Last minute writer gift guide!

Still haven’t bought that special something for the special, impoverished writer in your life? Here are some last-minute gift suggestions — you don’t even need to leave your house to buy them.

1. Offer to pay their library fines

Help your writer friend avoid shame and angry librarians.

$ or $$, depending on the extent of your writer friend’s disregard for human decency.

2. Freedom

It’s just like George Michael sang, “Freedom / You’ve gotta give for what you take.” Or in this case, turn off the internet so that you can get some goddamn writing done.

$10

3. Anti-social

This app allows for enforced breaks from social media sites and specific URLs. Your writer can get down to business, but still do fact-checking (ahem) on Wikipedia/Lyrics Mania/Reddit.

$15

4. Fingerless gloves

For the writer who works in a garret or lives in Williamsburg.

$16

5. Scrivener

This word-processing and project management tool was designed especially for novels, short stories, and scripts. It looks complicated but it’s revelatory and amazing.

$38–45

6. Indie bookstore giftcard

WORD, McNally Jackson, and tons of other independent bookstores all over the country have giftcards which you can buy online.

$-$$$

7. Writing Space membership

A room of one’s own, for as little as $90 a month.

Check out Brooklyn Writers Space and Paragraph.

$90 +

8. Tickets to AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference)

It’s like Comic Con for lit nerds.

$40 +

9. Writing Workshop

It’s like group therapy for lit nerds.

In New York, check out Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop and Gotham Writer’s Workshop.

$$$

10. Writing retreat

Could be fancy, but if you send them somewhere nice they’ll be distracted by the view. The Mosley Motel in Gary, Indiana is a steal for $180/week (cheaper if you’re also a trucker).

$$-$$$

11. Trust fund, baby

You don’t need money to write, but it certainly makes the writing life easier. Remove the practical barriers with the gift of a sizable fortune. It worked for Edith Wharton.

$$$$$$$

Happy holidays!

With love,

Electric Literature