Gift baskets are a great gift idea, no matter the recipient. They contain many smaller gifts that when combined together makes one AWESOME gift. And if you assemble your own gift basket, you can completely customize it for the receiver. That means you’ll be giving a gift that’s extra thoughtful and will be appreciated by the writer. At first, the thought of making your own gift basket may be a little overwhelming. What will you include? Will they enjoy it? Will it be expensive? No worries, we break it down for you in easy steps so you can focus on the details and great a perfect, personalized gift for your favorite author. By following these steps for making gift baskets for writers, you can create a basket of any size, to fit any budget.
Since you’re building this gift basket yourself, feel free to pick and choose from our suggestions what will work best for your basket. You want to create an unforgettable gift made specifically for the receiver.
DIY Gift Basket for Writers
The first thing to keep in mind when you decide to assemble this gift basket, you want to get into your writer’s head. Observe what their writing routine looks like. How do they write (longhand in a notebook, on a computer, on a typewriter, on their tablet)? Find out what kind of projects they’re working on (the type of gifts you buy will be different for a poet vs. a novelist or someone working on a short story collection instead of a debut novel). What genres do they write in (literary fiction, sci-fi and fantasy, romance, young adult, etc.)? Take notes as you observe your writer and do some secret sleuthing.
The Basket
This is a step you’ll either want to do first or last. You can pick the perfect basket or container and then get as many items need to fill it or you can pick out all of your gifts and then find the best-sized container.
Once you’re ready to pick the basket, remember that it doesn’t have to be a basket at all. It can be a wrapped box, a gift bag, or the container can be a useful gift itself like a tote bag or a pretty storage box.
If you’re extra crafty, you could take a brown paper bag with no printing on the outside and use a typewriter style stamp set to stamp on the name of the gift receiver, a quote from their favorite book, or even just a random pattern of letters and numbers.
Pens
This is a no-brainer for gift baskets for writers. Pens are a universal tool that almost all writers use at some point, whether they write by hand or just use it to jot down notes about their work in progress. There’s also a lot of flexibility here to customize this gift for your writer. You can buy a box of ball point pens, invest in the fountain pen they’ve always dreamed of, or include a fun and silly pen.
You may need to do a little snooping to figure out what kind of pens your writer prefers. See what they keep on their desk or what they’re using the next time they write in their journal. Or you could even bring it up in casual conversation. If they have a strong opinion about what pens they like best, they might share all the pros and cons with you.
Notebook or Journal
This is another no-brainer for any writer and a must have for a gift basket for writers. Even if they write mostly on a computer, every writer needs to have a few notebooks on hand for brainstorming, freewriting, journaling, or even just writing down ideas and inspirations. If you know what type of journal or notebook your writer prefers, include one in your basket. If you don’t know or the author you’re assembling this basket for doesn’t have a preference, we’ve still got a couple ideas for you.
Moleskin notebooks and journals are extremely popular among writers and other creative types. They make regular sized journals and pocket sized notebooks in a variety of styles and colors.
Another type of notebook that most writers will find useful is a pocket sized notebook. These can easily slip into a pocket, purse, or backpack so they can jot down notes wherever they are when inspiration strikes. Field Note notebooks are perfect for this use.
We also have an article about journals for writers if you need more gift basket inspiration.
Treats and Other Edibles
No writer’s gift basket is complete without something tasty added in. This another easy way to really personalize this gift for your author. And the best thing about this idea is you can add as many different treats as you want! We would recommend adding at least two different types of treats.
The first type of treat would be something that your giftee enjoys when they’re writing. Some writers like a hot cup of tea or coffee when they sit down at the keyboard. Pick up some of their favorite brew and include a fun writer mug. Other writers may have a snack they enjoy when they write or a particular gum they chew when they’re looking for inspiration. You may want to observe them during their writing time to see what treats they like to enjoy most often.
The second type of treat is what we like to call a “reward treat.” It’s usually a sweet or another type of decadent or expensive snack that the writer likes to enjoy after a successful writing session. If your loved one is a chocoholic include their favorite bar or a bag of truffles. If they can’t get enough Girl Scout Cookies, include a box of their fave. If you love to bake, this is the perfect opportunity to make them a yummy treat.
Writing Book
Including a writing related book is a great way to inspire and educate the writer you’re making this gift basket for. This could be a book on fiction writing craft, a reference book or just an inspirational book. If you know who their favorite author is, you can always search to see if they’ve written a book about writing that will help inspire them.
If your author is working on a particular type of project, like a novel or a screenplay, there are plenty of writing books available that can assist them with their work.
If you’re still drawing a blank on a good book gift for your writing gift basket, poke around on Amazon and may find just the perfect one.
Something Inspirational
You may think you have this covered with the book you chose for your writer’s gift basket, but this gift could have a different intention. It could be a book, it could be a game, it could be a piece of jewelry, it could be a print that memorializes their favorite author or book. What you want is something that inspires them to continue the hard journey of being a writer, even when they’re stuck on the last chapter of their book or getting frustrated over rejection letters.
This could be a book or a toy to destroy writer’s block or an inspirational writing book. Etsy is a great site to look for prints or other gifts with quotes from authors or books. A small framed print that they can hang over their writing desk will help them get through the tough times and remind them why they write to begin with.
Something Fun
This can be something small, even something extremely personal that doesn’t have anything to do with writing. But it’s nice to include at least one thing that’s fun, kooky, or unexpected. This can be a writing game, a fun bookmark, a desk toy, or even a little trinket of something they love.
If you need a little inspiration, check out our articles on gifts for writers under $15 and our megalist of creative gifts for writers.
Something Personal
Get a little DIY and include something personal in your gift basket for writers. Include a card with a note about what you hope they’ll be able to achieve with their writing and the meaning behind any of the gifts in the basket.
If this gift is for a spouse or partner, you could make some IOU coupons to help support their writing. Include things like “Watch the kids for 2 hours while you write” or “Do the dishes so you can write.” Personalize them and it’s a cheap and meaningful gift that will show them that you support their writing.
There’s no limit to what you can do for this part of the gift. This is where you can really add a personal touch, something memorable they will never forget.
Gift Card
This may seem like a cop-out gift, but it’s not if you put some thought into it. Is there a coffee shop or cafe that they like to write at? Do they love to buy loose teas from an artisan tea shop in town? Are they so addicted to Starbucks that they can’t even open their laptop until they get their fix?
This is a compact addition to your writer’s gift basket that can help enable their writing habit.
Optional: Something for Celebrating
If your writer has a goal they’re working on, like finishing their novel or selling their first story, you can include something to help them celebrate the big moment.
A small bottle of champagne or their favorite sparkling beverage with a personalized note about what it’s for will show them that you believe in them and know they will achieve their dreams soon.
If champagne isn’t their thing, consider expensive chocolates or a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Whatever way they would want to celebrate their achievement, find a way to include that in the basket.
Putting it All Together
Once you’ve purchased all your gifts and the basket they will go in, you can assemble your gift. You can get as fancy with this as you want, including tissue paper or other fillings to cushion the gifts in your basket. You can also wrap up the basket or box in cellophane or wrapping paper. Add a store-bought or handmade name tag to address it to the writer.. Go wild and be creative if you want to.
Once it’s ready, present it to the write and enjoy how they react to your thoughtful and useful gift basket.
Making a gift basket for writers isn’t for everyone. If this article has you inspired, but you’re still not sure what gifts to buy for the writer in your life, don’t worry! We have a ton of other articles with gift ideas and suggestions. Check out fun and unique gifts for writers and practical writing gifts for more ideas.
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