A Writer's Wish List

Are you Christmas shopping for the writer in your life (or for yourself ;-)? Gift suggestions for writers include:

1)      Journals with witty covers: “I avoid clichés like the plague”.

2)      An oversized coffee mug.

3)      A gift card to an office supply or book store.

4)      A box of chocolates.

5)      Shirts with messages such as: “Careful or you’ll end up in my next novel.”

6)      Pens, pencils, ink cartridges, paper etc.

7)      One of my favorites this year is the Writer's Clock (pictured above), available from Linda Rohrbough.

While all seven of these would be nice, there are some things that are guaranteed to put a smile on a writers face.

The Gift of Time – Writers value uninterrupted time and a quiet space in which to work. Daily demands such as grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, childcare, and a regular job all take away from that time. Wouldn’t it be nice if a spouse, friend, or older child took over even one of those chores? Anything you can do to free a few hours so the writer can devote themselves to their craft will be a highly treasured gift.

The Gift of Encouragement – It’s important for writers to be surrounded by a spouse, family, and friends who support their writing. Even one person who rejoices when you succeed and comforts you when you fail can make a big difference. This gift requires so little from you, but gives so much to the writer.

The Gift of Expertise – In today’s technology driven world, anyone who can understand computers and other electronics AND offer aid are great assets to writers. Trouble shooting, installing and updating software, managing reader databases, websites and blogs and even help with email are all welcome in a writer’s house.

The Gift of Mercy – Writers are always looking for someone to comment/critique on their writing. Many people feel they are doing the author a favor by pampering him/her with praise or just the opposite: to be as critical as possible. If you want to be truly helpful, provide HONEST feedback by pointing out both strengths and weaknesses. It is the only true way to help a writer take the next step to publication.

Are you getting the time, encouragement and expertise you need to realize your writing goals? What’s on your wish list this year?