5 Gifts for Authors

 

This post is gift advice for the Beloved Author in your life. These ideas are suitable for gift-giving year-round. Plus I've included a few inexpensive and free options that won't break the bank. And by the way, no, I'm not angling for gifts from my readers. Your gift of buying my books and occasionally posting reviews is the best present ever. These suggestions on 5 gifts for authors are just helpful advice for people with an author to buy for and no clue where to start.

Treats Are Traditional Gifts for Authors

Authors forget to eat, or their eating schedule and/or nutrition goes straight to hell when they're on deadline. Supply your Beloved Author with favorite (but healthy!) foods and treats. Take your Beloved Author out for a meal. Bring food, have food delivered, or buy food that's quick and easy to make. If you want to give actual treats, please don't destroy your Beloved Author's diet—that's just mean. Find out what he or she specifically likes. For example, if you were bribing… er, gifting me, I'd be thrilled with Effie's Oatcakes, Walker's shortbread, white chocolate with peppermint, Tim Tams (the Australian version—h/t to Susan & Narelle), homemade chocolate chip cookies … you get the drift.

Online Subscriptions Make for Unconventional But Practical Gifts for Authors

If you've got a few minutes, ask your Beloved Author about the monthly and yearly subscriptions she or he has. Add up three, seven, or fifteen, and pretty soon you're talking real money. Therefore, this suggestion is to pay for one of them. I'll admit it's not very romantic, but it's engagingly practical.  Buy him a year's worth of mailing-list provider service. Buy her that annual subscription to a premiere graphics service or credits at a stock photo site. In a similar vein, gift your author with fabulous writing software, or a good accounting program, or an online training course. It might take some creativity in finding out what your Beloved Author needs, but it will be much appreciated.

Little Comforts Make Great Gifts for Authors

 I bet if you ask your Beloved Author what one thing their office needs, they could list five gifts they'd love to have. Little improvements can go a long way. Examples include a new journal, a new pen, a better office chair, or a standing desk—pick one from your author's list. If you're handy, offer to install a whiteboard, or come up with a system to organize the myriad cables under the desk. More inexpensive versions of this include little things like fixing the annoyingly squeaky hinges, or installing brighter (or dimmer) light bulbs, or crafting a small stand for the tablet or phone.

Quiet Time Is A Priceless Gift for the Author in Your Life

Authors at work need quiet time, figuratively, if not literally. This means time to do their work without a dozen little interruptions in a day. Surprise your Beloved Author with a weekend solo getaway at a hotel (with room service!), or at least a cabin in the woods. I'll admit it's a pricey gift. However, there's a free version: Take the family to the zoo, or take the dog for a walk, or run errands, or take care of the author's usual chores, or whatever is needed to give your Beloved Author precious undisturbed alone time. And your author will be profoundly, deeply grateful if you pledge to do it every week.

Celebration Is the Best Gift Ever

Authors are self-employed, so they don't usually think to give themselves recognition for a job well done. Celebrate the little victories with them, because the big ones don't come around that often. Acknowledge the hard work or milestone met. If you're crafty, make an actual award or certificate of achievement. The best gift of all: Tell your Beloved Author you're proud of them. Yes, even if you haven't a clue as to what your Beloved Author does. Tell her you love the cover of the latest book, or congratulate him on that excellent review, or for getting a good sales report. Hint to friends and family of Beloved Authors: Releasing a new book is a great milestone to celebrate!