Gifts for Writers

Since living in the USA I’ve been introduced to a fascinating after Thanksgiving tradition: Black Friday shopping. I vaguely remember my first (and only) Black Friday experience standing in line at Walmart while it was still dark outside. I am SO not a morning person. I never did it again. I much prefer shopping the after Christmas clearance sales. Not as much selection, but still some great deals.

This year will be different though. I’m letting $40 in savings pull me out of bed early and off to brave the crowds. There is one thing and only one thing I’m after. It’s my own present. My husband would buy it for me without the $40 off, but that $40 can go to other writing paraphernalia.

Last year my writerly gift was my netbook computer. Hands down this has been my best present ever. An HP Mini. It fits in my purse and boots up in a flash. Music lessons, skating lessons, the library, doctor’s office. Anywhere I have to wait, I can do writerly things. I can easily move from room to room in my house looking for that quiet spot to write. It’s light, small, and portable.

Today I am after the Apple iPod touch. Yes, I am probably one of the .2% of people left in the US who does not own an iPod. (In case you were wondering, I also do not have a real cell phone either) I do have a cheap mp3 player that I’ve been trying to get by with for the last few years. Not anymore. Why is the iPod touch good for a writer? Think pocket computer. I can listen to mp3s of writing classes and author podcasts. Create soundtracks to listen to while I write. Twitter. Email. I hear you can even read e-books if you are so inclined. I think it also has a voice record function in case I need to do an interview or record my thoughts on-the-go.

Perhaps next year will be the year for a Kindle or a Sony Reader. We’ll see what’s out by then. There is something comforting about traveling with my library in my purse. Or reading in bed at night and not worrying about the sound of turning pages waking up my husband.

So, with blowing my wad of cash on the big stuff above, here are some smaller, fun, yet still important gifts for the writer:

Writer’s coffee mug or tea cup.

Lecture packets from Margie Lawson (Classes are better, but the lecture packets are meaty enough on their own!) I took “Empowering Character Emotions” in the spring. Wow.

The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell (available on Dec 9^th!!!!!) This little book would make a fantastic stocking stuffer if you can wait that long. (Sneak peak: James Scott Bell will be guest blogging here Dec 8^th and he’s bringing along our first giveaway! Stay tuned.) I’ve linked the title to a .pdf of the table of contents and an excerpt.

Movies for writers. See my blog here for ideas. Black Friday sale: Nim’s Island with Jodi Foster playing a writer is on sale this Friday in a few stores for less than $5.

T-shirts. I like this one from inkygirl: Things you should never say to a writer. The picture above shows the back. The front says “I write.”

A signed book from a favorite author. Shop at Books with Flair, brainchild of one of my author crushes, Mitali Perkins.

MP3s of past year’s writers conferences:

• RWA,

• SCBWI (are their any? Couldn’t find a live link),

• Mount Hermon

• Hawaii Writer’s Channel (online access to videos from past conferences—from the sample it looks like they have a lot of fun in Hawaii!)

• Write to Publish

• Greater Philly Christian Writer’s Conference

• American Christian Fiction Writers

• Florida Christian Writer’s Conference

Happy Shopping Writer Friends!

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