Bookish Finds is a feature here at That Artsy Reader Girl, where I highlight awesome bookish things I come across during my exciting life.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done a Bookish Finds post, but I could not pass this opportunity up when there is SO much awesome Beauty and the Beast merchandise available right now. Enjoy this special edition of Bookish Finds, brought to you by A Week of Beauty and the Beast! I’m including links to either buy or make the items featured here. :)
There is SO much stuff out there! I had to finally cut myself off or this post would be extremely long. Which item from this post would you love to have the most?
I am beyond excited to have Bonnie from A Backwards Story on the blog today to present her ideas for writer gifts. It’s easy to buy bookworms presents: Barnes & Noble or Amazon gift cards, pretty copies of books they love, accessories with books on them, items with book/reading quotes on them… etc. But what do you get a writer? Enter Bonnie! She has some wonderful ideas for you, and I’m so excited to share them with you.
Gift Ideas for Writers
By Bonnie at A Backwards Story
Are you looking for the perfect gift for a writer in your life?
As a fellow writer, I know we aren’t an easy bunch to shop for! We ask for strange things like our favorite brand of pen or correction pencil (or for us old-fashioned hand-writers in the bunch, even fun journals/notebooks!), and our friends and family stare at us like we’re crazy because, really, who wants pencils for Christmas?
THIS GIRL, for one!
But there are a lot of other cool gift ideas that are fun, affordable, and surprising!
Here are five gift ideas for writers–and as an extra special bonus, there’s a discount code for one of the gifts from Storiarts AND a chance to win another gift from Evie Seo!
Keep reading to hear more!!!
1. Idea Books
I found the two of these last year and thought they were the coolest, especially the BRIGHT IDEAS one because it’s COLOR CODED. Think of it like an already-prepped Bullet Journal, but easier to get to if you don’t color in tabs for yourself because you can just flip to the color for the the section you want. There are sections for hot ideas, wisps of dreamy memories, and more!
And the other one is just fun because, really, ideas can be evil, too. I mean, some authors ENJOY killing their darlings, right!? Well, okay, and it just helps you organize your ideas that you jot down on the train as you commute to work. Was it a good idea? A bad one? Not sure yet? There’s a spot to comment at the bottom!!)
(BRIGHT IDEAS: ISBN 978-1-4521-3914-2)
(EVIL SCHEMES: ISBN 8-25703-12160-5)
2. Writing Gloves
I don’t know about anyone else, but my hands get COLD when I’m writing in the winter. And cramp up. Since I write by hand, that’s not good at all! Thankfully, if I’m on my computer, I get a little bit of computer heat if I’m plugged in. But what about when I’m not?
I’m obsessed with these gloves by Storiarts and really want to pick up a pair for myself. (I’m torn between the Alice in Wonderland pair and the Peter Pan pair and just can’t make up my mind! I meant to ask for them for Christmas this year, but forgot…oops!!)
I have a lot of fingerless gloves, but the knit ones so easily found at stores can be scratchy, and they usually don’t have the thumb cut out.
What attracts me to the Storiarts Gloves is the way they’re more cottonish and will feel like a regular article of clothing. PLUS the thumbs are cut out. AND they have bookish references! #winwin
Ready to see these gloves in action?
From text to cool designs such as white rabbits and pixies, there’s always something to stare at while you’re wearing these gloves!
The gloves retail at $26, BUT Storiarts is so fantastic, that they’re giving out a special discount for our readers!!!
If you want these gloves–for yourself or a friend– add discount code
ThatArtsyReaderGirl
(it’s not case sensitive!) to get 10% off your purchase!
This code is valid once per customer through the month of December!
If you order by December 19th, you’re guaranteed to have US Delivery in time for Christmas/Chanukah!
3. Story Cubes
Turn writing into a game! Especially when Writer’s Block is running rampant.
I saw Rory’s Story Cubes at the store recently, and thought they were adorable! Not to mention fun. And there are different packs, so whether you’re writing a novel about traveling to a foreign country or having a daring adventure, there’s something for every writer.
The pair I own, however, is wooden, and just has an old-fashioned, quaint, whimsical feel that I love as a fantasy writer, the Magic and Fairy-Tale Dice. You can special order it locally from stores such as Barnes and Noble, or buy it online from places such as Amazon (Though if you can support a local business and keep them around, that’s always personally my first go-to! The ISBN is 978-1856699198). My copy came from a Japanese bookstore in New York City called Kinokuniya.
What’s cool about this game is the fact that it’s not JUST a game. It can also be used as a tool for writers. Having writer’s block or looking for a cool element to include in the WIP you’re outlining? Throw some dice, invent a few words, and see where you wind up!
Additionally, this is a fun game to play with your friends, or even with kids, and it will never be the same story twice.
The game’s tagline is:
Revive the art of storytelling using these nine beautifully illustrated wooden dice to create the most imaginative, funny, and bizarre stories. This is the perfect family game that will stimulate the imaginations of children and adults alike. Ideal for playing by a log fire.
Here’s an old video review I did featuring the Magic and Fairy-Tale Dice:
These dice double as a game that can be played with friends and family members. Plus, they’re small and portable, and great to bring along on long car rides!
4. Writers actually DO like pens and notebooks!
There is no such thing as “too many!”
I’ve always LOVED getting notebooks and pens as gifts. I often see Kooky pens at A.C. Moore’s and Hallmark, and sometimes buy them even now. Pens with cute designs or pencils with interesting erasers are unique and fun, too. I always save the most interesting writing instruments for special occasions. When I was younger, I collected sets of Lisa Frank pens and wrote with them most frequently. (Does Lisa Frank even still exist? IDK!)
Fun notebooks with cute designs are inspirational, too. I’d rather pick up something with a design over a plain cover notebook any day, especially if it’s reminiscent of the project I’m working on.
Now, I know a lot of writers type and don’t write by hand, but it doesn’t mean they don’t still need to jot down ideas from time to time! Especially small, compact notebooks that fit into a purse. Or what if they’re at work and don’t want to whip out their computer at lunch? My one co-worker (Who just won NaNoWriMo 2016!!!) writes in her notebook every day at lunch. To her, every free minute is a writing minute!
5. Pen and Pencil Holders
Where are you going to put all those cute, fancy pens? Whether you’re a writer or a student, you’re going to want a cute case, right?
Until recently, I had no clue of where to go to find a cute case. I always looked during Back to School, but everything was plain or too kiddie.
Luckily, I was gifted a pouch by a publisher, and another by my awesome #OTSPSecretSister:
(I have no clue where my Sister got that case, but see all those zippers? It has THREE compartments to hold stuff. It’s amazing and my favorite thing ever!!!)
But not every writer can have a great pouch just fall into their laps.
That’s where great online shops such as Etsy and RedBubble come into play! My favorite shop belongs to Evie Seo, whose mugs, tote bags, and other book-themed offerings have made social media waves. If you’ve ever been to a big bookish event such as YALL or BookCon, you’ve probably seen at least one person sporting Evie’s designs!
Evie’s Studio Pouches make the PERFECT writing utensil bags for writers! (They also make great cosmetic bags!)
They come in Medium and Large sizes. The medium is a perfectly sized pencil pouch, while the larger one can also be a book sleeve in addition to all the utensils it can fit inside!
Here are some great examples of these stylish bags at work:
Can you see why Evie’s designs are my favorites!?
I love that she can be very fairy tale-ish and full of whimsy, or super bookish with quotes from favorite novels! There’s definitely something for everyone in her shop!
How about a GIVEAWAY!?
To make this holiday season even better for the writer in your life (or yourself, if you’re a writer!!), Evie Seo has graciously offered up a Studio Pouch with a design of choice to one lucky writer!!!!
Bookish Finds is a feature here at That Artsy Reader Girl, where I highlight awesome bookish things I come across during my exciting life.
Happy Friday! Have you ever wondered what goes in to making a book? Nowadays, factories mass produce these puppies, but what about the traditional way of printing? The amazing video shows you what happens, and it’s so cool!
Bookish Finds is a feature here at That Artsy Reader Girl, where I highlight awesome bookish things I come across during my exciting life.
Today, can I just show you all of these fun games for lovers of all things bookish? I absolutely love board games, and hosting game nights with my friends and family. Sadly, not many of them are bookish. Would any of you like to come play with me? :)
Book-opoly allows a look inside the many worlds contained in classic literature. It’s a traditional trading game where players buy, sell and trade their way to fun with family and friends. Interesting facts about the books and the authors are printed on the back of each property deed. Roll the dice and advance to READ. Collect Bookstores and trade them in for Libraries. Who knows! You may soon be elected President of the Book Club — or you may be tossed out of the game for three turns and sent to WATCH TV! Whatever happens, you are going to have fun – and perhaps learn a little something too!
Buy It: Amazon
If you like to read, you’ll really love playing Trivial Pursuit Book Lover’s Edition! This game combines the fun of the Trivial Pursuit game with the exciting world of books, authors and literary characters. Inside there are over 2000 fascinating questions from six different categories. You’ll find questions on English and American Literature as well as popular romance novels. Your favorite childhood stories are included, too. From the Mother Goose Classics to Edgar Allen Poe to today’s best-seller’s list, everything fun about books is covered here!
It Was A Dark & Stormy Night, a game of “first lines,” is one of the quintessential games about books. Bring it to book club for a change of pace, or simply invite your bookish friends over for a night of fun, laughs and a splash of culture!
Participants listen to the opening line or two from a book and identify its title or author. That might sound daunting, but you’ll know more than you think! Impress your friends, and learn about some interesting new books along the way.
Includes a wide variety of categories: Novels, poetry, science fiction, children’s books, books made into movies, classics and the not-so classic.
Bring family and friends together for a literary round of Jenga. Players remove and stack custom blocks which feature thought provoking book-related questions. As the tower builds, so does the dialogue! If you are the last player to stack a block without making the tower fall, you win!
Scrabble – Book Lovers Edition is classic Scrabble with a novel twist. Play traditional Scrabble and enhance your score with custom game play including Plot Twist cards and bonus points for literary words. Draw letter tiles form the mini book bag and custom tile racks hold the all-new Plot Twist cards!