The Best Christmas Gifts This Writer Has Ever Received

Buying that perfect Christmas gift is always a challenge, but if someone on your list this year is a writer (or if that writer is you), here are some ideas straight from my top-ten list of personal faves. The following were gifts from thoughtful family and friends who know I’m a writer and chose accordingly. (Admittedly, not all of these were Christmas gifts, and actually a few I bought for myself, but who’s keeping score…?)

The Top 10 Writing Gifts I’ve Ever Received

(Some links are Amazon affiliate links.)

1. Scrivener

I’ve long loved this all-purpose writing software, with its supreme adaptability and its myriad nooks and crannies for organization of scenes, chapters, and notes galore. I was psyched when the Scrivener 3 for Windows update finally came out last year, although I’ve yet to play with it much.

(If you’re looking for digital gifts for your fellow writer, there’s always my Outlining Your Novel Workbook program as well.)

2. Writer’s Digest Subscription

Starting in my early twenties, my mom bought me a Writer’s Digest subscription every Christmas. Receiving and reading this magazine every month for many years was transformative for me both as a writer and a professional.

3. Writing Books

Writing books are always on my wishlist. I focused the entirety of last year’s Christmas-gift post on some of my favorite writing books, so I’ll just point you there again this year.

4. Thermos Coffee Travel Mug

In a period when I was taking my writing outside a lot (yes, in the winter), my dad bought me the best to-go coffee mug I’ve ever had. I swear the coffee gets hotter the longer it stays in this thing. Perfect for on-the-go inspiration in the great wintery outdoors.

5. Swannies Blue-Light Glasses

These were a present from me to me. After a terrible eye strain two years ago, I upgraded my anti-blue light glasses to these babies (and added a hardcore nighttime pair as well). For all those times when I’m not braving the chill to write outside, these keep me looking pretty scholarly at the computer.

6. Ergonomic Pen

Ergonomic Pen

For a cheap stocking stuffer-priced gift, this thing has stayed with me longer than any pen I own. Because I prefer brainstorming my outlines longhand in a notebook, I love this pen for protecting me from hand cramps and keeping me going. It goes through ink refills pretty fast, but mine is ink-stained and well-loved at this point.

7. Skyworld Album by Two Steps From Hell

Okay, so this was actually a gift I bought for someone else, but I loved it so much I had to get it for myself as well. Two Steps From Hell is pretty much my all-time favorite writing music, and this album is one of my tops. It was pretty much the soundtrack for my gaslamp fantasy Wayfarer.

8. Eccolo World Traveler Journals

I really like Eccolo’s “World Traveller” notebooks/journals, especially the legal-sized variety. The lines are spaced just right—not too tight, not too loose—to contain my wild scrawl. Plus, I like the beautiful covers and their silky-smooth texture.

9. Fingerless Gloves

My brother-in-law got me a pair of these for his first Christmas with my family. They’re necessary winter staples for me when typing (or, you know, writing outside).

10. Antique Typewriter

In some of my photos around social media, you may have noticed my gorgeous old Smith & Corona typewriter. I can’t tell you where to get one (other than eBay maybe), but this is probably my all-time favorite gift. My brother found it for me in Goodwill long ago, and despite the fact that it might weigh more than I do, I’m still hauling it around. It sits on my bookcase in my office right now.

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For more ideas, you can also check out my own series of writing books. Merry Christmas, everyone!