Cool Christmas Gifts for Readers and Writers

Missy Tippens

Every year or so we've shared some gifts for writers around Christmas time. I thought it would be fun to do that again this year. Tippens kids, if you’re reading this, well, I hope you get some good ideas! :)

I thought I’d start with the more practical and head toward the…not so practical (to put it mildly!). I'm including links but not all photos. So please don't get distracted by shopping and forget to come back. :) (By the way, I don't get any kickback if you purchase these items. I'm just sharing for fun.)

A year or two ago, my sister-in-law got me of these literary inspired candles. Very nice gift!

And of course, we all love fun mugs. There are so many good ones!

Here's a Zazzle site that has a lot of mugs.

And this one cracked me up: 

photo from LaTazas & MAUAG Funny Mug Gifts. (Link above)

Another cute one! Talks about a writer being a person who can convert caffeine into books. :)

I really loved these tea towels made of fabric that looks like writing paper! She’s sold out for now but I’m hoping she’ll have more soon. Oh! I just found another store that has one. So you can try here as well.

Definitely in the land of the practical: a gift card to play at your favorite office supply store! Yes, I know you writers understand what I mean by playing. Is going to buy pens and printer paper a chore??? NO. A visit to the office supply store is FUN! ;)

And for readers and writers, a gift card to your favorite bookstore is always appreciated!

Of course, among the practical category, are gift subscriptions and memberships. How about subscriptions to:

--Audible.com so you can listen to stories.

--Magazines for writers like Writer’s Digest or Publisher’s Weekly.

--Netflix or Hulu type subscriptions so you can study movies! That’s one of my favorite ways to internalize story structure.

--Or for a different type of inspiration, how about membership to a botanical garden nearby. We joined the Atlanta Botanical Garden this year and have really enjoyed it. You could also buy an annual pass to local State Parks or National Parks.

Along those same lines, consider asking for season tickets to your favorite music or theater venue. For several years, I’ve bought a 4-concert season ticket package to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. And just this year we bought season tickets to one of our local theaters, AuroraTheater. I find inspiration in any of the arts and imagine you would too! Plus, we’re supporting fellow creative folks.

Some of you may work on the couch or in a room that's not strictly an office. Pam Hillman was talking about this recently for moving her research books and supplies. Rolling carts can be one way to move your office around and then to store everything away when company comes! 

Does your laptop heat up when you work on your lap? Try a laptop cooling pad. Here's a list of popular ones.

Now, moving into the more unusual gift category. A lot of these are created and sold by individuals or through Etsy and places like that. I like supporting small businesses that way.

Here’s one I found that I love. Sticky notes for your to-do list. I can imagine it stuck onto a keyboard or on a monitor.

Lithographs. I love this scarf made from Little Women!

photo from Lithographs.com. (Link above)

This could be great fun for readers as well as writers: A 100 Essential Books scratch off chart! 

Typewriter Coasters: An old-fashioned typewriter holds a set of coasters. I always have a drink near me as I work, so I love coasters. One of my friends bought me a wonderful set of quilted coasters last Christmas. She said she thought of me as soon as she saw them. (Thank you, Beth!) You might be able to find something similar.

Okay, I found more mugs I like! First Lines coffee mug that has great first lines from multiple novels.

And this one made me laugh out loud: Quitter coffee mug (Bookmark? You mean quitter strip?!) LOL

Photo: MGAPDX store on Etsy (link above)

And one last mug that says: Pray, Write, Repeat.

Here's a keychain that’ll remind you to write. 

A light up pen to catch ideas that hit you during the night. 

Here's another one that made me smile. A Proof Read clock.

Photo from 3dRose on Amazon (link above)

Need a fun way to brainstorm and keep track of details and like to work on paper? You could use this gift set with it's included booklets for characters and locations and scene ideas.

There are a gazillion journals out there, and I'm sure many of you collect them and use them. I thought this one was nice because it is a Writing Prompt journal.

Now to some fun items. I love jewelry, and there are some really great pieces of jewelry for writers and readers. You just have to do a search and will come up with many. Here are a few I loved:

Quotation Mark earrings. 

Library card and stamp pins 

And this beautiful Mystery Writers Charm Bracelet. 

Photo: PattieTierney Store on Etsy (link above)

Old-fashioned typewriter key jewelry is also a favorite--like this necklace.

Here's a place to order Bookplates. 

For fun, a Shakespeare tea bag set.

Famous writers bookmarks.

And finally, one of the crazier gifts. Here's some hard core decorating for book lovers. A duvet cover that looks like a set of books! They also have a shower curtain to match. :) Who needs to go to the library when you have giant books all around your home?! :)

I hope you've had a little fun with this post and maybe even found some shopping ideas. You can also send your friends and family members here for ideas.

Photo: Dirtsastudio store on Etsy (link below)

GIVEAWAY! As long as the site doesn't sell out, I'll be giving away one of the notebook paper tea towels. (If it sells out, I'll find something similar or do an Etsy gift card.) Please let me know in the comments if you'd like to be entered.

I'd also love to hear what your dream gifts are for Christmas!

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After more than 10 years of pursuing her dream of publication, Missy Tippens, a pastor’s wife and mom of three from near Atlanta, Georgia, made her first sale to Harlequin Love Inspired in 2007. Her books have since been nominated for the Booksellers Best, Holt Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Maggie Award, Beacon Contest, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Romance Writers of America RITA^® Award. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com, https://twitter.com/MissyTippens and http://www.facebook.com/missy.tippens.readers.

Waking Up and Getting Traction: A Benefit of In-Person Writer Support

Missy Tippens

I recently had a wake up. I’m talking about the kind of wake up where you didn’t even realize you were asleep.

You see, I hadn’t attended a writing conference in about two years. And I had barely attended chapter meetings for my local ACFW and RWA chapters. I’ve been a primary caregiver for some family members during that time and hadn’t felt I could risk signing up for something and then have to cancel. I also haven’t had time free to attend the chapter meetings.

But earlier this year, I took the risk and signed up to attend the Moonlight & Magnolias Conference, a fantastic conference that Georgia Romance Writers puts on each year (I had gone to M&M without fail in the past). I had friends praying that all would go well so I could attend. And, thanks to God, it did!

Lunch with Cara Lynn James and Fran McNabb

While at M&M, I attended many workshops and took lots of notes. I had time to chat with friends new and old. I spent time in the hotel room, writing. I took a nap! I enjoyed dinner with old friends and talked business. And I celebrated Maggie Award victories with fellow writers after the banquet (and okay, this may have also involved some dancing). :)

Dinner with (L to R) Debby Giusti, Connie Gillam, Pam Varnado, Fran McNabb, Cara Lynn James, and Lindi Peterson

One writer I spoke with that weekend was struggling with whether her writing and publishing schedule was interfering with the care of her family. She seemed burdened by guilt. I shared with her how my youngest used to stand at the door beside the babysitter, refusing to wave, sobbing as I left to go to my monthly critique group. I shared how my precious daughter wrote me a pitiful little note in phonetic spelling saying she didn’t like it when I went to “kirtek grup” (translated: critique group) because she was sad when I was gone. :)

Those were tough times when rejections were rolling in and contest scores were crushing my spirit. And I felt like I was taking money and time away from my family. I almost quit several times out of guilt, but God brought encouragements big and small along the way at just the moment I would give up. (One of those big moments: I had decided that it must be time to give up writing, had been crying my eyes out, and a few minutes later I got the call that I was a Maggie finalist).

I shared with my hurting writer friend that when my kids were young, I promised them that if they would let me write for a while each day, I would buy them a new swing set when I sold my first book. I resorted to bribery! (As an aside: please note that by the time I sold that first book my youngest was 11, and her feet would have dragged the ground on a swing set! Instead, they got dinner at The Melting Pot to celebrate. :))

Once I shared all that with my friend, she said she was surprised. She thought I had it all together and that all had been well in my home at the time. I learned some things through that conversation:

1.   You never know what might be going on in someone else’s life! I learned I need to be more open about my struggles. We all need to be honest and real. I think it helped my friend to know that others have and are struggling with some of the same issues. Spending time in-person allowed the opportunity to connect in that way.

2.   Again, you never know what may be going on in someone else’s life. Chances are, the people we run into (writers and otherwise) could be facing trials. Assume the best about others and SHOW GRACE.

Other things I learned at this conference…

3.   I really needed that time away from caregiving. I needed my husband to cover for me for a couple of days so I could focus on the conference and on the writing. You may need time away from caregiving, or child-rearing, or your day job or.... We can all use time away to focus on our writing careers.

4.   Meeting with other writers in person is more important than I thought. I hadn't realized what I had been missing until I got back to a conference. I know we have a wonderful online support here at Seekerville, and I treasure that. But I was reminded how motivating it can be to hang out in a room with a bunch of people who think like I do (translated: a little wacky).

After I got home from the conference, that excitement continued. A few days later, on the way to dinner with my husband, I realized I felt as if I’d come out of a long, hazy sleep. I felt more alert, like my mind was zipping again. I was finally making a little progress on my manuscript, felt like I had traction after so long spinning my wheels.

I know a conference isn’t possible for everyone due to location or finances or family/day job situations. But I encourage you try to find at least one writer to meet with in person. (Come on introverts, you can do this!) Or go to a workshop at your local library. Or see if your church will start a writing group. Anything to put you in touch with other writers. And start saving up to attend a conference sometime in the future. I think it’s worth the investment, not only for networking, but also for reigniting the desire to write.

Giveaway! For a trip down memory lane, I’ll be giving away a copy of my very first published book, Her Unlikely Family, a story (previously titled Michael’s Surrender on the contest circuit) that I wrote while attending my “kirtek grup.” :) (Please note, this will probably have to be an e-book copy or else a used print copy since I don’t have extras any longer.)

Please let me know in the comments if you’d like to be entered. We’d love to hear from you today! What do you think about attending conferences? If you’re not a writer, what inspires you and keeps you motivated for your job or daily life?

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After more than 10 years of pursuing her dream of publication, Missy Tippens, a pastor’s wife and mom of three from near Atlanta, Georgia, made her first sale to Harlequin Love Inspired in 2007. Her books have since been nominated for the Booksellers Best, Holt Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Maggie Award, Beacon Contest, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the Romance Writers of America RITA^® Award. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com, https://twitter.com/MissyTippens and http://www.facebook.com/missy.tippens.readers.