🎄The Ultimate Gift Guide for Writers

What's on your list?

When I was little, my parents gave me a calligraphy dip pen set for Christmas, with several nibs and some tiny square pots of ink in colours like indigo, crimson and gold. I adored that set. I loved the way the ink seeped up to the hole in the nib, and flowed out so beautifully onto the page. I practiced every day, and by some strange twist of fate ended up doing a demo on children’s TV at the age of twelve(!) and I still adore the feel of ink on paper now, thirty-five years later. We never know where a well-chosen gift will lead us – perhaps to a place of joy, or towards feeling loved or seen, towards more confidence in our abilities, or delight in recognition of our dreams, maybe to a published book or even a TV demonstration ha ha.

For many years I have been thinking about putting together a Christmas Gift Guide for writers (and booklovers in general), but time has gotten away with me. Finally, this year, I have managed to pull together a huge round up of ideas to support the writers in your life. Or perhaps you will spy something that is ideal for you? Hopefully this list will help you drop some hints (or you could treat yourself…)

I have included a range of practical, thoughtful and supportive gifts with options for all budgets, from free through to extravagant. I have only included things I think could legitimately be included as business expenses, in case you are considering them for yourself… 😊 These suggestions are either things I have and love, things I would like (hint hint Mr K) or things that my community have recommended.

None of these links are affiliate links (although of course I include some of my own books, subscriptions and courses etc where relevant, because I think they make amazing gifts - for transparency I have put my own offerings in bold below).

Feel free to add suggestions of your own in the comments and please do share. What would you love most from this list? I’d love to know!

Happy browsing,

Beth Xx

Price level: FREE

• A handwritten voucher for child care or dog walking or doing the laundry, to free up time for them to write

• A mock up of their book (design on Canva free software, print out and wrap around an old book!)

• An empty jam jar filled with writing prompts (if you register for my Fearless Writer’s Toolkit you can download tons of prompts for free)

• An atmospheric playlist you have put together for them to listen to while writing

• A place on my nine-day Winter Writing Sanctuary beginning December 28 (it’s free, but you can still get a gift voucher for someone here)

Price level: $

• A good pen (I love Uniball Eye | Pilot Juice Up | Pilot Frixion - erasable which is handy, but not archival!)

• ‘Silence Please’ Bodleian Library sign to hang on the door

• A stand up pencil case

• Book plate stickers

• A framed handwritten note saying how you believe in them as a writer

• A gift card for their favourite café, preloaded with several coffees so they can sit and write

• A pen pouch, so they are never without a pen when inspiration strikes

• A copy of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook 2025

• A monthly gift subscription to my beautiful private writing community SoulCircle (over on

  Beth Kempton
  )

• A beautiful book of poetry for inspiration (Some of my favourites include The Ink Dark Moon by Izumi Shikibu and Ono no Komachi, translated by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani | The Poetry of Mindfulness, Impermanence and Joy edited by John Brehm | She is Fierce edited by Ana Sampson )

• A tin of book darts

• An egg timer for timed writing sessions

• Pencil socks

• An Audible subscription so they can listen to the words of writers they love

• A pile of ready-chopped firewood for the fire, so they can cosy up by it

• A beautiful notebook (I love Katie Leamon | MD Paper | Sunny Log Note | Hobonichi )

• A new diary, filled with times blocked out for

  London Writers' Salon
  ’s free writers’ hour

• A set of paper pens which double up as a bookmark

• A book about words and writing (such as Consolations II by

  David Whyte
  | The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton 😊 | Healing Through Words by Rupi Kaur | Your Story Matters by Nikesh Shukla | The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig)

• ‘A Christmas Carol’ Christmas tree decoration

• A subscription to writing magazine Mslexia

• A hot water bottle so you can sit out in the woods or down by the sea writing even when it’s cold

• Some of their writing turned into a one-off book

• A deck of oracle cards (I love any from Rebecca Campbell, Denise Linn, Kim Krans)

• A voucher for their favourite independent bookshop

• Writual, a 90-minute writing workshop on writing from the heart (30% off right now!)

• A utility pouch for carrying all their essentials to a café

• A wooden book brush

• Hand cream (I love TokyoMilk Everything & Nothing and Aery Happy Space)

• Fingerless gloves

• A candle to support their writing ritual (I especially love Floragy Winter Spice, Midnight Peony and Fig Tree, St Eval Winter Thyme and Sea Mist, and Diptyque Baies

• A portable ceramic mug for your essential cuppa from maker Kara Leigh Ford

• Words Heal writing class (30% off right now!)

• A lap desk so you can write in bed

Price level: $$

• A fountain pen (Lamy | Tom’s Studio Infinitely Refillable Pen | Kaweko

• A book lamp

• A personalised set of ‘From the desk of…’ notecards

• An electric blanket for early morning winter writing

• A personalised book embosser

• A typewriter handbag

• A personalized notebook (Love the look of these from Martha Brook)

• An annual gift subscription to my beautiful private writing community SoulCircle (2 months free with all annual subscriptions) (over on

  Beth Kempton)

• A retro-style keyboard

• A weekend in an off-grid cabin

• Excavate Your Life (a hybrid writing and personal development course, which is great for memoir writers) (30% off right now)

• A subscription to writing software Scrivener

• A library ladder

• A standing desk

Price level: $$$

• An Airbnb gift card to book a few days away to write along with my Breathe Write Repeat virtual writing retreat (30% off right now!)

• An in-person writing retreat (try Arvon or Ease Retreats

  Tanya Lynch

• A Year of Fearless Writing (a bundle of courses to inspire you year round, plus a personalised signed copy of my book The Way of the Fearless Writer) - 50% off right now!

• A vintage typewriter

• A first edition of their favourite book

• A deep dive live writing immersion with me (choose from Ink + Flame for a Substack focus or River of Wordsfor a platform growth focus) (both 30% off right now!)

• A voucher for a stay at a residential library

• The Book Proposal Masterclass (30% off right now!) or The Book Deal + Platform Builder bundle (a writing business-focused bundle of courses at 50% off right now)

• The best ergonomic chair

• A cosy reading chair

• A traditional writing bureau

• A Bodleian Library reader’s chair

• A shepherd’s hut!!

What did I miss? Be sure to let me know your suggestions and please do share this list with anyone who might enjoy it!