Hello! My husband enjoys writing. He's big on short stories, publishes them via Amazon/Barnes and Noble, maintains an online writing blog and website, etc... I was hoping to get some ideas for Christmas presents for him. I've already gotten him plenty of journals, a Kindle (and accessories), plenty of good pens and a desk. I'm stuck. I have no idea what to get him. He loves Jim Butcher -- he already has all of his books, so I can't get that. If anyone could give me some good ideas that would be great!
We can only give general ideas - product endorsements are prohibited on this site. Writers find inspiration everywhere. Perhaps some books by authors he doesn't usually read, as varied as you can com up with.
Does he like drinking? If so, a nice *whatever he likes* to accompany his writing would probably go well.
You read my mind. Used bookstores sometimes carry signed books, and they can be cheap (less than $20) depending on the author and the book.
I always love getting - Literary bios, literary letter collections or diaries - as in the letters of Tennessee Williams or Andre Gide etc. Books on literature studies are also good. Or Anotated books. Depending on what kind of fiction he likes to write you could help stock his reference material by picking up mythological guides or books on criminal proceedures or maps - this is especially great if you have a used book store near by.
I like collected works, especially of short stories -- Library of America publishes a lot of these -- Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Carver, John Cheever, Philip K. Dick, etc. Some other ideas are: books on writing or writing exercises, moleskin notebooks, paid pass to a writers' conference or retreat, bluetooth headphones (if he listens to music while writing), a filing cabinet (if pen to paper is how he rolls), notecards and a bulletin board for outlining, some expensive jamaican blue mountain coffee (all writers drink coffee, right?). You could also secretly collect some of his stories and have them printed in a hardcover book, since there are tons of sites now that have on-demand book printing. And maybe you can insert some photographs taken by you into the design or on the cover to make it more special. Hope that helps and good luck!
I wouldn't do that, unless I knew exactly what I was doing/choosing. You might end up with "Oh, I don't even like this one anymore" and "I was just going to rewrite that" and such. I like the thought, but it's risky.
Two points here: (1) no-one, not even partner or spouse, has the legal right to to that. You could argue having a book printed doesn't equate publishing if there is only one book and that is given to the author only. That isn't likely to happen. (2) Would anyone, as a writer, appreciate additions to work - i.e. photographs. Wouldn't that be a bit like spending weeks on perfecting a painting only to have someone else come along and add another couple of strokes to 'enhance' it. It's something I'd hate to have happen to any of my writing. If I wanted it in a printed book, I would want to be the one who decided what and where and how.
You can also put some humor in your gifts. You already bought nice, "important" things. Why not a tweed jacket with elbow patches? Personally I'd love to recieve one from someone special, I'd wear it while writing. Sort of a funny thing. He smokes? If he does, a nice "writer's pipe" is a classic. Or, to get more serious, a nice, vintage typewriter. Or fountain pen. First editions and antiques are always welcome. Mayde this sounds silly to you, but these are the kind of presents I like. More personal, intimate stuff.
These ideas are great!! I'll probably hit up a used book store and wander around. I'm not much into reading the same type of books he does (I'm more Nicholas Sparks, he's Jim Butcher/Raymond Chandler...I don't know how we make it work but we do ;P) so it's hard for me to pick out literary works he would enjoy. But I like the idea of the bulletin board and "how-to" books. I know he has a couple, but I'll have to check what they are first. And I do like the humor gifts...he most likely would wear the jacket. Thanks everyone for the ideas!
