Gifts for a writer

Kyougu

I'm looking for a gift to give to a writer friend. Something relatively unique..but not to expensive. Probably 50 tops. Maybe a bit more if the gift is worth it. Any suggestions?

KalTorak

Moleskine notebooks are always nice.

Kate of Lokys

A fountain pen. I bought myself one several months ago (so I could write pretty letters to my boyfriend), and it never leaves my side now. They are absolutely wonderful for anyone who needs to write on a regular basis - students and aspiring authors alike. I used to hate writing things out by hand, because I used ballpoint pens that just didn't flow smoothly. Or I used those gel ink ones, which gobbed out black pools all over the page.

Fountain pens - half-decent ones, at least - are a joy to use in comparison. Smooth, consistent ink flow, even the messiest writing looks attractive, you can play around with different coloured inks (I currently use kiowa pecan, a nice subtle shade of brown), and there's just something *neat* about waving aside a cashier's offer of a cracked, dried-out Bic, pulling out a gorgeous fountain pen, and signing your name with an elegant flourish in ink that you know will outlast the cheap paper it's used on.

(Seriously, they have crazy inks these days. The Noodler's bulletproof stuff is waterproof and highly UV resistant. The colour I use isn't fully waterproof, one of the pigments is partially soluble, but I can still immerse a sheet of freshly-written script in a sink full of water, swish it around, then pull it out and have it be perfectly legible. If your friend has ever spilled water on a work in progress, they will consider this to be the best invention since paper).

I ordered my first fountain pen and ink from Pendemonium. A basic entry-level Schaeffer fine point will run you $40-50, and the ink is $10-18 per bottle, so it's a bit more than you were looking to spend... but if your writer friend likes writing stuff out longhand, and has never used a fountain pen before, they will be thoroughly delighted.

OremLK

Does your writer friend actually like writing by hand? If so, the above suggestions are good. If not, I'm not too sure what you could get him that has to do with him being a writer. Maybe a book, if you have a good idea of his favorite authors and which books from them he doesn't have.

Cosmic Sombrero

Really, I don't think getting a gift "for a writer" is a good idea. How people have that one aunt who remembers the week you tried to get into drawing, and has given you notebooks ever since?

Soviet Waffle

Books books books!

Writers eat books up (NOM NOM NOM). Getting him something to help with his writing is kind've tricky since what's used is very unique to the person, and anonymous suggestions from the internet won't be too helpful.

2868

I have to say the best gift in your price range is a subscription to the McSweeny's quarterly concern.

I can't say enough about it. Check it out.

http://store.mcsweeneys.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/catalog.detail/object_id/b98cc3a0-53fa-4ed6-a771-e788dc9d9396/McSweeneysSubscriptionbrBeginningwithIssue27.cfm

Baron Dirigible

2868 wrote: »

I have to say the best gift in your price range is a subscription to the McSweeny's quarterly concern.

I can't say enough about it. Check it out.

http://store.mcsweeneys.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/catalog.detail/object_id/b98cc3a0-53fa-4ed6-a771-e788dc9d9396/McSweeneysSubscriptionbrBeginningwithIssue27.cfm

Yes this absolutely I cannot second this strongly enough.

There's also an "Instant Gratification" subscription that nets four past issues at once ... and it's on special, right now, for $25 (from $87!). Go go go!

[edit: to expand: McSweeney's Quarterly Concern is a literary journal edited by Dave Eggers that contains some absolutely fantastic fiction, and on occasion non-fiction, poetry, visual art and combs. They're also incredibly well-designed. As a writer myself, I've got a great deal of inspiration from their journals, and a lot of other writers / editors I know are also huge fans of McSweeney's.

OremLK

Do not under any circumstances get him any sort of how-to book or a book that purports to help him with writing. I figure this is obvious but I just wanted to make it clear. It's condescending and there's a good chance the book wouldn't be useful to him.

If you go with books (or a subscription) like mentioned above just make sure it's something he likes and doesn't already have. It's tough buying books for writers though because we're always grabbing new ones to devour.

Reckless

OremLK wrote: »

If you go with books (or a subscription) like mentioned above just make sure it's something he likes and doesn't already have. It's tough buying books for writers though because we're always grabbing new ones to devour.

Solution: Borders Gift Card, or your local equivalent. It's what I ask for from my Dad's side of the family every year for my birthday because it's easy and I can go off and stock up on the latest fiction and non-fiction goodness.

amateurhour

Get him an old typewriter. Even if it doesn't work, it would still make a good inspirational piece. Maybe look on ebay for a collectible one that belonged to someone realatively important.

Uncle Long

If you do decide to go the typewriter route look into the Olympus line or the Hermes 3000. Both are more solid portables than a lot of the other models out there. If you have any questions about typewriters send me a PM, I repair them as one of my side businesses.