Pen & Prosper's 4th Annual Xmas Holiday Gift Guide!

Greetings, Readers!
I'm delighted to be back, just in time to present Pen & Prosper's Annual Xmas Gift Guide for Writers.
Move over, Oprah. This year I decided to take a different approach. I've surveyed writers around the world to give you a broader reference and more gift-giving options. We'd love to get your suggestions as well in the comments section.  Deal?
The more the merrier!

Here for your review and consideration are recommendations for the best gifts for writers: 

From Colleen M. Story @ Writing & Wellness 

 

LAPTOP STANDING DESK

I've made myself a standing option for my desktop computer that consists of
a little booster for the monitor and an adjustable stand for the keyboard.
The two together give me a way to alternate between sitting and standing
during the hours I'm working for clients. (The best wellness sources advise
doing a little of both.) But when I shut the desktop down and retire to the
easy chair to work on my books and blogs, I typically use my laptop
computer. After awhile of sitting my back hurts. I realized I needed a
standing solution for my laptop, too, and I couldn't find anything in the
house that worked very well.
I went searching online and found this cool little desk on Amazon. It was
only about $60 and I had to put it together when it arrived, but it's worked
out perfectly. The castors allow me to roll it around to any location,
though I usually position it near my recliner. Now I have a stand/sit
solution for both of my computers and my back is saved. I'm a happy writer!

From Karen Lange @ Write Now

I suggest giving the writer in your life the gift of extra writing time. Give them a gift card to a local restaurant or take out spot, pizza place (that delivers), or other food delivery service. Or, if you like to cook, share a casserole or other meal that freezes well for them to heat up later. These ideas lend extra time when your writer friends are on a deadline or in another busy stretch.

From Jen @ Pen & Prosper

HOMEDICS PORTABLE BACK MASSAGE CUSHION WITH HEAT 

I spend many hours in front of my keyboard crafting articles, poems, blog posts, coaching clients, etc. which can sometimes cause back strain and discomfort. Homedics Portable Back Massage Cushion is "just what the doctor ordered!" I love it. And I think you will too. A bonus here, in addition to how great it feels, is that it is so versatile: it can be used in the home and the car. It's also very affordable. Read more here:
https://www.homedics.com/portable-back-massage-cushion.html#

 

From Noelle Sterne @ Trust Your Life Now


The "Gift" of TIME. That is, a “certificate” (as decorated as one wishes) for a certain amount of hours “free” from childcare, errands, and other responsibilities so the writer can hole up and write. The giver would take over the responsibilities.

From Evelyn Cogdell @ Green Apple Publications

Books. Most writers love to read, I know I do. Reading other Authors' books teaches us how to be better writers and better story tellers. After all, who doesn't love a great story?

Order through Amazon


https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Freelancers-Guidebook-Learn-Build-ebook/dp/B01J2J5AJK

Note: I am a contributor to this book. Read my chapter on branding, for tips you won't want to miss!

From Linda O @ Write From the Heart

Fill in the blank books



Some of my favorite writer gifts have been a scented candle, a memory fill in the blank book, a package of colored gel pens, and dark chocolate because people know me. LOL. Gift cards to B&N are always a great fit for everyone, but my fave would have to be a subscription to Writer's Magazine or is it now Writer's Digest?

 One I particularly enjoy and always have with me: a purse-size tablet with a beach scene cover, and I also have one with my glittery initial. Last year I received a small book, 642 Things to Write About, by the San Francisco Grotto, which I use frequently.

One more thought, a critique group member gave us a unique, much appreciated writer's gift: an inexpensive personalized daily planner with positive personal comments, anecdotes and memories about our events over the year, and inspirational quotes or story starters for about ten dates per month, so as not to overwhelm us.

 From Cynthia Clampitt @ World Plate

A Starbucks Gift Card

From Ms. Anonymous

I recommend getting a writer a tape recorder or an I-Pad where the writer's thoughts are spoken and captured for the refined written piece(poem).

Sometimes, at least for me, [my] poetic thoughts come while I am driving or in the wee hours of the morning.



NOW...ON A RELATED NOTE WRITERS, WHEN DO YOU THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO "REGIFT"?

WOULD YOU?

HERE ARE SOME OF YOUR RESPONSES... 

"If you found the gift valuable and feel I could benefit from it, and you explained the gift that way, I say it's nice.

Also, in the interest of saving money as freelancers perhaps on budgets. I'm pretty certain the situation can be related to." ---Steve

  

"Of course regifting is okay. Goodwill and thrift stores are filled with many still originally-tagged items." ---Linda

 "It's okay if you have no use for a perfectly good gift and know someone who could use it.  But make sure you don't regift to the same person who gave it to you. And most of all...don't ever tell!"

---Gail

"Regifting is definitely appropriate. Only times one should be cautious is if one is giving it in a situation where the original giver might see it. But seriously, if it’s not something you can use, is letting it just sit on a shelf collecting dust a good option, when it might delight someone else? Of course, this should only be with gifts someone else would actually value. But seriously, if I got something I really loved and could use, why would I care that the person giving it to me had gotten it as a gift and just couldn’t use it.

Of course, this doesn’t apply to anything hideous or unusable or broken — just nice things for which one has no need.

I think this is especially true for those of us who are downsizing now. If someone gives me a beautiful vase, when I already have four and would like to get it down to two, why would giving that new vase to someone else be an issue?" ---Cynthia C.

Emily Post.com states: "Think through each situation carefully, and if you’re still in doubt, don’t do it. Saving on the time or expense of shopping for or making a gift isn’t worth the cost of hurt feeling or a damaged friendship."

Your turn, readers.

Recommendations? What are your views on "regifting"? Do tell.

Image Credits:

Clock, candle, gift card, tape recorder, Xmas bauble 

Pixabay.com