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By LySaundra Campbell

The holiday season is among us and though traditions and celebrations may look different this year, we can still get that one special gift for our loved ones. Particularly for the writers in your life, we’ve compiled a list of gift ideas that will surely inspire their craft.

Support Them

We’re giving you a list of items to purchase for your favorite writer, but one of the best gifts you can give the writers in your life is your support. Share how proud you are of their work, even their works in progress… especially their works in progress. Offer to proofread or let them ramble about plot developments. And, of course, you can buy their books or chapbooks, merch, or slip a few dollars to their CashApp, Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle. Either way, you have options.

Apparel & Books

Correlation doesn’t equal causation, but I think being a writer causes us to accumulate masses of hoodies and graphic tees. Either way, we can’t get enough. Here are a few businesses to support your favorite writer’s cozy aesthetic.

1. Uncle Bobbie's Shop

2. Writer Hoodie

3. "Write On" Tee

4. Justice + Joy Hoodie or Tee

5. Well-Read Black Girl Sweatshirt

6. Purchase books and other merchandise on their wish list from any of these independent Black-owned bookstores

7. PTW Bookshop.org Storefront

Continued Learning

As writers, we’re constantly finding ways to strengthen our writing practice, whether it’s creating a routine, learning different techniques, or learning how to strengthen our written voice. Gift a workshop, class, or conference to help your favorite writer sharpen their craft. 

1. Words That Move

2. Blue Stoop

3. Masterclass (includes teachers like Shonda Rhimes and Malcolm Gladwell!)

4. Gotham Writers

5. The Writer’s Center

6. The Create Daily

7. See Jane Freelance

Beverages

It’s no secret; writers LOVE their coffee or tea. We need to stay caffeinated and hydrated to develop thought-provoking poetry and prose. We also need it to keep us calm through editing processes, rewriting, pitching, and trying to write the first draft without editing while we write. Check out some of these brands to help your writer stock up on tea and coffee.

1. Brooklyn Tea

2. Ivy's Tea Co

3. Good Thoughts Tea Co

4. Calabash Tea & Tonic

5. Blk & Bold

Setting the mood

No writer can have too many journals, pens, pencils, or accessories, and these days we’re spending so much time on Zoom calls. It wouldn’t hurt to help a writer in your life give their eyes a break from screen time or help them create an ambiance for their projects.

1. Plan a cozy, nature trip with Getaway. Choose your location and stay in a mini cabin to switch up your favorite writer’s scenery.

2. Noise canceling headphones

3. Candles from Harlem Candle Company

4. Notebooks, pens, Post-Its, and other office accessories from Effie’s Paper

5. Writing Prompt cards

No matter their genre, I think you’ll find something perfect for that special writer in your life.

LySaundra Campbell is a storyteller and creative activist based in Harlem, New York and the creator of Social Soundtrack. When she isn't advocating for social liberation, you'll find her with friends, at a piano, curled up with a book, or fangirling over Issa Rae.