Writers are a persnickety bunch. Easy to annoy. Quietly correcting your grammar during every conversation. Unable to read something as trivial as a Facebook status without mentioning your shitty spelling. We know we do this. We can’t help it.

But we’re great to have around for an epic Scrabble match, or to prep for your son’s spelling bee, OR to compose a Dear John diatribe that undercuts everything your soon-to-be ex stands for. Bonuses.

If you’re lucky enough to have a writer in your life – because she hasn’t yet driven you away with unending sarcasm, laced with big words meant to make you feel inferior – here’s a handy gift guide for Christmas, complete with affordable items we starving artists can buy ourselves. <– Longest sentence ever? Don’t care.

What writers REALLY want

• How about a leather journal? You can’t have that one because I already bought it. Writers love leather and moleskin. I recommend Etsy because most items are handmade and one of a kind.
• Pens. We never have enough. And we need them for the leather journals. We especially love them with witty phrases – and swearing. (Or maybe that’s just me.)
• Homemade vouchers or coupons for distraction-free writing time. One of the best gifts I ever received from my little darlings was a book of coupons for hours – plural – to do what I love undisturbed. I used every last one long before the year was up.
• A sign for his office when he’s writing. Mine looks like this. I recommend every writer have one and explain to each family member what it means when the sign is up: “Don’t bother me unless it’s an emergency.” You will also have to explain what can and cannot be deemed an emergency.
• A thesaurus with a knife through it, so when she goes to grab it to find that “perfect” word, she will remember that the perfect word is in her head and nowhere else. See?
• I have stuff for writers, too. The POSTER has been popular (now in its sixth printing). Check that out here.
• And I have books. Find ’em on Amazon if you’re so inclined. For a change, this isn’t about me, so I’m not including the link.

That’s it. Useful, direct, kinda sexy. Now go finish your shopping.

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If you’d like to learn more about writing like YOU, killing writer’s block and penning your best words, I’m polishing a new product that will teach you exactly that. Subscribe in the upper right hand corner to hear more about it – and get a discount when it’s released. (I’m thinking before spring.)