A good gift for a writer?

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:05pm

A friend of mine will soon be finishing his most major book project to date and I would like to get him something nice for the occasion. I'm thinking in the $40-$50 range.

What would be a good, appropriate, writerly gift?

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:14pm

This may seem like a corny idea but I'll throw it out there...


I don't know how artistic you are, but you could make a picture frame. You buy those blank wooden frames from Michaels craft store and paint it and put some decorations on it. You can paint books on or get some stickers, write his name on it, the release date of the book, write Congrats!... and then maybe put a picture in of him holding the book...

[morosco]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:14pm

I had a writer friend who recently lost an entire novel due to a fire. She said she wished that someone had encouraged her to incorporate online (offsite) backup. A good cheap one is called Carbonite. A one year subscription is only $49.95.

Inappropriate though if you were thinking more along the lines of something warm and fuzzy.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:24pm

He might like THIS.

[Biff AKA Levi]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:24pm

How about something for his next project...

(Don't forget about pens! I go through tons.)
a sketchbook!

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 9:33pm

(Ha! Sueleen! That was my first thought, but I didn't dare post it.)

Writing's my favorite non-theatre hobby, and for Christmas, my mom got me a BIG box of really, really fancy humongous hardback notebooks with gorgeous patterns and designs. I have one with a Breakfast at Tiffany's cover, one with a Magic Eye cover, some sparkly psychadelic ones, some with classic paintings on the front, one with cupcakes... Apparently, they only cost a dollar each.

...also, my sister sent me a bouquet of roses backstage at the show I was in with a card supposedly from the male protagonist in my latest "story." I put story in quotes because it was 361 pages long... But I think that woul

[Madcap Maisie]

Posted: 1/12/09 at 11:04pm

haha Suleen, there have been "only two left" of that book since we learned of its wonderful existance

[KrissySim]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 3:18am

I immediately thought of snagging a copy of the book before it reaches the bindery and having a special custom hand bound copy of the book made by a craft bookbinder. ~ But that's about 10 times your budget at base price.

Sooo. I'm a writer, and I love elegant stationery. Perhaps at that price you could get a special monogram or border on elegant writing (for letters) paper. Just browse through a fine stationers shop. You may find something there I'm not even thinking of now (with my dog growling at me for my attention). I hope I'm coherent ... it's been a long hard day.

[dramarama2]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 3:54am

Buy him a pen

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 3:57am

There's a craftworks nearby that does very nice blown glass work. One of their items is a perfect paperweight sized (about 4" tall and fairly heavy) apple - in green, blue, red, or clear. They also make some nice stemware including martini glasses (I could get a pair) and heritage glass (maybe a decanter?).

[KrissySim]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 4:00am

A decanter would be nice. Someone else can supply the cognac or single malt.

[artscallion]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 9:38am

This site has a lot of unique book-related gifts.

http://tinyurl.com/7v3mbu

I would actually avoid anything like pens or pads. As an artist, I always get things like brushes and art supplies as gifts. But inevitably, these things aren't the right kind and sit unused. Writers may have very specific preferences for the kinds of pens, paper, etc. that they use.

And, in thirty years, where will those pencils be? I'd look for a gift that will commemorate this great accomplishment and give him something that he can look at in thirty years and be reminded of the first book he wrote. The decanter is a nice idea, maybe engraved somehow with the title of the book.

Updated On: 1/13/09 at 09:38 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:24am

A signed or first edition.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 10:26am

Each time my husband had a book published I took a dust cover from the book and had it framed.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 12:46pm

8-ball.

[danmag]

Posted: 1/13/09 at 12:50pm

LMAO!!!