The holidays are right around the corner, which means it’s time to open up the coffers, hit the ground running, and start crossing people off your To-Buy list.
*gulp*
Did you just start sweating too?
Buying gifts for your loved ones can be tough, especially if you want to be unique and find something that truly says you care.
It can be even harder when you have a writer or entrepreneur to buy for. If they don’t already own everything, chances are you are dying for some inspiration. Plus, they tend to sit behind a computer all day long, working and typing and staring at the screen with that weird furrowed brow look.
What do you buy someone who needs to be reminded to put on pants some days?!
Well, take a deep breath my friend – I’ve got your back. Here are 15 unique and inspired holiday gifts for the writer/entrepreneur in your life:
An Evernote Premium or Scrivener subscription could be just what your friend needs to stay organized. Evernote is great for working online (or off) and storing everything from blog posts to business ideas, or boring stuff like receipts/invoices for tax purposes.
Scrivener, on the other hand, is a great gift for writers. It allows them to create and organize their writing outlines, store their research, and make notes or comments.
Once they’ve pulled their ideas into a work of art, an editorial service from Craft Your Content could put the finishing touches on it, don’t you think? (Shameless plug, I know).
Whether they’ve just received their first major publication, or made their first business sale, these are big moments that they will likely want to remember. Framing the article, or even a printed screenshot of the first transaction receipt, is a highly personal gift that will remind your friend how far they’ve come, and will serve as a constant reminder of their successes.
If you don’t want to go the big-box route of buying a frame on Amazon or at your local craft store, you could always buy a personalized frame on Etsy. Or, if you are exceptionally crafty yourself, try your hand at a special DIY frame.
They spend a lot of time sitting in front of their computer screens. Often this translates into hunched shoulders, a strained neck, and tight hip flexors. A massage is the perfect gift to help them work out all the kinks in their body and relax them after a long day of hard work.
Don’t have a local spa or masseuse to send your favorite writer or entrepreneur to? Or maybe they live in a different town/state/country? Check out Spa Finder and their fantastic gift card collection, perfect for bestowing bliss anywhere in the world.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase Elsewhere
Coffee shops and coworking spaces can get pretty noisy, so creative types tend to want to drown out the sounds with some music, or even a podcast episode. Unfortunately, regular earbuds just don’t cut the mustard.
A good set of noise-cancelling earbuds can be exactly what they need to quiet their mind and focus on the task at hand.
Worried you aren’t up on the newest tech? You can learn all about the different types of headphones, earbuds, and sound devices on c|net’s 2015 headphone buying guide.
When we get on a roll, we will literally stay up all night long. This is going to require some serious caffeine, so why not pick up a gift card from their favorite coffee shop?
Can’t find a card for your writer or entrepreneur’s favorite local cafe?
There’s always the working coffee shop stand-by, Starbucks, and they are everywhere (I mean everywhere!) I live and breathe Starbucks because they give away delicious – and free – food and drink samples, and give me free refills of hot water for my tea. The free samples and refills are a treat, but I still drop a good $20-40 per week. A gift card would be much appreciated!
If your friend writes, they probably love to read as well. If they’re in business, then they’re likely reading about business hacks, sales funnels, and all that fun stuff. A Kindle gives your friend instant access to the latest books in one small, convenient place without the hassle of having to run to the bookstore.
For those traveling writers and entrepreneurs, this also reduces luggage space. Seriously, no one has the space to travel with ten hardcovers.
While we’re talking Kindles, let’s talk about getting some great books loaded onto that device.
Gift cards get a bad rap because they feel so impersonal, but chances are your friend is going to want to stock up their Kindle library. Make it simple with an Amazon gift card.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase Elsewhere
Writers and entrepreneurs spend several hours a day in front of their laptops. That’s pretty hard on the body. A standing desk gets them off their butts, onto their feet, and has been found to increase productivity.
Standing desks can get a bit pricey, so if you want something more affordable, a laptop riser is a great alternative. It raises the height of the laptop screen, which reduces neck strain and improves general posture. I love my Goldtouch – it’s super light, easy to travel with, and adjustable. The Roost stand is also a popular choice for location independent folks.
Or, if working from bed is their thing (no judgement – it’s a thing for some people!) there’s this fancy schmancy stand that will allow them to work while laying on a cloud of pillows and duvets.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase Elsewhere
If you’re thinking of getting a stand or riser, your friend will also need a keyboard and mouse. If you really want to go above and beyond, get them the Logitech washable keyboard. Coffee spills and food crumbs can literally be washed away with soap and water, without fear of the keyboard breaking.
Waterproof mouses are also available!
Juggling deadlines, administrative tasks, creating content, and more can be exhausting. A helping hand never hurts.
Virtual assistants can give your friend the help they need to focus their energy on high priority tasks. The good news is, there are plenty of high quality, affordable virtual assistant services to choose from.
For online, admin-style tasks, give TaskRabbit or TimeEtc a try. Or, if you want to give someone even more help in the new year, check out our friends over at Don’t Panic Management.
If you are looking for random and totally bizarre VIP tasks, check out Red Butler.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase Elsewhere
Laptops, cell phones, kindles and iPads tend to be a writer or entrepreneur’s life line, so when they run out of batteries, shit can hit the fan. To avoid such travesties, gift them with an external battery pack.
These handy power packs can offer a few additional hours of life to their favorite piece of technology, and are perfect for when they can’t find an electricity outlet.
(Note – Of course you can’t use those kinds of batteries with your favorite electronic devices. But can you blame us for wanting to get in on some Star Wars actions with a Lego Stormtrooper?!)
Does your friend have their own website? These days it seems like everyone does, but what most people do not have is security. Sites can get hacked and servers can go down, causing a website to disappear into the Bermuda Triangle of the world wide web.
Crashplan regularly backs up a website to their cloud, so if anything happens, they have the most up to date version, and it can be restored easily. A pre-paid Crashplan membership will give your friend peace of mind.
Working by yourself can get lonesome, so give the gift of human interaction by getting your friend a one month membership to a coworking or co-writing space.
Coworking locations tend to be ripe with entrepreneurs your friend can network or mastermind with. Co-writing spaces, on the other hand, offer a quiet refuge for writers, where fellow writers are still close at hand. It’s the best of both worlds.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase Elsewhere
Coffee and tea are go-to vices for writers and entrepreneurs. While hitting a coffee shop is great, sometimes we want to enjoy the peace and quiet of our own homes. Grab your friend a coffee press or teapot with their favourite blend, so they can get their hit of caffeine without having to step foot outside.
The Kona French Press works for coffee, tea and espresso, but a true tea lover would kill for a Breville Tea Maker.
Purchase from Amazon | Purchase from Livescribe
This is the ultimate gift for those on the go. The Livescribe Pen basically digitizes everything you write or hear, and saves these notes or audio recordings to your computer.
Every time your friend thinks of something great, they can jot it down and send it to their email or phone so they don’t forget.
Have a meeting and don’t want to miss a word? Your friend can record every second. Cool, right?
I dare you to tell me that this list isn’t unique and right up your friend’s alley. So grab your sweaty towel, wipe your brow, and relax a bit – this list is totally going to cover your butt when it comes time to do your holiday shopping.
Happy Holidays!
If you’re a writer or entrepreneur who has friends and family who struggle to buy you gifts, do them a favor and share this list. Not only will you make shopping easier for them, but you’ll get something you truly want. That’s a win-win in my book.
Sabrina Taylor is a sassy writer and online manager with an inappropriate love for Buzzfeed, pizza and CrossFit. She has over 5 years experience working with businesses helping them build effective communications and marketing strategies. She is currently living in the hot and humid mountains of Northern Thailand, dreaming of hoodies, snow and Canadian bacon (first world problems, amiright?!).
[…] Craft Your Content 15 Holiday Gifts for Writers and Entrepreneurs. You can’t go wrong with a coffee shop gift card and some noise-canceling earbuds. […]
As a writer, most of these sounded heavenly. Prialto (www.prialto.com) is a great option for VAs as well.