Saturday, December 17, 2005

Writer Gifts

With a week left before Christmas, some of you may still be scrambling for gift ideas for the writers in the family. Jan Kenny over at Writeminded put together a good list; #5 is one I particularly endorse. Creating some extra time for your favorite writer to write is no to low cost, and priceless to the recipient.

Some other writer gifts and gift ideas:

1. The Austin Chronicle also recommends time, as well as pens, how-to writing books, subscriptions, and...real estate? (I'd like an island in the South Pacific, if anyone with eleven million dollars is interested.)

2. Books: we love them. Bookstore gift cards: we covet them. Please, give them to us. You can send gift certificates online, too; check out the offers at your favorite online bookseller's site (mine is B&N.com, which is presently offering free shipping and Christmas delivery if you order $25.00 worth of merchandise by 12/19/05.)

3. You writers can offer another writer a free critique, or a critique exchange (I read yours, you read mine.) Another thing to help a fellow scribe: be another pair of eyes and offer to proof-read a manuscript, query, or proposal.

4. Download.com lists 250 free or free to try out Calendars and Planners; UrbanDharma.org offers a free 2006 Buddhist Calendar, and Zirgo has a free Calendar Printing Program.

5. You might find something for your writer on the freebie ten lists I've posted here: Freeware, Online for Free, Free Workshop/Crits, and No Charge Stuff.

6. I remind everyone of this every year because so many people like it: buy some microwave popcorn, a bottle of the writer's favorite beverage, and a previewed movie on VHS or DVD from Blockbuster. Put it all in a big popcorn bowl (you can find these at most dollar stores). Wrap it up, stick a bow on it and you've got the gift of a movie night.

7. Music: buy an album by the writer's favorite artist, or burn a CD of some new music from free mp3 download sites like SoundClick.com.

8. Get a virtual corkboard screen saver from MyCorkBoard.com for free plus free add-ons. Upgrade with 100 mb of premium add-ons with a $14.95 annual subscription. **Update**: Eiluned reports a Trojan virus comes along with this one; I'm crossing it off the list because that's not something you want to give to your favorite writer. Thanks, E.

9. To help your writer unclutter, check out the organizers and desk accessories at Office Depot (I can't find it online, but the Office Depot I stopped by over the weekend had a neat stress relief set of wrist, back and other pads for the desk in dark red or black sale priced at $14.99.)

10. Every Target store I've been to has a nice office/stationery section where you can find unusual paper, pens, desk sets, planners, diarys, calendars and journals like this one that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:29 AM

    Just thought you'd want to know that the MyCorkBoard.com screensaver contains a Trojan virus. :( It sounded so cool, too.

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  2. Anonymous10:48 AM

    Thanks for the warning, eiluned -- I'll post a note by it.

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  3. I'd quite like some groupies for Christmas. Or some pickled onions. I'm easy either way.

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  4. Anonymous12:00 PM

    Stuart wrote: I'd quite like some groupies for Christmas. Or some pickled onions. I'm easy either way.

    Now I'm imagining interchangeable applications of both.

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  5. I find it like pulling teeth to get people to buy me B & N gift certificates for holidays or my birthday. They seem to think it's a bad gift and don't listen to me when I say it's perfect. This is of course followed by the question: What do you want for (X-mas/your birthday)?(shaking head)

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  6. As a writer, the only gift I ever want is silent time. No one talking at me, no radios or TVs on--that's the best present I can ask for.

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