffin; no sound of prayers: the girl had drowned herself. She was only fourteen, but her heart was broken. And she had destroyed herself, crushed by an insult that had appalled and amazed that childish soul, had smirched that angel purity with unmerited disgrace and torn from her a last scream of despair, unheeded and brutally disregarded, on a dark night in the cold and wet while the wind howled

50 Surprising and Unusual Gifts for Writers (No Coffee Mugs!)

‹ Back to blog

Looking for a great gift for a writer in your life?

Look no farther.

This post offers ideas for bookends, writing software, books about how to write, magazine subscriptions, professional editing services and more! (and some are affiliate links — thanks for supporting Bookfox!)

Each category comes with at least 4 or 5 suggestions for gifts for a writer. Enjoy the options, and buy your writer something special.

1. Writer Emergency Pack

Have a writer in your life that gets writer’s block? Get them this Writer Emergency Pack. Whenever they’re struggling with the story, they can pull out a card and get inspiration!

It includes 52 cards with fantastic illustrations and loads of ideas.

2. Novel Teabags

Have a writer who loves tea and books? 

Check out these teas with literary quotes on the tea bags from their favorite authors. 

3. Typewriter Wall Art

Have a writer who needs a splash of art?

Inspire them with this retro artwork glorifying the glory days of typewriters.

I love the burst of color on the Black and White text.

4. Temporary Literary Tattoos

Surprise the writer in your life with some temporary tattoos of their favorite author.

Pick from seven different authors including Jane Austen and Henry David Thoreau.

Each tattoo lasts about 2 – 3 days and each pack contains 6 tattoos.

5. Library Tote Bag

Let the writer in your life show off their literary bona fides with this cute tote bag.

Based on the old library cards, it’ll look cool and stylish all at once.

6. Book Subscription Boxes

Give the gift that keeps on giving!

Buying a book subscription box will mean they get books for the rest of the year.

Choose between Romance, Self-Help, Thrillers, Sci-fi and more.

7. Writer Bookends

Every writer loves bookends, of course. 

But these handmade steel bookends will be the envy of all their writing friends.

(they also have ones that say “Author,” if you like that better).

8. Storytelling Cards

Every writer gets writers block. 

Your friend will sing your name if you buy them these cards which break them out of a rut. 

They help writers organize their story and finish their book.

9. 100 Novels Scratch-Off Poster

This scratch-off chart lets your writer show just how many of the top 100 novels they’ve read.

It’s fun to do and fun to show off.

10. Digital Voice Recorderer

Writers are always forgetting their ideas.

But what if they could just speak into this recorder for late night inspiration

Never forget another story plot.

11. Give the Ultimate Gift

Get your writer a Bookfox Writing course. After all, every writer loves to learn!

Choose from one of 8 courses:

See them all by clicking the image below.

12. 100 Postcards of Beautiful Bookshops

These quirky and gorgeous bookstore postcards will make your writer drool.

Honestly, it’s going to be hard for them to mail them off!

13. Book Themed Pins and Necklaces

Honestly, I’ve loved Out of Print’s T-shirts for a long time, so I was overjoyed to see these cool pins.

They’re perfect for a hat, T-shirt, backpack. Literary flair!

14. The Writer’s Insult Poster

The wicked insults ever penned by authors, all on one beautifully designed poster.

“She did not cook as much as assassinate food.”

 

15. Leather Journal

This is a classic gift. You can never go wrong with giving a writer a leather journal, because they never have enough journals.

There are always more ideas spilling forth, always more blank lines needing to be filled.

Faux leather, 6 by 8 inches, includes a pen.

16. The Writer’s Toolbox

Give a writer everything they need to defeat writer’s block.

It includes 60 exercise sticks to get the creative juices flowing, and also lots of writing prompts.

They will love you forever, I promise.

Get it now!

17. Literary Candles

Candles that smell like books? Yes please! 

I love the smell of new books, and this collection of 3 candles actually includes 3 different book scents: Antique Books, Ancient Scrolls, and New Books.

What’s more, the Antique Books scent is guaranteed to be free of any moldiness.

18. Shakespeare Insults Calendar

This is kind of a funny gift, but also awesome. 

Who wouldn’t want a calendar of Shakespearian insults on their desk?

“I am sick when I do look on thee.”

Sick burn, Bard.

19. Literature Coloring Book

For the bookish friends who also appreciate art, buy them this coloring book.

It’s got 24 posters of literary quotes that they can color and hang up on the wall.

Plus, it’s pretty cheap (if you don’t want to break the bank).

20. The Storymatic Card Game

With 540 cards, the Storymatic feeds the imagination. Just pull out cards from each category (such as “Obstacle” and “Whatchoowant”) and let the storytelling begin.

Great for writers experiencing writer’s block and collaborative writing groups.

21. Writer Charm Bracelet and Earrings

I love this silver bracelet. It’s got that beautiful heart at the bottom with “Writer” across it. What’s more, it’s plated with 1 carat silver.

This lovely locket will be a nice piece of jewelry for the writer in your life. It comes with a 24 inch chain and a silver pendent.

If you like this design, they also have earrings available.

22. Writer’s Block Journal

It’s a journal … that looks like a block of wood. Writer’s block! 

Get it? Get it? C’mon, you know somebody who would find this amusing.

Buy it for them now (and it’s pretty cheap, too).

23. I Make Stuff Up T-Shirt

Writers love to proclaim their profession with clever and witty T-shirts.

And what’s more, they have a bunch of both men’s and women’s styles.

Are writers liars? Well, it’s a lie that tells a truth.

Check out the full version of this T-shirt.

24. The Kick-Ass Writer

Do you know a kick-ass writer?

Tell them you recognize their hard work and skills with this book by Chuck Wendig. 

It’s got all the practical advice every writer needs to navigation the treacherous shoals and rocky shoreline of the publishing world.

25. Big Gift

Give the gift of MasterClass.

Masterclass has writing courses taught by 40 of the best writers in the world, and you can purchase a year-long subscription for a friend.

  • Malcolm Gladwell teaches how to write nonfiction that people can’t stop talking about.
  • James Patterson teaches how to write page-turning fiction with surprising plots.
  • Shonda Rhimes teaches how to write screenplays for television and film.
  • R.L. Stine teaches how to write edgy material for younger audiences.
  • Judy Blume teaches how to make the reader fall in love with characters.

26. An Audible Subscription

Every writer would love to listen to books on their commute.

Why not give them a one-year subscription to Audible?

It’s pretty easy to give it as a gift. 

27. The Courage to Write

My absolute favorite writing book of all time is “The Courage to Write.”

What’s great is that 99.99% of writers have never read it, so you can rest assured you’re not giving them a second copy.

And if you want to give them another book about writing, look at my 40 best books for writers post.

28. Scrivener Writing Software

Scrivener is THE best writing software for writers. 

It helps writers organize all their ideas when they’re writing a screenplay, novel, or nonfiction book.

It also lets you track common words and themes throughout the book, which allows you greater control

In short, it’s quite amazing. There is a version for Macs and a version for PCs.

 

29. Original Manuscripts

Say your writer has a favorite book. 

Wouldn’t it be cool to get them a facsimile of the ORIGINAL manuscript? 

SP Books can help you out — they sell copies of the handwritten versions of famous manuscripts.

Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath — they’re all here, and they’re all handwritten by the author. 

30. Writers’ Tears Whiskey

Oh, writers do cry quite a few tears. From rejection, from throwing away manuscripts, and from poverty.

But you can cheer them up with this aptly named Irish Whiskey: WRITERS’ TEARS.

It’s both funny and tasty! Click on through to see the reasonable cost.

31. Writer’s Block wine

C’mon, what writer wouldn’t love to toast with a glass of wine to celebrate a writing victory?

Or to drink away their sorrows. 

Either way, this wonderfully named “Writer’s Block” wine will provide just the salve or celebration necessary.

Plus, it’s got the Bard himself (Mr. Shakespeare) right on the label. Can’t go wrong with England’s greatest poet.

32. Writing Boardgames

board game for writers

Dixit is probably the most popular writing board game out there.

Players have to convince other players that their story card is the best way to tell the story.

It won the prestigious Spiel de Jahres award for board game design in 2010, and it remains one of the boardgames best loved by writers.

thingslrg

The brilliant thing about The Game of Things is that it makes everyone write. You’re given a category like “Things that Jiggle” and everybody has to write down a funny or crazy answer. Then the leader of the round reads them anonymously and you have to guess who wrote what.

As long as you play with the right people, it’s crazy fun and crazy funny. Great to get the creative juices flowing.

Boardgames for writers

In this story-building boardgame “One Upon a Time”, one leader is the storyteller and plays cards to starts the story, trying to guide the story toward the end card.

Other players try to jump in and play their cards. First one to use all their cards up wins! Great fun for creative writers.

33. Bookends

What writer doesn’t love bookends? Every writer needs something to prop up their books, and it might as well be something cool and unique.

41snvfjsrl-_sx450_
bookend-gift-for-writers

Katana Sword Bookends. What better way to say that you’re not only scholarly but also dangerous? You slip steel book ends inside the covers of books on both ends, and the sword attaches with a magnet.The End bookend. So many puns going on here. End of bookshelf, end of life, end of boring bookends. Love this idea and execution. Everyone will look twice at this bookshelf.

bicycle-bookend-gifts-for-writers

Love this clever and clean bicycle bookend design. They’re made out of iron so they’re sturdy enough to hold heavy books.

arrow-book-ends

Arrow bookends!Swift and speedy way to give a bookshelf some oomph and pizzazz. Made of iron.

elephant-bookends

Love these Indian-inspired elephant bookends. Quite ornate gold-colored casting, and once again, quite heavy to hold up books.

38. Author Jewelry

jewelry for writers

I’ve seen this phrase on T-shirts and other paraphernalia for writers before, and it never fails to give me a chuckle. It’s probably the best explanation I’ve seen for why writers write what they do: “The voices in my head tell me what to write.”

This necklace and pendant is silver plated and it’s a great piece of jewelry for writers.

Jewelry for writers

Okay, this is just amazing. It’s a typewriter that is a jewelry box!

Jewelry for writers

The top is a removable lid, and you can fit all your jewelry inside. It’s a bit more expensive than some of the other gifts on here, but it would also make the perfect big gift for the writer in your life (if you want a cheaper version, this smaller version is just over $20 bucks).Love these earrings. With “Chapter One” on one and “The End” on the other, it’s basically implying that the entire book resides between those two earrings, in the writer’s brain.

Cuff Links for writers

It comes in a jewel box to make it easy to give as a gift, and the back is colored “antique bronze.”Not to leave the guys out, here are some cuff links for writers. Don’t you love the little fountain pen design?

42. Writing Software

The best software for writers is called FREEDOM. It blocks websites on your computer and phone, the websites that you waste time on rather than writing.

freedom-blocked-site

So instead of wasting 2 hours on Instagram and Facebook and Twitter, the writer will actually write.

You can purchase a copy with this link and then send the writer an email when it’s time to give the gift.

There are monthly subscriptions, annuals subscriptions, and also a lifetime subscription (if you want to be really nice).

screen-shot-2016-12-10-at-1-17-49-pm

Writers also love speech-to-text software. Dragon Naturally Speaking software allows them to write without carpal tunnel syndrome.

That way they don’t have to type all the time, they can just speak and the words will appear on the page! A number of famous writers already use this software to write their books.

44. Submission Service

Writers are overwhelmed with submitting. It takes a long time, I would know. So instead of writing, I can spend 5 hours submitting a single short story to 20 journals.

It takes just as long to submit to agents.

So your writer will LOVE you if you spend a little cash on buying them a submission service.

I would recommend Writer’s Relief

45. Literary T-Shirts

Most of these writing T-shirts include sizing options for men, women and children.

Look carefully at the shirt manufacturer, and it might give you clues to sizing — for instance, American apparel T-shirts are kind of the standard to print on.

shirts-for-writers

writing t-shirt

I'd rather be writing t-shirt

typewriter writing shirt

All of them are 100% cotton, and only one of the above shirts are long-sleeved. Hope that gives you enough options!

49. Literary Candles

61EnjQGzLEL._SY500_

Harry Potter candles are perfect for the Potter fan in your life.

With candles featuring the famous scar and glasses, Mudblood quotes, and 9 3/4 railway stop, you get to pick your two favorite for a sensible price.

514MA46KR4L

A Moby Dick candle, called “The Pequod.”

Of course it smells like ocean. What else? Whale blubber?

This 12 ounce soy blend candle is guaranteed to soothe you and make you feel like wild, crazy revenge.

51. Journals and Diaries

Writers love journals. It’s the canvas for their art, and no writer can ever have too many. The journals below are hand-crafted examples of the some of the most beautiful journals in the world. No cookie cutter examples from Barnes and Noble here.

leather journal

Most of these are leather, with paper designed to resist age, yellowing, and brittling, which will preserve the words inside for future grandchildren to read.

This Crazyhorse journal is made from horse leather!

What’s more, it’s handmade, and contains 280 pages of gently colored cream paper. Perfect for a diary, journal, or record of writing ideas.

screen-shot-2016-12-12-at-10-50-23-am

Love the binding on this antique leather journal. Includes that nice cord to wrap it up when not in use. The cover has that ragged edge which is very rustic.

It uses recycled paper, and includes 280 pages.

leather journal for writers

This might be the most extravagant and exquisite journal of all. It’s made from genuine leather and includes a bamboo pen that locks into the front slot.

It’s guaranteed to lay flat (nothing more annoying than those books that arch themselves and resist all attempts that your pen makes on them).

It contains 288 pages of thick, archival-quality paper.

54. Fountain Pens

The pens below are decorative, but that doesn’t mean they don’t work. These pens are great for a writer who likes the heft of a quality instrument in their hands while working on an important story. No cheap Bics here.

decorative gift pens for writers

Love this concept of the floating pen.

Using magnets, the pen stays upright, and if you tap it, it will wobble but ultimately right itself.

A great conversation piece, and a nice decorative element to any desk.

Bullet Pen gift for writers

This pen is made from a bullet casing.

A perfect gift for the rough and tumble writer you know. (bonus points if they write mystery or crime novels!)

It comes in a nice decorate case, and the end of each pen is crafted from a 30 caliber spent rifle casing.

indestructible pen

It’s safe to say that this pen is indestructible. It’s made from aircraft aluminum, and you could stomp on it, drive over it, drop it from a high building (not recommended!) or hit it with a sledgehammer and it probably wouldn’t break.

Great for fieldwork or for anyone who doesn’t want to grip something dainty all day long. Has a nice, rugged grip and won’t ever slide in your hand.

Ornate silver pen gift for writers

This ornate silver pen is embossed with real silver and beautiful designs.

Perfect for a pen that gives dignity and honor to whatever you write.

55. Magazine and Audio Subscriptions

Buy them a subscription to one of their favorite magazines!

    • Poets and Writers: The gold standard for literary writers. Full of interviews, writing craft, and lists of literary magazines and contests.
    • Writer’s Digest: This is one of the oldest magazines for writers, and it’s aimed at popular writers of all genres. It’s filled with helpful tips, writing conferences and solutions for authors.
journal-of-the-month-tag3

If your writer wants to be at the forefront of literature, subscribe them to the Journal of the Month program. Every single month they’ll get a new literary journal in the mail, full of exciting new authors.

ku-retail-lp_kindlecards-_cb292599245_

Amazon Kindle Unlimited is one of the best gifts you can give a writer. Think about it: an endless supply of books! What more could they need? Trust me, they will love it.

Your writer doesn’t need a Kindle to have a subscription. You can read on iPads or computers. Still, if they don’t have a Kindle, you could always buy them that as well!

If they’re writing short stories, then you could buy them a subscription to Duotrope, which is an excellent service that helps writers find new publications to submit to, and helps keep track of submissions.

imgres

I had never heard of this until recently, so imagine my joy in finding out that you can buy a monthly goodie box for writers!

Every month, Scribe Delivery will create a hand-picked basket of writer awesomeness and mail it to you.

15. Books on How to Write

If your writer is more of the high literature type, the type to capitalize Literature and say it in a British accent, then buy them one of Graywolf Press’ excellent books on writing. These are very specific, each covering one topic only, and extremely in depth. They’re also short enough to read in a few days!

41hcxz5vvl-_sx258_bo1204203200_
coverhuge_subtext
41tdnwmp5yl-_sx355_bo1204203200_
9781555977269


If you have a writer who has only been writing a few years, maybe at the beginning of their writing journey, then buy them “
Ron Carlson Writes a Story.”

This is the best explanation I’ve ever read on how to create a narrative. By narrative, I mean writing a plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Carlson explains in simple terms how to design a story that works.

433949

If you think your writer needs some career advice, get them “Making a Literary Life.” This book by Carolyn See is one of the best books out there on how to live the writing life. It’s filled with practical concrete steps on how to become a successful writer.

515bjw585vl-_sx311_bo1204203200_

Bird By Bird is great because it’s hilarious. Anne Lamott is one of the funniest writers I know (she’s just as funny in person as in her books, by the way), and she gives such amazing advice to writers in this book, including not to worry about your horrible first drafts.

41dtozisuvl-_sx321_bo1204203200_

If a writer that you know needs to organize their ideas and come up with new ones, check out this Idea Thesaurus.

51gdo1cobl-_sx331_bo1204203200_

Follow me on Social Media:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

12 comments

  1. How about adding gloves for writers who get cold fingers while writing in a chilly room/house? They’re out there somewhere.

  2. A pen is a very helpful tool for writers aside from using their desktop. Giving them a professional pen would mean something also because they used it all the time.

  3. Picking a gift for a person you are fond of has been getting increasingly difficult. You reminded me of things I should know but had forgotten. Fountain Pen – absolutely perfect gift!!! Thank you so much for your time in putting this together and making it available. It is extremely helpful.

  4. Crazy Horse leather is not horse leather. Crazy Horse leather is cow leather and is a “Genuine” leather. “Genuine” leather comes from the lower levels of a cowhide after the more sought after “Full grain and Top grain” sections are cut off. “Genuine” leather isn’t necessarily bad but it is not pretty and it is cheap. If you love your writer, get them a journal made from a top or full grain leather. “Genuine” leather is a bit of a marketing scam if you think about it. People see something labeled as such and think “Oooohhhh genuine leather! Fancy!” when in reality it is nothing special.

    Anyhow, this list is nice. That novel scratch off chart is pretty sweet.

    1. Nathan, thanks for taking them time to explain the differences in Genuine, Full Grain and Top Grain leather. I’ve often wondered about what those terms actually meant.

  5. Thanks for the inspiration. The Writer’s Block is my personal winner. Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’ is also very good and contains very practical advice for aspiring writers.