Gift Ideas for Writers

My loved ones puzzle over what to get me for Christmas every year. They ask, then shake their heads at my answers. The answers are always the same…every year and truth is, boring: books, notebooks, really cool extra fine point pens in black and red, stuff for my cameras (which they know won’t be used for normal pictures of loved ones but instead, research: What the hell is this picture of the corner of a log cabin for? Why photos of fencing, buckskin horses, guns, clothing…well, you get the idea.), post-it notes, more post-it notes, project display boards, more post-it notes, printer ink.

My ‘job’ doesn’t require fancy clothes (or clothes, for that matter, other than the commute, it goes right past picture window highway, so pj’s, at least.) and I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl anyway. The only jewelry—earrings, transportation—shank’s ponies, no smart phone, I’m too busy observing the actual world, no tablet, (yet) I have a laptop, thank you.

I wonder, are their others out there struggling to find gifts for the writer on their list?

Suggestions:

Books:

Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch by Constance Hale: I worried this book would be boring, too difficult, but it was fun, so full of information. I read it cover to cover and it now has a prominent place on my reference shelf.

Rivet Your Readers with Deep Point of View by Jill Elizabeth Nelson: Tiny book, quick read, tons of help.  Worth buy at twice the price. http://www.facebook.com/JillElizabethNelson.Author

The Emotion Thesaurus, A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi: A great starting place for showing emotion. http://www.thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com

A Dictionary of Costume and Fashion, Historic and Modern by Mary Brooks Picken: A must for describing, with proper terms, clothing of any period.

Anything on writing by James Scott Bell: Bell just tells it like it is and then helps you get through it, whether plotting, revising, or The Art of War for Writers, which is my personal favorite. I consider Bell a friend to writers, you know, one of those who made it and keep putting out a hand to help someone else.

Pens: I love pens, fat pens, skinny pens, pretty pens, plain pens. I collect pens. I have pens nobody, but nobody, better use. I have expensive pens…pens I love but I never use and I have pens I write with. I must have one of those pens to work. My favorites: Dr. Grip Gel by Pilot, Retractable T l fine point from Office Max, absolute fav: Precise V5 rt extra fine point by Pilot

Notebooks: I have tons of these, some I use, some I can’t bring myself to write in. I try every new notebook that comes out. I love them all, but for carrying with me on my research jaunts, Staples Gold Fibrė Writing Pad by Ampad.

Post-its: I go with the Post-it™ brand. They’re generally on sale somewhere. I do like the lined.

Oh, and chocolate is never wrong.

I’m not the only fussy writer: Pencils must be round. A  hexagonal pencil cuts my fingers after a long day. –John Steinbeck