10 Drool-Worthy Gifts Writers Will Love

Christmas. It’s coming. And if you are buying a gift for a writer, you may be wondering what, besides a gift card to Half Price Books (be still my heart) you can give them.

Well, you’re in luck. Me, my writerly self, and I have been compiling an awesome-gifts list for more than a year now. I’ve only included the best; truly special items with a definite literary connection. Oh yes.

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #1 AquaNotes

1. AquaNotes

Maybe it’s the steam. Maybe it’s the shampoo. I’ve heard something about negative and positive ions. But whatever it is that makes the shower the ideal place for ideas, here’s a way to capture them. These waterproof note pads and pencils stick on the shower wall, where you can jot down your ideas instead of losing them down the drain. $7.

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #2 Tequila Mockingbird

 

2. Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist

Here’s something Hemingway wouldst assuredly approve of. With book-inspired cocktail recipes from The Pitcher of Dorian Grey Goose to the Last of the Mojitos (you’ll also have to buy some actual alcohol, of course), you’ll have everything you need to write drunk. Or at least buzzed; BeKind doesn’t want to you become an alcoholic. $12

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #3 Pulp-o-Mizer Custom Pulp Magazine Covers

 

3. Pulp-o-Mizer

Vintage and cheesiness join together in perfect harmony. Help your writer imagine his or her own masterwork as an old-timey pulp sci-fi magazine. You customize the cover, choosing backgrounds, images and headlines – maybe incorporate some quotes and themes from your writer’s work in progress. Then order it in posters, mugs, notebooks and more. $10-60.

 

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #4 book pillows4. Book Pillows

Cuddle up with fluffy classics. These pillows are the perfect accent for another thing every writer wants—a window seat. In a library. With rolling ladders. Basically, these are a great alternative if you can’t afford the castle from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. $18-50

 

 

5. Fandom Teas10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #5 fandom teas

Ever wonder what your favorite characters would taste like if they were teas? Okay, me neither, but now you never have to! If there’s a fandom for it, chances are Adiago Teas has a blend. Or twelve. We’re talking everything from Tolkien to Welcome to Night Vale. Thanks to Victoria for turning me on to them. Six-blend sampler: $20.

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #6 literary quote posters6. Literary Quote Posters

Sound great in your ears; look great on your wall. Oh so artsy. Oh so literary. Tack them above the writer’s desk. Stare at them broodingly while sipping cappuccinos. By ObviousState on Etsy. $24.

 

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #7 periodic table of storytelling poster

 

7. Periodic Table of Storytelling Poster

You don’t have to write formula fiction to have a formula for your fiction. Check out this visual guide to storytelling based on tropes from TVTropes.org, which is probably one of your writer friend’s favorite Internet haunts. Depending on size: $25-80.

 

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #8 personalized classic novels

 

8. Personalized Classics

Does your writer friend identify with Elizabeth Bennett or any number of other classic literary heroes? Through Firebox, you can order a classic novel, with the character names replaced with the names of people you know. Your writer friend will either think this is hilarious, or blasphemous. Proceed at your own risk. $30.

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #9 Fentiman's dandelion drink9. Dandelion Wine

More accurately, Fentiman’s Dandelion & Burdock soda, which probably is the closest you will get to dandelion wine without making it yourself. Must be accompanied by a Ray Bradbury quote. You can order it through Walmart, of all places, for about $50 plus $30 for shipping and handling if you’re on the west side of the pond. That stuff has to travel from Northumberland, y’all. But you’ll get the prize for being the coolest gift-giver everer. $80.

10 Drool-Worthy Gifts for Writers - #10 antique typewriter10. Antique Typewriter

Every writer wants one, but most of us are too practical (read: poor) to shell out a couple hundred bucks on a really nice one. But just look at them. LOOK AT THEM. Imagine the bounce of the keys. The delicious snap as each letter flies onto the paper. The satisfying riiiip as you pull out a finished page. You are a lone reed… $200-500.

 

Fellow writers, leave your own gift suggestions in the comments.

 

Inspiration Monday: Is That A Real Place?

Listening to this Welcome to Night Vale thing everyone’s talking about. I don’t know if I like it yet…it’s so…strange. Do any of y’all listen to it?

Just a few this week, but good ones.

Chris

Evan

Troy

Inspiration Monday logo

The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

IS THAT A REAL PLACE?

VOID THAT THINKS*

DANDY LION

BREATHING LESSONS**

BLIND DISPASSION

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and then give me the link in the comments below (I’ll also love you more if you link back to me); I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at stephanie (at) bekindrewrite (dot) com. (I do reserve the right to NOT link to a piece as stated in my Link Discretion Policy.)

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

* Inspired by Welcome to Night Vale
** The title of a book I haven’t read

Inspiration Monday: The Doctor is Sick

To the British InMonsters: y’all aren’t those folks posting Sherlock spoilers on Pinterest, are you? ‘Cause seriously, it’s like England is trying to get back at America for that whole independence thing. For crying out loud, that was 200 years ago! What would River Song say???

Here, let’s consume some content that gets released to all countries simultaneously:

SAM

Evan

DJMatticus

Eleenie

PrincessDeloso

ARNeal

Chris

LLDFiction

TheImaginator

The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

THE DOCTOR IS SICK

STAGE PRESENCE

ANALOG

SPOILERS*

UNDER THE FINGERNAILS

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post; I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com. (I do reserve the right to NOT link to a piece as stated in my Link Discretion Policy.)

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!

*Yeah, I know.

Holiday Archives: How to Get Close to Your Characters

I hope you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a good one! For me, Turkey Day marks the beginning of the holiday season, which means I’m on soft hiatus till the new year. InMon will continue weekly as usual, but on Fridays, you’ll see links to some archived posts from years past. Hopefully they are fresh to you, or at least good reminders. Here’s this week’s!

8 COOL WAYS TO GET CLOSE TO YOUR CHARACTERS

Image by Okko Pyykko.

People who aren’t writers don’t know the extent of background work that goes into writing a novel—how much plot, setting and character development we write that never appears on the published page.

This is a list of a few of those things. Read it!

Inspiration Monday: Brilliant Superstition

Okay, folks. Voice Week starts one week from today, which means this week’s prompts will be good for two weeks – I won’t be posting any prompts during Voice Week.

There’s still time to sign up for that, by the way! We’ve got a good crowd of about a dozen, so we’re set up for a good time already, but there’s definitely room for more. I should note my Internet access will be unreliable for part of this week, but I will catch up with anything I miss by Monday.

Oh, look! Some tasty tidbits to inspire us for next week!

DJMatticus

WithAWritersSword

LLD

WritingSprint

The Rules

There are none. Read the prompts, get inspired, write something. No word count minimum or maximum. You don’t have to include the exact prompt in your piece, and you can interpret the prompt(s) any way you like.

OR

No really; I need rules!

Okay; write 200-500 words on the prompt of your choice. You may either use the prompt as the title of your piece or work it into the body of your piece. You must complete it before 6 pm CST on the Monday following this post.

The Prompts:

BRILLIANT SUPERSTITION

MEET YOUR DESTINY

CURDLED

AFRAID OF NOTHING

FALLING BEHIND

Want to share your Inspiration Monday piece? Post it on your blog and link back to today’s post; I’ll include a link to your piece in the next Inspiration Monday post. No blog? Email your piece to me at bekindrewrite (at) yahoo (dot) com. (I do reserve the right to NOT link to a piece as stated in my Link Discretion Policy.)

Plus, get the InMon badge for your site here.

Happy writing!