35 Best Gifts for Writers, According to Professional Writers

Leuchtturm1917 makes this writer's favorite standard hardcover notebooks, which come in ruled, dotted, blank and grid paper versions. This special "Rising Colors" collection comes in sunrise shades to inspire your favorite writer, whether they're jotting down lyrics, creating their own planner or writing the next great American novel. They can never have too many on hand.

When they're absorbed in thought (or trying to meet a deadline), they can keep their coffee or tea at the perfect temperature with the sleek and high-performing Ember Smart Mug 2. No more cold, forgotten mugs. 

Reading — and reading a lot — is going to help them grow as a writer more than anything else. Give them a Bookshop.org gift card and they can use it to shop online from hundreds of participating local booksellers across the country. It's a great way to let them choose their next read while supporting local bookstores.

"No matter what I do to try and prevent it, I can't help but hunch my shoulders whenever I sit down to write," says Sara Hendricks, senior editor at credit card company Ness. 

"I try to combat the effects of my hunching by doing some yoga or Pilates every morning on this yoga mat. It's thick, hefty, and has just enough give to support my joints without softening so much that it trips me up. I also stand on it when I use my standing desk."

RELATED: 8 Best Yoga Mats, According to Top Yoga and Wellness Experts

"I can't write if I'm thirsty, but I also can't write if I'm constantly getting up and down to fill up my glass," says Hendricks. "Having a full liter of water beside me when I start the day helps prevent thirst and my ability to distract myself by moseying over to the Brita filter in the kitchen several times a day."

For post-writing relaxation, Hendricks recommends this aromatherapy blend that targets the vagus nerve, which is said to help regulate the relationship between your brain and your gut. 

"When I'm feeling really wound up after staring at a screen all day, smelling something nice — like this essential oil blend — helps," she says. "The brand recommends rubbing it into your hands, cupping them, and huffing the oil, but I usually just dab it on my wrists and behind my ears and let the scent waft."

Writers are always in need of a good pen. "I got this pen as a gift about four years ago, which is a little over half its promised lifespan," says Hendricks. "It writes easily without needing a scribble to warm it up and never goes dry or leaves inky blotches."

"I don’t know a single writer who doesn’t have some form of chronic lower back pain," says Wilson Wong, a culture reporter with NBC News. "This heated back brace has done more for my lumbar spine than all of my chiropractors combined."

When it comes to pens, Wong recommends the popular (and Good Housekeeping-approved) gel ink pen from Muji. "This baby has been a staple in my writing utensils for a decade — and still glides across paper like Michelle Kwan did across ice," he says. This pen was also rated the Best Gel Pen overall in our rests. 

RELATED: 15 Best Pens for Back-to-School and Beyond, According to Reviewers

Wong also recommends gifting Aesop's signature hand soap. "If you care about the hands of your writer friends during the winter," he says, "this is an exfoliant, aromatic and moisturizing cleanser all in one."

Gifting a luxury candle that evokes old books, leather chairs and cozy mornings might get them inspired. "If you’re looking to splurge, this smoky and leathery-scented candle is the perfect wick for any activity, whether it’s writing, bathing or sleeping," says Wong.

Help them stay on top of deadlines with a planner. Nicole Papantoniou, Deputy Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances Lab, recommends this Blue Sky planner. "I love how it’s slim enough to fit in my backpack or purse, but has a monthly and weekly calendar with enough room to jolt down deadlines and to-do lists," she says.

Papantoniou also recommends a good portable battery pack, like the Mophie Powerstation Plus XL, for on-the-go writers trying to work from coffee shops, festivals, planes and trains.

RELATED: The Top 7 Battery Packs to Keep Your Gadgets Going

Another charging solution for writers is this bamboo wood charging station, which has a designated spot for an iPhone and smart watch. It doesn't come with any charging chords, so just make sure they have theirs handy.

Spruce up their desk space with a pre-potted succulent garden.

Or keep them cozy as they shuffle around the house trying to think in some on-trend, fluffy slippers.

Allison Picurro, a writer at TV Guide, recommends Skims loungewear for work-from-home days. "I was a Skims skeptic when I first bought this lounge set last year, but it blew my expectations away," she says. "It's so comfortable and it's not too schlubby either. I legitimately recommend it to everyone."

"I live in a small-ish apartment, and somehow two or twenty-thousand years into working from home, I still don't really have a surface to work at," says Picurro. "A lap desk just sounds nice and also easier on my back, which is most important."

If you can splurge on your favorite writer, consider gifting a pair of great noise-cancelling headphones. "I live on a really loud street, so I'm constantly trying to drown that out, and I'm also just one of those people who needs music on all the time in order to concentrate," Picurro explains. "My AirPods aren't as noise-cancelling as I'd like, so I'm pretty much begging someone to get me a pair of these this year."

RELATED: 10 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2021, According to Tech Experts

Picurro also covets one of the best sunrise lamps on the market. "I've always had a lot of trouble falling asleep, and I'm so deeply not a morning person, which means that waking up is always a struggle," she says."I read somewhere that Suki Waterhouse uses this sun lamp as a gentler way of waking herself up, which is good enough for me. Anything to make that process a little less painful."

RELATED: 10 Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks of 2021, According to Experts and Reviewers