Christmas Gifts for Writers

Writing about Christmas gifts for writers on Christmas Eve may seem the ultimate in last minute advice for late, late. late presents. But there are always those which fail to turn up on time and need urgent replacements. There are always the gifts you bought in advance and now find your writer friends have bought for themselves. And what about treating yourself to a well-deserved Christmas extra to reinvigorate your own routine after the festivities are over?

Fortunately, the Internet is the ideal source for insta-presents, any of which can earn bonus points for the savvy giver.

Writing and Marketing Workshops

For budget gifts, you can't beat the Writers on the Move Workshop Packages   Priced from 99 cents to under 3 dollars, they are packed full of useful information and tips on how to go about creating books for e-publishing, using paypal, podcasting, and marketing techniques. Brilliant stocking fillers or replacements while you're waiting for a delayed delivery.

More expensive options are the innumerable courses always on offer at Savvy Authors. Look through the lengthy list of January workshops or for an extra-special gift for a friend who has completed at least a first draft, invest in a subscription to the 20i2 Editpalooza . It's a truly hands-on course where writers work on their revision with the help of am accredited editor or publisher for a month.

Or just buy a gift certificate and let friends choose for themselves .

Books, Books, Books

E-books are now freely available for download for reading on computers and e-readers. If you are actually buying a book rather than sending a gift certificate, check what format your friend uses for reading. I prefer e-pub versions as they are more or less universal and work with the magnifying feature on my iRiver reader where a pdf does not.

That Special Free Christmas Present

Design your own gift certificate and choose any one of the ideas supplied  by Beth Daniels in her Gifts for Writers list. I can see more than a few  ideas there that would truly appeal to me--managing my Facebook page once a month would be a brilliant way to keep updated yet free up time for more writing.

And I'm a committed Vistaprint fan, though beware--those few extras like adding the cover of your book pic to your visiting card can really add up.

What I'd like from Santa? An uncluttered head, an organized manuscript and a free month with nothing to do but write.

How about you?

Anne Duguid is a senior content editor with MuseItUp Publishing and   her New Year's Resolution is to blog with helpful editing and publishing tips at Slow and Steady Writers far more regularly than she managed in 2011.