ALT-1 Gifts for Writers
There are always individuals who have everything. But the thing about writers is, they are always hungry for more. There are many practical gifts that can help a writer out, small supplies that will remind him that his work is recognized and respected. Every writer has a favorite pen, a favorite journal made from a certain kind of paper. For writers who depend on computers, maybe flash drives to back up work or paper for the printer. Practical gifts are great stocking stuffers, but I think the best gift ideas go far beyond the practical. Writers especially need to be challenged to excel; I know I need to push to my limits to produce my best work. What better time than Christmas to challenge a writer to something new, even if that something is small?
For the computer-dependent writer, Christmas is the best time to introduce him to his new favorite pen and his new favorite journal. The computer does quicken the writing and editing process, but I believe there is an innate beauty in a journal filled with hand-written notes, experiences, dreams and poems, with cross-outs and questions and lists of future topics. A journal is like a photo album for writers; it is a collection of moments and memories, defined not only by their subjects, but by the moments and memories spent on recording them.
I also believe the best writers are the best readers. Books on the craft of writing are also very practical gifts; every writer can benefit from a few new tools or techniques. But the best way to learn any art is to learn through observation. In a way, I am an apprentice to every author of every book that I could not place down. My shelves in my apartment are lined with my greatest inspiration, drive and determination; I want to be the author of a book in the hands of a future writer who cannot put me down, who uses me to line his shelves with inspiration, drive and determination. Modern writing is based partly in desperation; most cannot write simply for the sake of the art, they must write for the sake of their bank accounts as well. I think a lot is lost in this translation from beauty to business, and I think every writer should take a moment to sit back with a literary work and allow himself to be pushed to his very limits.
Above all, maybe the best gift to give a writer is the gift of a story, the gift of experience. Appliances and electronics might be appropriate gifts, but they don't do much to further a writer's craft. Maybe the best way to challenge a writer's art is to challenge the writer himself. If the writer has never traveled before, give him a bus ticket. If the writer has never climbed a mountain, give him a pass to a National Park. Give the gift of experience, the gift of nature or the gift of a foreign country. Put that writer out of his comfort zone, because when that writer faces that challenge, he will know exactly what to write to capture the very essence of that experience. And honestly, what better gift could he give you in return?
