It is my birthday later this month π₯³ so to mark the occasion, I wanted to add another post to the ‘Gift Ideas for Writers‘ series.
Do you know anyone who is celebrating a birthday in the next few weeks? This guide will share unique ideas that will make your favourite writer swoon.
Bird by Bird
Described as the ‘Bible of Writing Guides’, Bird by Bird is a must-have for writers everywhere as it offers a wry, honest and down-to-earth perspective on the trials and errors of writing.
This book was published in 1994 and is a step-by-step guide providing valuable insight and helpful words of encouragement on how to write and manage the writing life. Some of the chapters included in Bird by Bird are “Getting Started”, “Short Assignments”, “Shitty First Drafts”, “Dialogue” and more. There are also sections discussing how to tackle writer’s block, writing groups, and publication. Readers will be both inspired and entertained as they are given light-hearted advice on the emotions faced during the writing journey i.e. love, pain, jealousy, fear, etc.
Written by American bestselling novelist and memoirist, Anne Lamott has released over a dozen novels and works of non-fiction. In 2010, she was inducted into the prestigious California Hall of Fame.
Bird by Bird has received many accolades from respected newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and The New Yorker.
This book is available in paperback through Waterstones with 10+ still in stock and is priced at an affordable Β£9.99.
Proofreader’s Correction Marks Tea Towel
Is your friend or family member a perfectionist? If so, they will love this quirky tea towel.
It’s crafted from 100% cotton and designed with a vintage chart of copyediting marks, making it an ideal gift for editors and proofreaders. This tea towel can be quite beneficial for writers that would like to learn these proofreading symbols for future reference too.
Measured at approx. 78cm x 48cm, it is a decent size and can be stored in small places when not in use. If something spills on it or it gets dirty, simply throw the tea towel into the washing machine as it is meant to be long-lasting.
This tea towel is available through The Literary Gift Company where their motto is: “Every gift tells a story”. For this one-of-a-kind and crowd-pleasing present, you can purchase it for only Β£9.95.
Writing Magazine Subscription
Inspire and encourage your loved one’s craft with a subscription to the UK’s biggest and most notable magazine for writers.
Writing Magazine releases a new issue monthly and features star interviews, work opportunities in Writersβ News, writing masterclasses, ideas, and hundreds of fiction and non-fiction competitions. Access to this magazine can be requested via print or digital, so the recipient can benefit from the convenience of having it delivered directly to their front door or sent to their smartphone to download.
The team behind Writing Magazine are real experts in the industry with a deep understanding of the struggles that writers face. There’s a range of PDF guidebooks from the online shop offering writing advice and analyses of classic novels like Mrs. Dalloway, Moby Dick, and Oliver Twist. These additional texts cost between Β£1.99 to Β£4.99 per copy.
There are a number of pricing plans available at Writing Magazine and they are as follows:
- One Issue (Digital): Β£4.99.
- Three Issues (Print or Digital): Β£3.00 for subscribing on Direct Debit. Worth Β£12.75.
- Twelve Issues (Print): Β£10.99 per quarter for subscribing on Direct Debit. Comes with the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2021.
- Twelve Issues (Print): Β£45.00 (one-off payment) for 12 issues. Accepts Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal.
- Annual Subscription (Digital): Β£38.99 (one-off payment).
Noticeboard
This attractive brass-coloured noticeboard will make the giftee’s home appear more lively yet offer a sense of organisation.
Also known as a “Memo Board”, writers can decorate it with many different items and attach photos or notes from the clips. This can be a source of inspiration and helpful for keeping ideas in plain sight when drafting their next creative piece. Its design is versatile enough to be placed in any room of a house i.e. living room, bedroom, or office.
The materials used to make this product are steel and brass, and it is nickel-plated. Simply use a duster to maintain its pristine condition. I believe that writers would be satisfied with the frame’s size as it measures at a decent 45cm (width) x 62cm (height).
This noticeboard is available through IKEA and has received 5-star ratings and reviews from customers. Buy it now for only Β£12.00.
Knomo Laptop Backpack 15″ (Unisex)
Give the creative professional in your life a bag where they can store all of their writing essentials when outside their home.
This slimline laptop backpack has a generous amount of space and is made from ultra-lightweight and water-repellent polyester, which effectively protects its contents against harsh weather. The outside design quite simple yet presents an edgier look and feel with two zipper pockets, and comes in two colours: black or green. Furthermore, it has a grab handle, padded back, and adjustable straps for maximum comfort. It measures at H42cm x W32cm x D13.5cm.
The interior can fit laptops up to 15″ (38cm) in the padded compartment and features 2 mesh pockets and a zipped compartment, making it easier to organise several personal items. For example, there’s plenty of room for chargers, papers and files, and it can also be used as an overnight or gym bag or for a day-out of exploring.
KNOMO offers free delivery on all UK orders and this dependable, versatile, and in-demand backpack costs Β£99.00.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found these gift ideas helpful for the writers in your life with an upcoming birthday. If any has piqued your interest or you have further suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below!
More Gift Ideas for Writers:
Thank you for reading β€
ππHappy π Birthday dear friend. Stay healthy and happy. I wish all your wishes come true. Keep doing good work. Lots of love to you.πβ€οΈπππ
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Aww, dear friend! β₯π Thank you for your kind wishes and supportive words. You never fail to bring a smile to my face π€ Hope you are well and having a lovely start to the month π€© Sending good vibes and lots of hugs your way π
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Your presence matters a lot to me. I recognise you for your work. You are unique. Keep doing good work.
I think you should write some posts on daily life and social issues. People will gonna love you.
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Thank you Lokesh π your presence matters to me too. Your words of kindness and encouragement are a huge motivator! You are a wonderful writer and deserved to be praised for your creativity and positivity ππ It is clear to see from your blog that you are highly adored β₯ Thank you for your suggestions, I appreciate it! π
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No one is free of pain and burden. We have so many challenges. Supporting each other is a way to move forward. This is greatest learning of life.
If you tell me about your interest, I’ll try to write a story for you.
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Your comment could not be any more true! You are right that we need to support, uplift and be happy for each other π it is an important lesson in life.
I am really flattered – you are an amazing writer! π€ Yes, I will let you know my interests. You are so kind! π
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The notice board is lovely β decorative and functional at the same time. Happy Birthday to you β enjoy celebrating YOU! π
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It is, I fell in love with the noticeboard as soon as I saw it π So so happy to hear that you like it too! Thank you for the kind wishes π€ I appreciate it! π
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Love these ideas and happy birthday for when it rolls it around later this month!! π
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Aww, I’m genuinely thrilled that you love these ideas! ππ Thank you so much for your wishes π€ it means a lot!
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Great gift ideas! Thanks for the work putting together the reviews.
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Thank you for reading this post and your lovely comment β€ I’m so glad that you liked these ideas! It is a pleasure researching and writing these reviews, I really enjoy doing this. All I hope is that it is useful to anyone who reads the post β‘π€
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Ooo great ideas! I like the sound of the Bird By Bird book, and I do really like the homeware stuff from Ikea. It’s been years since I’ve been & I’ve only ever been once in my life but I loved it! I hope you can treat yourself to some writer-inspired treats for your birthday this month! xx
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Thank you! I’m so thrilled that you liked these ideas, especially the book and homeware items from Ikea π€β₯ Same, it’s been years since I’ve last been to Ikea and only have had good memories from there π Cannot wait to go again and snake through the different sections. Thank you for your kind wishes β€ I am incredibly grateful. Also, loved your latest blog post π it’s so informative, I like green tea too because it has so many health benefits! ππ€© xxx
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Happy Birthday!
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Thank you! ππ
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Love this idea! And happy birthday in advance βΊοΈ
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I’m so happy to hear that you liked these gift ideas! π€ I’m a fan of the noticeboard, it is my dream to have one in my room π Thank you for stopping by on my blog and for your kind birthday wish! π x
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Theyβre great ideas! The notice board would be so useful as well as pretty to look at π youβre welcome! X
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Great idea.π I’m also going to celebrate my birthday next week.π Happy birthday β£οΈ
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Thank you π€β‘ I’m thrilled that you like these ideas. Happy Birthday to you too! I hope you have an amazing celebration!!! π€©ππ₯³
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Thank you very much β€οΈπ€π₯³
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ππππππ
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Great idea…ππ»
Very belated birthday wishesπ..Stay blessedππ»
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Thank you so much Athira! π€π You’re not late with your birthday wish at all π Stay blessed too! Hope you have a lovely evening π€© I’m loving reading through your posts, keep up the great work! πͺ
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Thank you so much for visiting my blog..Keep in touch..ππ»ππ»βπ»
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Great ideas! I love the towel:)) Perfect for my mom, who even has perfect grammar when texting, LOL
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I’m really happy to hear that you liked these ideas, thank you so much for reading! π I love the towel too, it is such a great find that I have never come across before π Hope your Mum likes the towel if you to get it π Hahaha, your Mom sounds similar to my Mum – no mistakes in their text messages ππ
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Seeing that tea towel brought back memories. I was an editor for a newspaper about 15 years ago and we used to mark up our prints with those symbols.
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Oh wow! I’m happy to hear that, hope it is good memories π€π Editor for a newspaper sounds like an amazing job β‘ Thank you for reading this blog post. I love the design of your blog and your Mindful Monday posts π€©π
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[…] Gift Ideas for Writers (Birthday Edition) […]
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Bird by Bird is one of my fav books! I love the content on your blog β keep it up!
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Bird by Bird has been added to my reading list, can’t wait to get started! π It’s so wonderful to hear that it is one of your favourite books, Adriana π makes me more excited to to read it. Thank you for reading this post and for your kind comment and encouragement, it means a lot π€π
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Very belated Happy Birthday! Could I add Poets & Writers? Great nonprofit, great magazine filled with thoughtful articles by prominent writers, and countless suggestions (contests, submission possibilities, etc) for all writers. I also love your #1 gift suggestion. I happened to be in a writing workshop led by the inimitable Annie Lamott when she was working on Bird by Bird (which all of us laid claim to helping with) nearly — gasp — 30 years ago; have loved Annie and all of her books ever since. Read on!
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You’re not late at all, thank you so much for your birthday wish and reading this post, Fran! π€π
YES! That is an amazing mention π€© I have not heard about the magazine before and from your description, “incredible” is not enough to label it. Will definitely have to look into Poets & Writers!
Thank you for sharing your experience about Annie Lamott – her and Bird by Bird sound like a timeless classic. I would jokingly claim to help with it too! π
I’m really looking forward to reading more of your posts β₯
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This is awesome π€©
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Thank you so much! π I’m so happy to hear that you like this post π
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You missed the opportunity to post your wishlist to get some sweet swag π happy birthday nonetheless
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Aww damn, I didn’t know that was a thing! ππ Will save that idea for next year π Thank you, T.J.S! I hope you are well and have a lovely day π
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