Another year, and another stressful shopping season, is upon us. Do regular commercials even suggest good gifts anymore?
Sorry Walmart, I don’t want or need a new flat-screen TV. Show me something different and exciting, or at least functional to my loved ones’ daily life.
That’s where we come in. For the fourth year in a row, we put together a list of gifts that are perfect for the writer or entrepreneur you’ve been struggling to shop for.
Since it’s 2018, here are 18 amazing gifts.
Away we go!
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I didn’t know about this particular invention until it was gifted to me last Christmas. Before having this organized charging station, I’d use whatever plugs were available in my room, even at the risk of accidentally stepping on my iPad as it charged on the floor by my bed (RIP iPad screen). With this charging station, your loved one can keep everything together and, with an extension, plug everything into the same power jack. Maybe this isn’t revolutionary to you, but look! It even has an Apple Watch adapter! Plus, it’s compatible with any and all electronics. Apple brand or not.
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Thank our Executive Editor, Elisa, for this amazing find. With winter in full swing, cold weather can have the harshest effect on our hardworking hands. Sweaters and blankets are nice, but those warming properties are useless to cold little fingers when there’s work to do. These gloves actually plug into the laptop, which then charges up warming pads on the top and bottom of your loved one’s hands, keeping them nice and toasty for a productive day at the computer no matter how many hours they’re glued to their screen.
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Whether you’re a morning lark or a night owl, some people just need a little extra push to get up in the morning. This runaway alarm is a blaring beast that your giftee will have to chase if they want to turn it off. It has a snooze feature that keeps the alarm on their bedside table for the first few snooze cycles. After that, the clock jumps off the table and starts its reign of terror around the room. Once your loved one has gotten out of bed, they’re less likely to get back in it. Well, that’s what we hope anyway …
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I’m writing on this rolling desk right now. For a work-from-home type, this portable tabletop will allow the person you give it to to switch up their location every now and then. Plus, it’s multifunctional. I keep my desk in the living room, where I can work on a recliner or couch, and when I feel like a TV dinner, I have a place to put my plate other than my stomach. This also works if the giftee is bedridden and doesn’t want a standard lapdesk. This will be a favorite in their household. Even my roommates love and use it.
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I’ve spilled many a crumb on my laptop keyboard … and self. You’ve gotta eat at some point, even if you’re on a writing roll. This tiny vacuum is meant specifically for cleaning up messes on your loved one’s computer. To power it up, just plug it in to a USB port, and let it suck up the shame of an entire bag of Lays eaten in one sitting. No one will ever know.
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While this book isn’t exactly one you can read, its contents are sure to provide courage, knowledge—and, OK, a hangover if you don’t use it in moderation. Taking a page (pun intended) from how people used to hide alcohol during Prohibition, this flask in a book is a great gift for writers and entrepreneurs who want a little hidden inspiration on their bookshelves. You can even fill it up with your favorite person’s preferred elixir before gift wrapping.
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Some writers like to drink away their frustrations, others like to punch it away. This mini punching bag sits conveniently on your loved one’s desk for moments of anger, or when they just want a little workout between projects. It sticks onto any surface via a suction cup, so they don’t have to worry about punching it into space. If they work in an office with other people, just make sure they don’t tape anyone’s picture to it.
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I was going to include a mini Japanese rock garden, but then I realized that the last time I had one, I spilled the sand everywhere. This Zen tool is much less destructive (which is definitely not Zen), and mirrors the Buddhist meditation on impermanence. All your loved one needs for this wishing stone to work is a little water. They’ll write wishes, or affirmations on it, or draw little doodles to take their mind off work and focus on the here and now.
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Sitting hunched over a laptop all day is definitely not good for posture. We’ve previously included back support as a great gift for writers and entrepreneurs, but if you think your favorite workaholic needs something a little extra, this strap can go underneath or over top of clothes and supports shoulder alignment, better posture, and can help with neck and upper back pain. Even if they’re not experiencing pain just yet, this might be something to help prevent future damage or encourage a more confident stance. Good posture can be a big deal when it comes to first impressions.
Have a favorite book your loved one would like to wear proudly on a shirt, bag, or even socks? Our content editor Giselle Sproule found this amazing site called Out of Print that sells everything literature in the form of apparel, mugs, themed office supplies, and jewelry. Want a Fahrenheit 451 set of matches? It’s twisted, but they have it. They even have baby apparel for parents who want to expose their children to culture at a young age.
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If your scribbling giftee is less about wearing their passions and more about decorating with them, this Shakespeare insult poster is a witty addition to any literary home. They can put it in their office for a good laugh, or if they want to be creative in a scathing email. If they’re OK with burning bridges, they can end a conference call with one of the lines from the poster: “More of your conversation would infect my brain.”
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Got a board game fanatic on your gift list? Do they spend their free time playing Words with Friends, or finding joy in creating messed-up scenarios in Cards Against Humanity? You should definitely consider getting them storytelling games like Story Cubes and Storymatic. These games can be played in a writers’ group, with kids, or with family to help learn the craft of storytelling, exercise creativity, and generate ideas for your loved one’s next big project. The best part is—no electronics allowed!
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While it’s on the pricier side, this item is both fashionable and useful for the busy person constantly on the go. The thick bangle style is minimal and classic but can be used to charge an iPhone or other Apple device with a similar charging port. This will be the most useful for those who rarely lose their chargers in the black hole that is their travel bag. Now, they can just wear all the power they need on their wrist, which is pretty bad-ass.
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We’ve listed many a keyboard in our gift roundups before, from laser to washable. This one is a little less flashy and a little more functional. This wireless keyboard allows your loved one to type on devices across platforms. If they want to use a full keyboard to write notes on their phone, this keyboard has that capability. They can even connect to three devices at a time and switch between them with the click of a button. I love technology.
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While you might look at this device and think “this is just a laptop without the fun,” you’d only be half right. Freewrite is a cross between a laptop and a typewriter. It’s a portable word processor and only a word processor. This means that your aspiring novelist can type up their next masterpiece on the go without the constant distraction the other apps on a laptop might pose to productivity. Everything they write on this device is stored to the cloud, so they’ll never lose it, but Freewrite also has offline capabilities. Plus, Freewrite is currently working on a new travel version that folds up. Stay tuned for that.
CYC Services are delivered in packages and retainers, depending on your individual or brand needs. These are good for the professional writer or entrepreneur in your life that is starting to get more serious about their publishing goals, but need some dedicated outside support to really push themselves and improve their craft.
We offer proofreading, content editing, and writing coaching in both packages and retainers; and content management via retainers only, due to the work involved.
While everyone breaks the bank around this time of year, just know that with every dollar spent and every thought given to a great gift, you’re giving the people in your life that much more joy.
Show them how grateful you are, and they’ll do the same.
Happy holidays everyone!
If you’re a writer or entrepreneur with 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 our book.
Erika Rasso graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. in English and marketing and the University of California, Los Angeles with an MFA in Screenwriting. She has worked as a writing consultant, an editor for literary and academic journals, and as an assistant to film and TV producers. In her free time, Erika enjoys playing games and writing screenplays (though mostly she just watches WAY too many shows on Netflix). She is the Director of Production for Craft Your Content.