It’s that time of year again! The nights are long, it’s cold outside and Christmas hits have been blasting out in shopping centres for what already seems like an eternity. With just a few weeks to go, you’re no doubt thinking about Christmas shopping and so as always, we’ve got you covered with our round-up of the top gift ideas for writers. Everything on the list is available online (with some speedy delivery options for those last minute panic buys), so grab a cuppa (and a mince pie, obvs) and make that writer in your life very happy with one of these lovely gifts. Likewise, if you’re tired of receiving socks for Christmas, drop a massive hint to your relatives by sharing this article with them. You can thank us later.
Also, did you know, that by shopping through the links provided in this list, you can help support us at absolutely no extra cost to you? We’ve provided links to (almost)everything we’ve recommended here using the Amazon Affiliates scheme. Even if you DON’T buy the original item (and purchase something different ), as long as you click through any of our links to access the Amazon website, we’ll get a small percentage of the sale to help us keep running the blog, and it won’t cost you anything extra. So if you are planning on shopping at Amazon this festive season, we’d really appreciate it if you clicked through from here first! Thanks!
1. London Playwrights’ Workshop Membership
Here’s a gift that really does keep on giving! For the writer who has everything, why not treat them to a 12 month membership to London Playwrights’ Workshop and give them access to a year of inspiration, support and writing resources – whilst also doing a good deed by supporting our work? This gift couldn’t be easier to buy and you can have it delivered straight to the recipient’s inbox or as a printable gift card if you prefer to give something in person. You can order right up until 23rd December for delivery in time for Christmas. £40 for 12 months membership, click here to buy.
2. Playwriting: Structure, Character, How and What to Write by Stephen Jeffreys
This one will no doubt be at the top of many a playwrights Christmas list this year. The definitive playwriting book of 2019, this book is packed with inspiration and practical advice from the late Stephen Jeffreys. whose famous writing workshops spanned over two decades. If you want a gift that will be read for years to come, go for this! £11.89
3. National Theatre Play in A Box
Need a gift for a young budding playwright? This lovely box contains everything you need to put on a play – from writing the script, to planning the setting, to deciding on the costumes and props – it even contains tickets and programmes! It makes perfect rainy afternoon day fun for the whole family. It works pretty well for grown up playwrights who want to embark on a fun writing exercise. £8
4. Zygomatic Rory’s Story Cubes Game
If you want a fun gift that will help the writer in your life find some quick inspiration, these story dice are for you. Each pack contains 9 dice with 6 images each meaning there are over 1 million story telling combinations on every roll, who knows it might just spark the idea for the next big West End hit? And if not, they make for a fun game for after your Christmas Dinner. £9
5. Nice Notebooks
It might sound obvious but you can’t go wrong with a nice notebook and no writer will deny the sense of satisfaction they get from having something a bit fancy to jot down their ideas in. You could choose something classic like this one from Moleskine (£10.88), or something fun like these from Happy Jackson (£6.66), or if you’re feeling flash you could go all out with this luxe number from Montblanc (£46.20).
6.The Artist’s Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self
This book makes a great alternative to typical writing ‘manual’ as it’s all about discovering your own creativity. Through a twelve week programme of writing exercises designed to inspire and loosen you up creatively, this is guaranteed to spark some great new ideas. We think this makes a thoughtful gift for writers and will no doubt gain a special place on their bookshelf. (£9.49)
7. Weekly Planner/ Diary
Ask any writer and they will tell you that one of the major obstacles we face is a lack of time. When day-jobs, families, and just general everyday life gets in the way, it’s often writing that gets pushed to the bottom of the pile. With that in mind, the key to getting more writing done is productivity – and good organisation skills are a must. This planner from Clever Fox has everything you need to help you to get organised and boost your productivity, and it’s available in a range of snazzy colours. (£19.99)
8. A fancy pen
If you’re looking for a really special gift, then you can’t go wrong with a really nice pen (they go hand in hand with really nice notebooks for sure). What’s more, you don’t have to break the bank to get something that looks the part, this classic pen from Cross has an impressive chrome finish and comes in at just £22.99. And yeah, we know that this is still expensive compared to a good old Biro but there ain’t a writer out there who wouldn’t be impressed opening this gloriously shiny piece of writing equipment on Christmas Day.
9. Script Feedback
We all know that getting feedback on your work is super valuable but it’s not always that easy to obtain. It’s near impossible to get free feedback from an experienced reader who is also impartial but sometimes, forking out for a script consulting service just isn’t in the budget either. So why not buy some feedback as a gift for a writer who might need it (or pop it on your own Christmas list!)? We offer a range of different services to suit all budgets (including bespoke options), so check them out here and if you want to buy one as a gift, just email us at scripts@londonplaywrightsblog.com to discuss your requirements. Prices start from £30.
10. Noise cancelling earphones
When you’re trying to write without distractions, the world can seem like an overwhelmingly noisy place. Block out those annoying coffee shop conversations, loud phone talkers, or even the sound of your own children with a pair of noise cancelling earphones. These ones from Bose are the absolute boss of earphones but at £249 they are definitely out of the Secret Santa remit. However, these ones also get good reviews and are the little less eye-watering price of £53.99.
Prices correct on Amazon at the time of being published.