Dahlia DeWinters - Author

Quirky Heroines, Happy Endings

Gifts for Writers under $20.00

‘Tis the season, isn’t it?  When the last day of the year rolls around, many of us around the globe think about gift-giving, gift-receiving, and the joy of the holidays.   It can be such a warm and fuzzy time of year, and I hope you enjoy every moment of it you can.

I’m the kind of person who likes to give gifts because I enjoy seeing the surprise (and hopefully delight) on the other person’s face when they open the gift I selected especially for them.  But that’s just me. It might also be that I enjoy shopping…..but we won’t talk about that right now!

Writers can be difficult to buy for. Besides the requisite pens and journals, maybe you want to be a little more creative for your writer-in-residence. Well, as a writer myself, I picked out a few choice gifts which will make your writer friend smile…..a change from our usual dour expression. (It’s not personal folks, it’s just the writing life.)

Please note, this post contains affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission when you purchase through these links.  

Happy shopping!

First, we writers need something to wear. Yes, we might be satisfied to lounge around in an old hoodie and our favorite jeans, but this shirt will not only give us something new to wear, but a brand new outlook on life. Yes, we write and we also know things. Too many things:

The next gift on the list is a classic. A writer looks for inspiration in daily things, whether it be nature, television, or even the progress of the microwave as it reheats a cup of coffee for the millionth time. Stephen King is a prolific writer, world-famous, etc, but it’s nice to read about his thoughts on writing years ago. If your writer doesn’t already have this book , then they should.

Writer’s Block. If you’ve been within fifty feet of a writer, you’ll know the term writer’s block. Fact is, it’s been a virus around the writing community for years, and no one has been able to cure it. However, this awesome little card set just might do the trick. At least, your writer can add it to their arsenal of weapons.

This is one of my favorite gifts, and if no one buys it for me, I’m going to pick it up for myself. While I am a coffee drinker by rule, I have nothing against a steaming hot cup of tea. It make me feel super classy and if you get these teas with literary quotes, you’ll feel like a high-class author too!

Like some sort of prehistoric beast, we hunch over our keyboard or journals, typing/scribbling words as fast as our feverish minds can churn the stuff out. No interruptions, please! Or our creative flow may come to a screeching halt. Try this on for size:

I have a lot of pencils. Pens. Markers. Highlighters. And I’m sure a lot of writers out there have the same overflow of writing implements. It’s just that we’re all in search of the magic pen which will make the words flow. Shhhh! Don’t tell us it’s a myth. While we search, in the meantime, we can store our pens in this:

This one is a wee bit over the twenty dollar limit, but it was so cool, I had to include it. I’m a bit of a sucker for inspirational art….I don’t like it too cheesy, but this is a print that is great to stare at while my brain raced to fill in the next paragraph, or sentence, or word.

Happy shopping and if you’re a writer reading this, don’t be afraid to treat yourself!

xo Dahlia

Digital Gifts for Writers under $10.00

Are you a last minute shopper? Do you not like waiting for things to arrive on your doorstep? Who doesn’t like instant gratification every once in a while?

Most of us have writers in their lives, heck, I am one. I know it’s hard to shop for us, because most of the time we’re hidden away in our caves. However, I’m here to assist you in getting a quick and dirty gift for your writer-loves.

Please, be aware that your writer (or you) must have access to a Kindle or E-Book reader app to take advantage of these gifts. Once you get to the buy page, look underneath the “One Click” button and you will see “Buy for Others” . Clicking this button will allow you to purchase these digital books for others.

Disclaimer: Please note, this post contains affiliate links.  I may receive a small commission when you purchase through these links.  

Happy shopping!

First up:  The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi  

I absolutely love this book.  The entire book is a reference list as to how to describe emotions and how certain emotional issues your characters may have are expressed in their actions.  Just reading the book can spark ideas that you probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

Click below to gift writer-love this gem of a reference book.

Next up is 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love….and who doesn’t want that? This is a little book I discovered when I was looking for a way write faster. If you have ideas on where you think your story may go, but when you sit down at the keyboard or with your journal, you feel stagnated, try this book. In addition, any writer will appreciate some tips and tricks on how to write faster, and at 2.99, it’s an inexpensive gift that keeps on giving.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Doesn’t really matter, does it, as long as you’re getting those words down on paper.  The key to writing and keeping on writing is to understand and internalize the essence of story structure and world-building.  This book: Plot Gardening: Write Faster, Write Smarter by Chris Fox can give you the tools to kick your writing up a level.  Click below to purchase:

Any romance writers in your life?  Do you want to become a romance writer?  Not only should you be reading in your genre, but picking up Gwen Hayes’ Romancing the Beat, will definitely help you get those romance beats just right.  She even dissects one of her own stories as an example, and the eighties song references add some fun to the book.  

Click below to purchase/gift:

At 99 cents (at the time of this blog post, please check prices before you click), Libbie Hawker’s “Take Off Your Pants” is both a fun and informative read.  Learn how to create a character arc, plot, theme, antagonists and allies for your book, no matter the genre.  

There you go!  Don’t worry if you’ve waited until the last minute.  These digital gifts are high in content and information. I’m sure your writer-love (or you) will use these book way beyond the holidays.

Until next time,

Dahlia