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About Writing and Holidays
and Gifts--oh my!
by E.C. Bell
But I realized that I don’t often give good suggestions when
those same people ask me what I’d like for Christmas. That made me wonder about
all the other families of writers. Do they have the same problem as mine? Quite
possibly.
So, here’s my Christmas
gift to all you lovely people who are involved in the care and feeding of a
writer. The five or so best gifts to get the writer in your life (in no
particular order).
(And if you are a writer, just print off this list, circle the
gift you want and give it to your loving family. They’ll appreciate it, trust
me.)
A room of her own.
All right, now this seems like a big one, but having space to
write is vital. So, if your writer doesn’t have an office, check everywhere and
see if there is a spot that can be set up as a “room of her own.” I believe
Stephen King wrote in a furnace room for a while--so, hey, that might be the
place to start looking. Wherever the space is, though, make certain that the
door (and there must be a door) can be closed, if not locked. Because as much
as we love you, writers need a space where they can be alone to create. (Cats
and dogs don’t count, of course. For one thing, it’s impossible to keep either
a cat or a dog out of a room if they really want in, and besides--Aww! A puppy
on your lap! How sweet is that?)
Time to herself.
This goes hand in hand with the “having a room” gift. As much as
you want to show her the “real cool thing I found on the internet, it will only
take a minute,” don’t. If the door is closed, leave her be. She’ll come out
when she’s hungry--or when you’re hungry. (It’s funny how writers transform
back into moms and/or wives when that door opens.) And as helpful as you think you
are being, don’t knock on the door every ten minutes to ask “How’s it going?”
She’ll tell you, later. But give her some time, so she can create.
“How can I give time as a Christmas gift?” you may ask. Well,
remember way back in primary school, when you made “coupons” for your parents
for father’s or mother’s day? “This coupon is worth one hug”, or “one joke,” or
whatever? How about making a bunch of those for your writer? “I won’t bug you
until 4 pm, every day.” “Don’t worry, I’ll make dinner.” Or the always
wonderful, “You don’t have to do the laundry this week. I got it.” Costs you
next to nothing, and believe me, your writer will love them!
A lot of the type of pens
she likes.
All right, this might be just me, but I have a certain type of
pen I prefer to write with. It’s not expensive, but I’m absolutely certain that
someday--someday soon--that particular brand won’t be made anymore. So... I
hoard them. Boxes of them. (I can’t be the only one!) So, find out what kind of
writing instrument your writer likes and buy a box.
When she tells you the type, don’t say, “Oh, those are so cheap,
why don’t you try this kind?” because you are not being helpful. Just get her a
box of whatever she likes, slap a bow on it, and thank the gods of writing that
she didn’t ask for a box of the S.T. Dupont James Bond Spectre Fountain pens (a
thousand pounds each at Harrods, just so you know).
Paper -- preferably in
legal sized pads. (Yellow IS the best, but whatever.)
I know. Paper. How passe. Here’s the thing, though. Writers
sometimes need to physically write. On paper. So, find out the kind she likes,
and get her a lot of it. Personally, I
like yellow legal sized pads of paper. Why yellow? Because it’s cheap and
cheerful. (Not necessarily in that order) I buy them by the gross, so I always
have them on hand. (There is nothing worse than having that “great idea” and
having to scribble it down on the back of a to do list or a grocery store
receipt. Seriously.)
A variation on the paper theme--Post It notes. Get them in various
sizes, and in different colours. Most writers I know LOVE Post-It notes.
Writing clothes. (In other
words, pajamas and sweaters)
All right, so maybe the pajama and sweater thing is just me
(again). I remember when I first started writing seriously, I imagined myself
sitting at a perfectly clean desk (ha!) and writing while wearing a flowing
lace dress (HA!). The reality? Not so much. What I wear, always, are pajama
pants and an ugly, baggy, sweater. (In the winter I wear thick socks, too, but
they aren’t required year round, so I won’t add them as absolutely necessary.)
So, find the ugliest, baggiest sweater you can--no, wait, that would be for me.
For everyone else, ask your writer what she likes to wear when she’s writing,
and then riff on that theme. (Honestly, though. The uglier and baggier, the
better!)
What happened to alcohol?
(Don’t all writers drink???)
You’ll notice I didn’t add any beverages to this list, but if
none of the above suit your fancy, then beverages will have to do. Make sure
you ask what your writer likes, though, because, trust me. If your writer has a
favourite type of pen (for heaven’s sake), she is probably pretty picky about
her choice of drink, too! (Just sayin’.)
What? No electronics?
Nope. Most writers I know
own every electronic gadget known to man already. They don’t need more gadgets.
They need to write.
Hope this helps, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season
with your favourite writer!
Twitter: @apocalypsewoman
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LoL favourite pens. We've all got them, that's for sure. Mine tend to run in two flavours. Fountain pens and this other cheapy kind. I use different pens for different things but you're totally right in that other brands just won't do :)
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