Gift Guide for Writers and Readers

Posted: December 3, 2023 in books, horror, recommendations, science fiction, Tips, writing
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*Updated for 2024*

If you’re like me, you try to outdo yourself each year with unique and fun gifts for the loved ones in your life. For the readers and writers in particular, it can be fun to look for novelty bookish items beyond a book (though a book is *always* a great gift).

Themed bookmarks, candles, tea, reading lights, and specialty furniture are often a go-to for annual bookish gift lists.

I’ve picked a few of my personal favorite book- and writing-themed gifts in this list that have caught my eye. Many of these I have gifted or been gifted in the past so can vouch for them. These items range from clever advent calendars, epic pen holders, eye-catching book ends, and more.

Disclaimer: These are obviously highly subjective and based around my own horror/sci-fi/fantasy interests.

For the Readers

Indie bookstore certificates and subscription boxes

One of my top recommendations for bookish gift-giving ideas is to peruse indie bookstores’ online offerings. Mysterious Galaxy, for example, offers free shipping over $100 and has curated book recommendations. They also have a gift subscription box that I gifted to a friend last year. Many local indie bookstores also have signed books or rare books available, such as Artifact Books in Encinitas.

If you’d rather hand-pick speculative books for gifts, I recommend browsing the recommended reading lists and recent award winners from organizations like HWA and SFWA to find a unique variety of speculative anthologies, books, novellas, and more. Then head over to Bookshop to place an order.

For more ideas, here are are two articles covering horror books I recommend and why: KC Grifant’s Recommendations on Shepherd (2024) and KC Grifant Recommends… at Reader’s Entertainment magazine.

For a good starting list of 100 awesome books to peruse, check out the Library Journal‘s Best Books of 2024. I also suggest checking out this must-read horror book picks from 2023 by Melissa DeWild and Becky Spratford.

For more ideas, check out the creatively packaged themed “book dates” on Etsy and TikTok. The lovely presentation helps make for a wonderful gift. Or use the images for ideas to create your own book gift packages.

Bookends

Two of my favorite bookends that have held up to the test of time (and loads of book weight) are the Portal bookends (which always evoke comments from guests) and the raven and skull bookends. A bookend tip: while the single slanted book holders look cool, in practice I’ve found they do a poor job of actually holding up a book.

Book Nooks

These adorable miniatures are fun to put together and look magical on a bookshelf nestled between real books. I constantly get compliments on my sitting library nook and elfin library nook (check out my TikTok video of the latter here). But be warned – they require a fair amount of basic crafting so these are gifts best suited for your hands-on or artsy friends.

Bonus tip! These are the glues I use for mine – Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue (a tad pricy) and Turbo “Tacky” Glue (more economical).

Book Advent Calendars

A book-themed advent calendar is a fun and thoughtful gift, but you need to send them early (November) so your bookworm can maximize the experience. This one from Uncommon Goods features bookish items in its advent calendar (like a bookmark, magnetic and post-its). I personally love the ones that feature mini books as tree decor, such as this one from LitJoy. (Note It’s a bit pricy at $99 but cheaper versions exist elsewhere.)

For the Young Reader

I love personalized books for kids–it never gets old seeing their names and appearances in stories. Sites like Wonderbly or Shutterfly offer lots of options. Just beware that shipping can take a while for both.

For the Writers

Pens and Notebooks

Dissertations could be written on pen and journal recommendations, so I’ll keep it simple. I personally like the BaronFig products as elevated gift offerings, both to give and receive. I love the Squire Rollerball Pen and Squire Click Ballpoint Pen, which have been my go-to “fancy” pens for years. Be warned – they aren’t cheap! But they are meant to last for years and are a heavenly writing experience. Pair the pen with one of their elegant writing journals and you have a lovely gift.

BaronFig also offers sleek organizers, cases and a plethora of themed journals.

Pen Holders

The pen is mightier than the sword! Since I enjoy the fantasy genre, these knight and dragon pen holders are two of my favorites. These are both fairly sturdy and look great on a desk. Pro tip for the knight holder: ditch the cheap pen it comes with and replace it with a high-quality pen instead. Themed pen holders should be tailored to your recipient’ interest and genre of choice, but IMO you can’t go wrong with a dragon.

Map Making Kit

The fantasy writer in your life might enjoy a map making stamp set to help brainstorm their new worlds. I particularly like Lord of the Maps’ set. Pair it with some beautiful paper and you have a winning gift.

Speaking of art, commissioning fan art of an author’s work can be a wonderfully thoughtful gift. With a little research, you can find many creative and affordable artists on social media to hire. Pro tip: I recommend confirming they don’t use generative AI (for a number of reasons).

Craft Books

For the short story writer: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders. A masterclass in short story writing; I recommend this to everyone who writes–or wants to write–short fiction.

Description: For the last twenty years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us, offering some of what he and his students have discovered together over the years. Paired with iconic short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, the seven essays in this book are intended for anyone interested in how fiction works and why it’s more relevant than ever in these turbulent times.

For the novel writer: Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maas is an extremely helpful and practical workbook for novel writers both new and experienced. I find it especially useful to help with writer’s block.

Description: This powerful book presents the patented techniques and writing exercises from Maass’s popular writing workshops to offer novelists first-class instruction and practical guidance. Maass also carefully dissects examples from real-life breakout novels so you’ll lean how to read and analyze fiction like a writer. With authoritative instruction and hands-on workbook exercises, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook is one of the most accessible novel-writing guides available.

Bonus book recommendation! I also enjoy Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) by Lisa Cron. Aside from an excellent title, the book also contains a fresh take on novel writing.

More Resources

I hope these recommendations were helpful. As you navigate the season’s gift giving, please try to support indie shops and indie creators as much as possible. And if you’re looking for more ideas, here are a few general literary lists:

Happy shopping!

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