Tag: Gifts for Writers

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for December Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Writers’ Favorite Christmas Memories & Gifts

In this open mic episode of Writers Chat, we share writerly Christmas memories, gifts received, and great gift ideas for writers. Some received beautiful and/or thoughtful pens, a spinning wheel, selfie stick/tripod. Fun memories were shared, like a cat bringing a live mouse into a women’s Christmas dinner, where a friend calmed the ladies by saying, “This was a drop in dinner”. This episode is full of great gift ideas, wonderful memories, and a lot of laughter, and even a discussion on transitive and intransitive verbs. This episode was a wonderful way to end Writers Chat for 2019.

Watch the December 17th replay.

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Magazine and Freelance

Last-Minute Christmas Gifts for Writers

When checking to make sure you have gifts for everyone on your list, you may find that your author friends are the hardest to buy for. Here are a few suggestions to make the holidays merry for writers everywhere.

  1. A nice pen. I am not suggesting an expensive pen. Just something that writes well. Authors love pens and need them by their computers, by their beds, and to sign books. A writer can never have enough pens and the thrill of a new one never grows old.
  2. Time to write. If your writer friend or relative has children, offer to babysit or take the kids for ice cream so he or she can focus fully on his or her writing for an hour or two.
  3. Help him or her to tidy up the office. Although the office of a writer often looks like a cyclone came through, he or she probably knows exactly what is where. However, writers enjoy a tidy space and often find things cleaning up that that have been missing for months.
  4. Make a meal and take supper to the writer’s family. Here again, a gift of time to write.
  5. A briefcase. Like a new pen, a new briefcase is always welcome and makes a writer feel he or she is moving up in the world of publishing.
  6. A writer ornament for the tree or a piece of jewelry that identifies him or her as a writer.
  7. Help him or her attend a writers conference. This is the best way to help writers move ahead their careers. You could do this in several ways:
  • Provide funds for them to attend.
  • Offer your flyer miles to help with transportation.
  • Help care for children while they attend.
  • Buy a new briefcase for them to use at the conference.

One of the very best gifts you can give a writer is to help him or her feel validation. Brag to others about the writer’s accomplishments. Offer to suggest your book club read his or her book. Share news of published articles online. So many people think because writers work at home that their work is more of a hobby than a career. So any praise or recognition you can offer is always welcome. Everyone needs a little support now and then and applause makes a great Christmas gift!

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of writing. Linda recently released Articles, Articles, Articles! and is the author of over a thousand magazine articles and 17 books including the new LINKED Quick Guides for Personalities. As Director of

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Journeying through the Writer's Life

Time to Write—The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself

We writers are an odd lot.

We’re driven to write, spending time composing poetry, writing books, researching articles. We doodle titles, character names, and plot ideas on scraps of paper. All the while feeling guilty about the time we spend pursuing our dream. I call it writer’s guilt.

So how have I solved this dilemma?

Years ago I made a conscious decision to give myself permission to make writing a priority. I gave myself the gift of time to write. Not only has giving myself this gift gotten me closer to achieving my goals and dreams, it’s given me a self-confidence I didn’t expect. The more I make writing a priority, the better I get at it. Then the more success I have, which leads to the courage to push myself and reach for the stars.

[bctt tweet=”Time to Write – The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself this Season – @EdieMelson #writing ” via=”no”]

Here are the steps I took to set aside time for writing:

  1. Come up with a schedule and keep regular, consistent hours. Notice I said regular hours—not normal ones. For years I wrote with young children. That meant writing in the afternoons and after they were in bed. Just because you’re working odd hours doesn’t mean you can’t have a schedule.
  1. Respect your dream. If your best friend, or child had a dream you’d encourage them to pursue it. Give yourself the same support that you’d give someone else. Trust me, you’re worth it!
  1. Be consistent. If you’re not accepting calls from your mother-in-law because you’re working, don’t spend the afternoon on the phone with your best friend. Stay focused on your writing. This is even more critical if your time is at a premium.
  1. Recruit a support team. Instead of adversaries, enlist your friends and family to help you reach your writing goals. Communicate those goals, clearly and frequently. Ask for their help to reach them. After all, what mother doesn’t want to help her baby succeed!
  1. Share your victories. Let those that help you share in the joy of goals accomplished and milestones reached.

What do you do to make your writing time a priority? What interruptions do you struggle with the most? Share your thoughts and we’ll all support each other.

[bctt tweet=”5 Tips to Help You Find Time to Write – @EdieMelson #writing ” via=”no”]