The ultimate holiday gift list for authors: 33 ideas for sparking joy
Searching for the best holiday gift list for authors and writers? You've found it! Here are 33 gifts that will please any wordsmith!
I always have so much fun searching for the best holiday gifts for authors and writers every year. There’s just so much out there to choose from!
I try to give you a good mix of useful, creative, quirky, and affordable options that help you become better writers, take a break from writing, or announce that you love writing.
Some will inspire while others will soothe your soul.
They come from my inbox, online searches, and the always helpful Build Book Buzz Book Marketing Group members.
The result is a carefully curated list of gift ideas for every author and writer on your list — including you!
Grab a hot beverage, get comfortable, and start shopping. And be sure to forward this list to people who’d like to buy you a gift you’re certain to enjoy, too.
Holiday gift list for authors and writers
Click on each product name to get more information. Full disclosure: Some of the selections include affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission on sales but the cost to you is the same. Also, prices are subject to change, especially since there are Black Friday deals we don’t have access to before publication here.
Your favorite gifts for writers and authors are listed in a totally random order. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to this, but they’re all excellent options. Have fun shopping!
1. Blind Date with a Book
$19.99 through December 2
I love this one! It’s a fun surprise package for you or a friend. You’ll get a new book from your genre choice wrapped in kraft paper, plus a highlighter, bookmark, sticky tabs to mark pages, and a handful of bookish stickers.
2. Personalized The Year I Was Published Ornament
$14.05
Personalize this lovely milestone remembrance in a circle, heart, or star shape with the author’s name and the year they were published.
3. I’m With the Banned Hanging Ornament
$9.34
Make a subtle statement about banned books year-round with this hanging wooden ornament featuring the titled spines of commonly banned books.
4. Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books
$27.90 hardcover
While we’re on the subject of banned books, this is a must-read for anyone horrified by the banned-book movement. Often as heartbreaking and disturbing as it is humorous, it feels like the right book right now.
5. Cross Edge Roller Ball Pen
$30
If, like Stephanie Chandler, you’d like a luxury Cross or Levenger pen, start here. This refillable gem comes in several colors, but this nitro blue version is beautiful, don’t you think? You can buy this on Amazon, too, but at the moment, this Walmart price is less.
6. Smells Like Reading Time Scented Candle
$15.19
With a sandalwood and lavender scent, this soy wax candle with three label color options is an excellent gender-neutral gift for any book lover. It will burn for about 40 hours.
7. In My Author Era Mug
$12.99, price varies by size and color
Are you a Swiftie? This trendy mug is a fun connection to the singer’s enormously popular tour. Select between 11 and 15 ounces in several colors.
8. Bookshop.org Gift Card
Starting at $10
If I can’t find a hardcover or paperback at one of my two local independent bookstores, I order from Bookshop.org because it supports indie retailers. The site has raised nearly $34 million for indie stores so far, and I hope you’ll join me in pushing that number even higher.
9. Books Are Magic Book Club Membership
$30 to $40/month
There are many book subscription options available. I picked this one because my daughter lived around the corner from the original Brooklyn location when author Emma Straub opened it, so I’ve visited the store with her a few times. We are fans! Select your hardcover or paperback preference and the types of books you want to receive.
10. Cube Pomodoro Timer
$12.74
Does your recipient write using the Pomodoro Technique? If yes, this gift is so much cooler than a smartphone timer.
11. Book Lover Noun Canvas Tote Bag
$11.99
You can never have too many tote bags, especially in regions where retailers charge for bags, right? This one makes a great conversation starter, too.
12. Stained Glass Book Night Light
$41.95
This is definitely a splurge for a night light, but isn’t it beautiful? Who wouldn’t mind seeing this on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Or, put it in a child’s room to underscore that reading is normal and cool.
13. To-Do List Sticky Notes
$14.99
These are genius. I upgraded my random free hotel notepad to-do lists in my office and kitchen with these beauties. The improvement in appearance makes me feel like I’m one step closer to having my act together. Prefer a square size? Scroll down on the product page for that option.
14. The Book Lover’s Advent Calendar
$30
Is an advent calendar part of your holiday traditions? If so, you’ll love this one – and if not, this bookish calendar might get you hooked on the tradition! Count down the days to Christmas with a calendar packed with literary surprises such as magnetic bookmarks, stickers, ornaments, and more.
15. Fingerless Gloves for Women
$9.99 for 4 pairs
This is a perennial request; this year, it comes from author Catherine Michaels. If you need a space heater next to your writing space, you need these gloves for typing, too! Add them to your wish list.
16. Literary Clock
$199 to $349
This splurge gift is for the book lover (or book writer) who has everything but a literary clock. Every minute of every day features a quote from a book, often one related to the actual time.
17. Blue Sky 2025 Weekly and Monthly Planner Calendar
$11.99
Authors love planners! In addition to weekly and monthly pages, this one includes a holiday list, reference calendars, contacts pages, and note pages. There are several writer-specific planners available, too.
18. The Writer’s Year Page-A-Day® Calendar 2025
$13.87
Created for authors, this daily calendar features tips, exercises to keep the creativity flowing, quotes about writing, encouraging words, and inspiring stories about authors. What more motivation and encouragement do you need to write that book?
19. “Chapter One” and “The End” earrings
$12.66
These stainless steel, hypo-allergenic earrings are back by popular demand (and priced $1 less than last year). Get a pair for yourself and a friend.
20. YETI Rambler 20 oz Travel Mug
$26.60
I have this mug, and love, love, love it. It keeps hot beverages super hot for hours. If I don’t add an ice cube to my tea fresh from the kettle when heading out for a road trip, it could be 90 minutes before I can sip from it without burning a lip. Use it while writing at your desk or your favorite coffee shop, on the road, or around the house (this month, mine’s outside with me while I rake leaves). It holds the equivalent of two mugs. I especially like that there are many color options, but the Black Friday price on this color is better than the other options.
21. Vintage Typewriter Pencil Holder
While it’s the perfect holder for your pens and pencils (especially if you learned to type on a typewriter, as I did), it can hold other items, too. In author and publisher Stephanie Chandler’s kitchen, it’s a stevia packet holder.
22. Beaded Keyboard Wrist Rest Pad, Black/Gray
$18.99
Author and blogger Pamela Cummins has a keyboard wrist rest pad on her wish list, so let’s give it to her! I’ve used this wrist rest for so long I can’t remember when I didn’t have it. I love it. Because it’s made of tiny little beads, it forms to your wrist, which makes me think it might be more comfortable than rigid alternatives.
23. I Just Want to Read Books and Pet Cats T-Shirt
$15.99
Childless or not, this adorable t-shirt is perfect for anyone who loves a fur ball purring on their lap while they read. This link is for men’s sizes, but there are women’s and youth options and a range of colors, too.
24. Read Books, Pet Dogs, Drink Tea, Be Happy T-Shirt
$16.99
Let’s give equal time to dogs! This shirt is just the cutest. Women’s sizes only, but there are other options for books and dogs on the site (but not as many as there are for cats!).
25. Papier paper and pen shop gift card
TBD
This one’s for author Mary Shafer, who, like so many other writers I know, loves quality notebooks, journals, and other paper products. The link gives you $10 off your first $30 order. Irresistible, isn’t it?
26. Socks for Writers
$10.99
Nothing says “I’m a writer” like “Go away! I’m writing” on the soles of colorful hose. Be sure to scroll down the product page to find other cute socks for both writers and readers.
27. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
$79.99
This is the ultimate gift for writers working in a coffee shop or other public location, or distracted at home by TV or family noise. And think of how much more you’ll enjoy listening to audiobooks (or to a football game while at the supermarket…) with these when the rest of the world isn’t intruding!
28. Libro Audiobook sale
Individual book prices vary; 2-book bundles start at $30
Speaking of audiobooks…when I buy rather than borrow from the library, I purchase from Libro because the company shares profits with indie bookstores. The Black Friday sale is pretty amazing — I just bought three best-selling mysteries for $17, a 76% discount! I also buy credit bundles. Generally, one credit equals one audiobook. Another option is a monthly membership costing $14.99 per month for one book plus 30% off individual audiobook purchases. The bestseller sale runs through December 2.
Don’t forget to give author tools, too
Authors are always grateful for gifts that help them do their work better, smarter, or faster. Here are a few options that will make their lives easier.
29. Reader Book Review Form
$29
Every author needs a copy of this form that helps readers write those all-important reader reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other retail and review sites. Authors are calling this “the missing link” for reader reviews. There’s one for fiction and another for nonfiction; get both at a discount.
30. Book Marketing Coaching
$150 per hour
Give yourself (or the author in your life) the gift of advice by purchasing an hour of my time to work through your book marketing issues. Most authors consult with me to identify marketing opportunties and priorities for their specific book because they know book marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all.
31. Author Social Assistant
$77
This is absolutely my favorite new resource for authors. This web-based tool creates author and book social media images and videos, provides recommended captions, and drops all of it into a calendar so you have something to share every day of every month, year after year.
32. ProWritingAid
50% off through December 2, yearly and lifetime plans
ProWritingAid, one of the most popular writing tools for authors, is offering 50% off yearly or lifetime plans for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. One writer told me, “Without it, I find it very difficult to locate all the little things, like split infinitives, comma splices, and variations in spelling between the UK and the U.S.”
33. Publisher Rocket
Save $30 and get a free course November 28 to December 2
(Note: Savings don’t go live until Thanksgiving Day, November 28.) You know that making your Amazon page work as hard as possible for your book is a key to success. Publisher Rocket from Kindlepreneur helps with that by finding the best keywords and categories for you book, identifying your competitors, and uncovering the best keywords for your AMS ads.
There’s a lot to love on this list, isn’t there? But if you need even more inspiration, scroll down at this link to find more holiday gift lists for authors and writers!
Searching for the best holiday gift list for authors and writers? You’ve found it! Here are 33 gifts that will please any wordsmith!Click to tweetWhat gifts for writers and authors would you like to receive this holiday season? Please tell us in a comment!
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