Gifts for Writers and Journalers, Matched to How They Write

By the Gift DeskUpdated October 8, 202621 hand-picked ideas

The shortlist

For a stuck novelistBird by Bird by Anne Lamott~$10
For handwriting loversFountain Pen Starter Set with Ink Cartridges~$35
For deep focusNoise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones~$360

Before buying anything for a writer, find out one thing: do they write by hand or on a keyboard? It sounds trivial, but it’s the difference between a gift that gets used every day and a beautiful leather notebook that sits blank on a shelf because they draft everything on a laptop at the kitchen table. The second question is what they write. A novelist wrestling with a second draft, a poet, a daily journaler and someone who writes long letters to friends overseas all want different things.

This guide follows those differences. It starts with novelists and fiction writers, then covers the daily journaler, the longhand writer who cares about pens and paper, and the keyboard writer who mostly needs fewer distractions. Near the end there’s a short section on the one gift every writer wants most, followed by small inexpensive sparks.

If your writer is also a big reader, gifts for book lovers is the natural next stop. For someone who sketches in their notebook margins, see gifts for artists and crafters.

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For the novelist with a draft in a drawer

Fiction writers love books about writing, partly for the advice and partly for the reassurance that every other writer finds it hard too. The best craft books are opinionated, so match the book to the writer: someone who plans every chapter wants different help from someone who discovers the story as they go.

Books also make good gifts here because they’re low pressure. A craft book says "I take your writing seriously" without asking how the novel is going, which most writers would rather you didn’t.

1
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott’s funny, kind book about writing and the writing life is the one writers most often press into each other’s hands. It’s less about technique than about getting words down at all, including the famous permission to write terrible first drafts. It suits anyone who is stuck, anxious or just starting. Experienced writers who already own it may still like a fresh copy to lend out.
On Amazonabout $10
2
Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin
A short, practical book on the mechanics of prose, from sentence rhythm to point of view, with exercises after each chapter. It’s for a fiction writer who wants to work on the writing itself rather than motivation. It also works well for a writing group, since the exercises are designed to be shared and discussed.
On Amazonabout $10
3
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
A plotting guide that adapts a popular screenwriting beat sheet for novelists. Writers who outline find it clarifying, and drafters who keep stalling halfway through a book often find it rescues the middle. Writers who prefer to discover their plot as they go may find it formulaic, so it’s best for the planner type.
On Amazonabout $11
4
Cork Board with Push Pins
U Brands MOD Cork Bulletin Board, 16 x 20
Index cards pinned to a wall are still how many novelists and screenwriters see a whole story at once and move scenes around. A framed cork board above the desk gives that a permanent home. Tuck in a pack of index cards and colored pins to make it a complete plotting kit.
On Amazonabout $25

Know exactly who it’s for?

For the daily journaler

Journalers write for themselves: morning pages, gratitude lists, travel notes, the occasional furious paragraph about a coworker. They tend to fill notebooks steadily, so a gift that makes the daily habit nicer gets used right away.

Our favorite5
Refillable Leather Writing Journal
Traveler's Notebook Regular Starter Kit
A leather cover with a replaceable notebook inside, so the cover lasts for years and simply gets new inserts. It’s lovely for the journaler who writes every day and fills notebooks quickly, and the leather softens and marks with use in a way that feels personal. Check what size inserts it takes so refills are easy to find.
On Amazonabout $35
6
Dot Grid Hardcover Notebook
Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large, Dotted
A notebook with a light dot grid, numbered pages and thick paper. The dots guide handwriting without the rigidity of lines, which is why bullet journalers and list-makers favor them. A safe, useful gift for any journaler, and good for someone who mixes writing with little sketches or layouts.
On Amazonabout $16
7
Writing Lap Desk with Storage
LAPGEAR Portable Lap Desk with Pillow Cushion
A cushioned lap desk with a hard writing surface and a compartment for pens and the current notebook. Many journalers write in bed or on the couch, not at a desk, and this makes it comfortable. Good for someone who journals before sleep.
On Amazonabout $40

Pens, ink and paper for the longhand writer

Writers who draft by hand often become quietly obsessed with their tools. Fountain pens in particular open a whole world of inks and papers. These work as a set or on their own.

8
Fountain Pen Starter Set with Ink Cartridges
Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen Set
A smooth steel-nib pen with cartridges and a converter for bottled ink. An easy, affordable way into fountain pens.
On Amazonabout $35
9
Bottled Fountain Pen Ink
A bottle in a color they don’t own yet. Works with a converter, and pen people can never have too many inks.
On Amazonabout $8
10
Fountain-Pen-Friendly A5 Notebook
Rhodia Webnotebook A5 Dot Grid
Thin, smooth paper that resists feathering and bleed-through. Regular notebooks make fountain pen ink spread and show through; this paper doesn’t.
On Amazonabout $25
11
Leather Pen Case for Three Pens
A padded sleeve that keeps good pens from rattling loose in a bag. Ideal once someone owns more than one pen they care about.
On Amazonabout $28

For the keyboard writer who needs to focus

Most long-form writing happens on a screen now, and the hardest part isn’t the tools; it’s the distractions that live on the same device. Gifts for keyboard writers tend to be about focus, comfort and writing away from the laptop when the house is too loud.

12
Noise-Cancelling Wireless Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Headphones
Good noise cancelling turns a café, a train or a household with kids into somewhere it’s possible to think. For writers who can only work with quiet or a steady soundtrack, this may be the single most useful gift on the page. It’s a splurge, so it’s best for someone who writes regularly in noisy places.
On Amazonabout $360
13
Visual Countdown Timer
Time Timer MOD Home Edition 60-Minute Visual Timer
A simple desk timer for writing sprints: set twenty-five minutes, write until it runs out, take a break. Using a separate timer instead of a phone avoids the trap of checking one message and losing an hour. It’s a small, cheap gift that supports a real habit.
On Amazonabout $20
14
Portable Bluetooth Keyboard
Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard
A slim keyboard that pairs with a phone or tablet, turning it into a drafting machine for a train ride or a lunch break. It’s handy for writers who grab spare half-hours wherever they can and don’t want to haul a laptop around. Check it works with their device before buying.
On Amazonabout $35
15
E-Ink Writing Tablet
reMarkable Paper Pro with Marker Plus
A paper-like tablet with a stylus that converts handwriting into digital text. It suits the writer who drafts longhand but dreads typing it all up, or the journaler drowning in half-filled notebooks. It’s expensive and a commitment, so make sure they’ve expressed interest; some writers simply prefer paper.
On Amazonabout $650
16
Portable Manual Typewriter
Royal Epoch Classic Portable Typewriter
The romantic choice. A manual typewriter is wonderful for poems, letters and first lines, and there’s no internet to wander off into. It’s not practical for drafting a novel, and it’s loud. Give it to someone who’ll love it as an object and use it for short pieces.
On Amazonabout $180

The gift writers want most

Ask almost any writer what would help them most and the honest answer is time. Not a new notebook or a better pen: a few uninterrupted hours with no one needing them. If you live with a writer or are close to one, this is the gift that will mean the most.

Take the kids out for a Saturday. Cover a chore they always end up doing. Book them a room at a local library or a quiet hotel for a day, or chip in toward a writing retreat or workshop they’ve mentioned. Put it in writing, with a date, so it actually happens. And one thing to avoid: don’t ask how the book is going when you hand it over. Let the time be theirs.

Small sparks under $25

Inexpensive gifts for prompts, quick notes and letter-writing. Good for stockings, writing-group swaps and add-ons to a bigger gift.

17.
Creative Writing Prompt Deck
Tell Me a Story Card Deck
Cards with characters, settings and conflicts to combine into a story. A playful way past a blank page.
On Amazonabout $16
18.
Poetry Prompt Dice and Pocket Notebook Set
Roll the dice for a prompt and write a short piece in the pocket notebook. Fun for poets and anyone warming up.
On Amazonabout $35
19.
Pocket Notebook Pack with Pen Loop
Beblau Pocket Notebook Set (3-Pack)
Small notebooks for the ideas that turn up on a walk or in line at the store. Writers lose good lines without one.
On Amazonabout $18
20.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Stephen King’s part memoir, part plain-spoken guide to writing. A classic for anyone who reads his books or writes genre fiction.
On Amazonabout $9
21.
Wax Seal Stamp Kit
A brass stamp and wax for sealing letters. Lovely for the letter-writer who still sends real mail to friends.
On Amazonabout $22

Before you buy for a writer

Find out if they write by hand or on a computer. Notebooks and pens only make sense for longhand writers.
Match craft books to their style. Plotters, discovery writers and poets each have their favorites.
Don’t add pressure. Gifts that demand a finished novel (or questions about it) can sting.
Time and quiet are valuable gifts. Childcare, a library day or a retreat contribution can mean more than any object.
If you’d like more tailored ideas, describe them to our gift finder, including what they write.

Questions about gifts for writers

What do you get an aspiring writer?

A good craft book like Bird by Bird or Steering the Craft, a notebook for collecting ideas and a writing timer for building a habit. A class or workshop is also a great way to encourage someone just starting.

What’s a good gift for someone who journals every day?

A refillable leather journal, a dot-grid notebook or a fountain pen starter set will all be used daily. A lap desk is nice for someone who journals in bed.

What do writers actually want as gifts?

Uninterrupted time tops the list. After that, tools that suit how they work: noise-cancelling headphones for keyboard writers, good pens and paper for longhand writers, and craft books for fiction writers.

Is a typewriter a good gift for a writer?

As a lovely object and for short pieces like poems and letters, yes. For drafting long projects, most writers prefer a computer, so a typewriter works best for someone who loves the ritual.

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For the novelist with a draft in a drawer

Know exactly who it’s for?

For the daily journaler

Pens, ink and paper for the longhand writer

For the keyboard writer who needs to focus

The gift writers want most

Small sparks under $25

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$100+

Before you buy for a writer

Questions about gifts for writers

Related gift guides

For the novelist with a draft in a drawer

Know exactly who it’s for?

For the daily journaler

Pens, ink and paper for the longhand writer

For the keyboard writer who needs to focus

The gift writers want most

Small sparks under $25

Shop this guide by price

Under $25

$25–$50

$100+