Last minute gifts for readers, writers & us!

Quick, the big day is nearly here and you need a gift for someone special. Problem? No money, no time, you’re quarantined or snowed in? Fear not, because I have great (low-cost) gift suggestions. Feel free to keep a few for yourself because anyone who’s made it this far through 2020 deserves a treat!

 Don’t overlook the obvious

 You write or you read, right? Your friends probably do too. And what better – at least, non-X rated way -- of spending a long winter’s night than with a good book? Except there’s that money thing. You’d order online but the shipping time means your true love, best friend, or great-aunt would be lucky to get that token of your appreciation before next year’s yuletide. Or, you’d hit your favorite bookstore except for, oh, that money thing again.

Consider making a quick visit or call to your local used book emporium. Some, like Dallas-based chain Half Price Books near me, even have offerings fresh from the publisher. These are called overruns and they include recent bestsellers which your favorite author would much prefer be bought by you than returned to the publisher. Pick up several to really wow that reading friend. Or, check out the vintage/classic offerings. One of a kind, and often beautifully bound. 

You can even think beyond books for friends who are aficionados of vinyl records, classic movies, board games and more. But maybe you really are in quarantine. Or there’s no bookstore within radius of a reindeer sleigh ride, and shipping would cost more than the gift itself. Thank dog for the Internet to deliver subscriptions – real or online – for periodicals, e-books, and audiobooks in the twinkling of an eye. 

Image by monicore from Pixabay

The slightly less obvious

Consider giving an experience – a class or conference registration. While many writing conferences are still debating whether to go in-person for 2021, some have already made the leap. Lucky for last minute gift-givers, online conferences are much more affordable.

The Historical Novel Society – North America has already opted for a virtual version of its 2021 conference, originally scheduled for June 24-26 in San Antonio, Texas. Early registration, opening February 15 is $219 for HNS members, $249 for nonmembers. And check out writer Erica Verrillo’s blog for ongoing conferences and writing conferences, including virtual events.

If you’re looking for virtual classes, Blake Kimsey’s Writing Workshops Dallas has something for every writer. Prices range from $40 to $1,900 and everything in between. Not sure which to choose? Send that favorite scribe a gift card!

Additional sites for online classes include the likes of Gotham Writers Workshops and MasterClass.

Or make it yourself

But perhaps you’re looking for something tangible, personal, a gift you can make with your own hands. (No, I’m not talking about cookies. Although cookies are always great. I would never disrespect cookies). How about an individual, handmade book? Called chapbooks, they date to the earliest period of bookmaking and are typically printed on single sheets of paper, folded into eight or more pages, and stitched together.

Modern day versions, called zines (pronounced zeens), can even be handwritten, or pictorial with minimal text. I’ve been itching to make some since attending a workshop years ago. Need inspiration? See my post, “The zines of our postmodern age.” Or go to Writers Write for practical folding and stitching techniques. It will be a gift to remember.

Holiday gifts for writers, would-be writers, and you

It’s only the first day of Hanukkah – not too late to pick gifts for the writers in our lives! Options are available in all price ranges and the good news is – there’s no need to worry about sizes. Or favorite colors. Or whether they already have too many. Maybe we can even pick up a few ideas for ourselves. . . 

image: pixabay

Classes: There’s never no such thing as too much knowledge. Whether deep into the writing biz or just dipping a toe into the pool of the process, there’s a class to fit. For those unsure whether writing is their calling, start with basic creative writing classes, whose cost is low, both in dollars and commitment. with a low cost in dollars and commitment. As always, I focus on opportunities in Texas, and especially my area on the north side of the Lone Star State, such as. . . 

WORD (Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas), now with more than 20 member groups, several offering classes in writing fiction, nonfiction, screenplays and poetry, at a variety of prices, and choices of in-person or online classes. Check out Writing Workshops Dallas at its free cocktail hour meet and greet tomorrow (Wednesday, December 13). 

I got a first taste of creative writing at the Dallas Writers Garret, with its cozy atmosphere and chances to check out the community through no-pain critique groups in both prose and poetry.

And yes, there are also purely online groups such as Master Class, with access to internationally-known writers as well as online communities.

Memberships: When you find a place you like, why not join? WORD groups can also be your writing tribe. Check out the map, remembering that a number of organizations offer multiple benefits, critique groups, classes, and presentations by local authors and experts. Groups can focus on mystery, romance, science fiction, screenwriting or more general literary genres. 

A few groups offer major conferences, with classes, presentations and access to literary agents and editors. Although available to the general public, group members enjoy discounted prices for conferences. Conference-sponsoring organizations include the DFW Writers Workshop, the Writers League of Texas and the Houston Writers Guild.

Subscriptions: Want the latest stories to feed our writerly brains? The latest information about writing craft or writing business? For a gift that keeps giving all year, whether by snail mail or email, give a journal subscription. Suggestions range from basic (Writer’s Digest) to literary (Poets & Writers . And don’t forget the purely fun – from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction  to Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.

Gift certificates: Still unsure about the preferences of the writers in our lives? Consider gift certificates such as those currently offered by the Writers League of Texas, which can be applied in any way a writer chooses. And don’t forget gift certificates to a book source. Where would writers be without books? Speaking of which. . . 

Books: Whether a new or long-experienced writer, there’s always more to learn. Classic, can’t go wrong options for writing craft include Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Stephen King’s On Writing, David Corbett’s The Art of Character, James Scott Bell’s Plot & Structure, and Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. Available wherever books are sold, online or down the street.