Gifts for writers: 21 writer-recommended gifts they'll actually use (and appreciate)
As written by... well, a writer.
Let me start by saying that pretty much any gift you give a writer is likely to be appreciated. Or at least, the sentiment will be appreciated.
But as well-intentioned as a mug that says “Go away, I’m writing” or a candle emblazoned with the phrase “Smells like a best-seller” may be, they’re not necessarily at the top of most writers’ wish lists.
Instead, if you’re looking for gifts for writers that are inspiring, comforting, or just plain useful, consider the following roundup of gift ideas recommended by a writer herself (that’s me!) so you can avoid endlessly scrolling through Etsy shops this year.
The best gift you could ever give to a writer
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t think of it—even though it’s a gift you can give without spending a single cent.
The #1 gift you could give a writer is your support of their work and career.
Free ways to support a writer:
Follow them on social media
Like, comment on, and share their posts to help increase their reach
Subscribe to their blog, newsletter, or Substack
Leave positive reviews for their work anywhere you can
Talk up their work to others in your life who might enjoy it
Paid ways to support a writer:
If their work is available for purchase, buy it
If you’ve already bought their work for yourself, buy it for someone else
Upgrade to a paid subscription if they’re on Substack (hint)
Gift or donate a subscription to their Substack to someone else (hint, hint)
The thing is that for a lot of us, though the writing part of what we do comes naturally, the “asking people to support us as writers” part often feels awkward, greedy, and altogether cringe-y—so anything that you can help us bear the burden of having to promote ourselves and our work to others is always going to be tremendously appreciated. And it will give us a much better shot at succeeding at what we do, too!
Heads up: Some of these are affiliate links. That means that if you buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission—but that will never affect your price or what I choose to include. Cool? Cool.
Gifts for writers under $50
Coffee, tea, or whatever they drink to get in the zone
For me, it’s coffee with mushrooms ($15) because I skew a little woo-woo. For most of my writer friends in Amsterdam, it’s tea because we’re in Europe. But I also know authors whose pre-writing can of Diet Coke is sacred to them. This one requires you to know what the writer in your life likes to sip to get focused, but once you have that info, you’ll always have this gift option in your back pocket—and trust me, they’ll always appreciate it.
A mug warmer
Once I’ve started writing and I’m on a roll, I will completely forget that I even poured myself a cup of weird mushroom coffee in the first place—and by the time I remember to reach over and take a sip for an energy boost, it’ll be cold and gross and basically useless to me. A mug warmer ($27) can solve that problem. Alternatively, if the writer you’re shopping for prefers a cold drink to help them focus, a cute coaster ($12) can keep the condensation from dripping all over their desk.
Essential oils for focus
As mentioned, I tend to lean a little woo-woo sometimes. But woo-woo or not, I swear by scent cycling to tell my brain when it’s time to focus and when it’s time to chill out. All that really means is that before I sit down at my desk to write, I add a blend of uplifting essential oils to my diffuser—then when I’m done for the day, I diffuse a blend of more relaxing scents to let my mind know it can slow down again. Whether you buy into the idea of aromatherapy or not, it smells good in here and that makes me happy, so it’s a win either way. I imagine the writer in your life would feel the same way if you got them this trio of essential oil blends ($18) to diffuse throughout the day. Oh, and a diffuser ($25) if they don’t already have one.
A visual timer
The more I think about it, this list probably could have also been called “gifts to buy for your neurodivergent friends” because most of these products are just as useful for me as an AuDHDer as they are for me as a writer. In any case, I’m not sure I could get anything done or remind myself to stop writing for a few minutes so I can breathe/stretch/eat something/go to the bathroom/do other normal human things without the help of a visual timer ($20). It’s useful for time management, but also for transitioning from one task to another, which can be a struggle for writers and neurodivergent folks alike.
A big, insulated water bottle
Do you know how many writers I know who spend their days drinking caffeine and their evenings drinking booze and don’t remember to drink any water in between? Too many. A big-ass water bottle ($35) on our desk offers a great visual reminder to hydrate ourselves, and finding one that’s insulated ensures that our water will be nice and cold whenever we actually remember to drink it.
A lap desk
Despite all we’ve put in place to make our writing spaces as ergonomic and comfortable as possible, sometimes we need a change of scenery. Maybe we want to write from the balcony today, or the front porch, or the couch, or the bed, or… wherever, really. And a good lap desk ($33) makes that possible.
Relaxing bath (or shower) products
After being hunched over my computer all day, there’s nothing I love more than sinking into a hot bath to soothe my aching neck and back—especially when I have some relaxing bath bombs ($15), bath salts ($6), or bath foam ($7) to help me unwind. But if the writer in your life doesn’t have a tub, you can opt for some soothing shower steamers ($20) to help relieve their stress and tension instead.
Gifts for writers under $100
A loungewear set
I’m just a girl standing in front of the internet and begging not to have to wear hard pants while writing. Ever. I want to wake up every morning and put on a soft, comfy, acceptable-to-wear-in-public-if-I-need-to loungewear set ($54) and use the energy I might’ve spent putting together an outfit on writing instead. Maybe it’s because I’m a writer, or because I’m neurodivergent, or because I’m a Taurus—but in any case, I dream of a closet full of luxuriously cozy clothes and very little else. Is that so much to ask for?
Noise-canceling headphones
For the life of me, I cannot write in silence. I also can’t write while music with actual lyrics plays, or while people around me have conversations, or… basically any other time I’m not wearing my noise-canceling headphones ($98) and listening to instrumental music of some kind. Is this a writer thing or a neurodivergent thing? Who knows, really—but the writer in your life will appreciate you giving them the gift of blocking out audio distractions either way.
Stress-relieving oil
Okay, maybe not a necessity. Definitely a splurge, which is why I’ve added it to this section even though it’s technically an “under $50” pick. But holy shit, does this stuff relieve stress! I’m often anxious and overwhelmed (like most writers I know). But I dab a little bit of this vagus nerve oil ($48) on my neck and behind my earlobes, and I can literally feel my breathing and heart rate slow down as my body relaxes. I’m not saying that I’ll be replacing my anxiety meds with this anytime soon, but I hate to be without it in times of stress. I’m curious to try the vagus nerve bath oil ($48) to see if it has the same effect, too.
A neck and back massager
We’re at our computers for hours trying to get all the words out of our brains as fast as possible, and try as we might, our posture worsens with each passing moment… or at least, mine does. Enter: this neck and back massager ($70) which helps to alleviate muscle soreness and neck stiffness with kneading massage rollers and infrared heat. It has 55,000 positive reviews for a reason.
A gift card for a meal delivery service
Notice that I didn’t say “meal kit service” here. Because after an intense writing session, the last thing I want to do is expend even more energy to cook something, even if the ingredients and recipe are already provided for me. If you know a writer who tends to either forget to eat or to order take-out because they’re too lazy to cook for themselves (guilty), then I recommend a gift card to a meal delivery service like Home Chef that offers oven-ready and fast-and-fresh options that take little to no effort. Or hell, just give them a gift card for Postmates or to their favorite local restaurant. They’ll love it, I promise.
A sunrise alarm clock
You know how Virginia Woolf famously said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well”? Well, one also cannot write well if one has not slept well, and a sunrise alarm clock ($99) like this can help one get some freaking sleep and actually wake up feeling energized for a change. It might sound crazy, but it’s true.
A seriously comfy seat cushion
I have scoliosis, so maybe I’m a little biased, but I honestly don’t think that I could sit at my desk and write for as long as I do if I didn’t have this ergonomic seat cushion ($65) under my butt to relieve pressure on my lower back. And if you really want to give the writer in your life the give of comfort this year, you can get them the accompanying lumbar pillow ($65) and footrest ($54), too.
Gifts for writers over $100
A splurge-worthy desk chair
My TikTok FYP constantly serves me videos of people joking about how bisexuals and ADHDers don’t know how to sit in a chair properly—and speaking from experience, that’s absolutely true. I’m constantly rearranging and fidgeting to try to find a comfortable sitting position while I’m writing, and a cross-legged chair with lumbar support and an adjustable stool ($379) would make things way easier for me. And for plenty of other writers squirming uncomfortably in their not-so-flexible desk chairs, too.
A standing desk
Speaking of flexible office arrangements, my standing desk ($179) makes a huge difference in how my back and hips feel at the end of a long day of writer. If you’re thinking of gifting one to a writer, just be sure it pair it with an anti-fatigue standing mat ($59) to protect their joints and keep them comfortable when they’re standing for long periods.
An under-the-desk walking pad
Not to get too “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” about this, but if you give a writer a standing desk… they’re going to want a walking pad ($199) because the idea of knocking out a workout while getting your writing done is pretty intoxicating.
A gift card for a drink subscription
If the writer you’re shopping for happens to be a wine drinker (cough, me, cough) then they will absolutely appreciate a gift card for a wine subscription like Firstleaf ($100 for a 6-bottle order). I’m not even affiliated with them, but I got a Firstleaf gift card once and absolutely loved the experience of customizing a bundle specifically for my tastes. Or—pending their preferences—you could opt to get them a Beer of the Month Club subscription (starts at $35 for a 12-pack), a Flaviar whiskey subscription (starts at $190 for 2 bottles and 2 tasting boxes per quarter), or a mocktail subscription from alcohol-free brand Curious Elixirs ($40 for 8 non-alcoholic cocktails per month).
A pair of comfortable slippers
What have we learned today? That aside from support for their work and career, writers value convenience and comfort more than just about anything—which is why the writer in your life would very likely be thrilled to receive these luxuriously comfortable slippers ($110) that are cozy enough to wear at their desk while writing and nice enough to wear in public anytime they have to leave their writer cave to go out into the world. Win-win.
This was absolutely not a ploy to get people to buy me these gifts
But I mean, like… if you wanted to, you could.
Or you could just subscribe to my Substack. That works, too.
Happy gifting!