Gifts for Book Lovers and Writers
Written by MVWG Member Amanda Zieba
I love buying presents. I love the act of thinking about what an individual would enjoy and then following through with the purchasing, gifting and observing the recipient's reaction. Personally, my language of love is gifts. What can I say, in a world of minimalists and Marie Kondo lovers, I still enjoy THINGS. Below I’ve rounded up a few items that the book lovers and writers in your life might like. If you are looking to gift yourself a goodie this holiday season or need to send a few not-so-subtle hints to the gift buyers in your life, simply copy and paste this link (and then cross your fingers!).
Subscription to Oh Reader Magazine
An item on my own Christmas list is a subscription to Oh Reader! Oh Reader is a newer publication, dedicated to the love of reading. Here is what their website has to say about their publication: Oh Reader is not so much about books themselves (although we do love them—fiercely); it’s more about the lives of those who read them. Because, let’s face it, the books we read shape who we are as people.
Oh Reader is a magazine about reading, for and by readers. It looks deep into the art of reading—why we do it, how it affects us, who we are when we read, and how we’re all connected through words.
Expect insightful stories, hilarious observations, fascinating interviews and a lot of word-nerdery. We publish four times a year, in print and online, so you can read any time.
I plan to use this gift (if I get it) not only to find new titles to enjoy, but also study up on the publishing market and what readers are loving. You can subscribe here.
Scribbler Subscription Box
A box from Scribbler will delight any writer. Inside each box you will find teaching tools from bestselling authors, live chats with literary agents & editors, curated writing gifts, and an autographed novel. Seriously, what is not to love about this SWAGLICIOUS subscription box?!?!? Buy one box for $29.99, 3 months for $84.99, 6 months for $164.99 or a whole year for $329.99. Click here to learn more.
Gift Cards
You can never go wrong with a gift card to Birdy’s Books , Pearl Street Books or Barnes and Noble. As a teacher, these were my favorite gifts from students!
Nerdy Ink Gifts
Got a Fangirl (or Fanboy) on your shopping list? Nerdy Ink is a dream store for stickers, pins and literature inspired art. Harry Potter, Hamilton, Game of Thrones, Star Wars and several other popular novels have been turned into SWAG we can wear, display and tote around. Everything is 25% off until Christmas, so there has never been a better time to buy. Click here to start shopping.
Papier Products
There might be nothing a writer loves more than a brand new blank notebook, except for maybe a fresh planner or notecards to write to a fellow writing friend? If the writer on your list wants nothing but the best, head to Papier for high quality, dare I say, fancy paper, planners, notebooks, stationary, pens and more. You will definitely win favorite gift giver!
Canva and Audible Subscriptions
Subscriptions were mentioned earlier, but are all the rage, so I’ll bring them up again. Last year my family gifted me an annual subscription to Canva Pro (an online digital design tool) and Audible (Amazon’s audiobook platform). One thing to help my writing business and the other to help me relax. What could be more perfect?
MVWG Member Books
And finally, I’d love to recommend the books written by our fabulous Mississippi Valley Writers Guild Members. You can see a list of our titles here.
If you’ve got any other gift ideas for readers or writers, I’d love for you to share them below. Hopefully together we can pick out the perfect gift for everyone on our list. We here at the Mississippi Valley Writers Guild hope you have a very happy holiday season and find some special (albeit unique) ways to celebrate this year.
Amanda Zieba is a self-proclaimed word nerd. In her opinion back to school supply shopping should be a national holiday because she certainly finds fresh notebooks and new pens a reason to celebrate. After a dozen years in public education, she now teaches writing part time at the college level, enjoys making up stories for the enjoyment of readers of all ages. You can learn more about Amanda and connect with her at www.amandazieba.com.