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Last week, I wrote about gifts for readers. This week, I wanted to share with you some ideas on gifts for writers.
Yeah, both readers and writers will probably like a lot of the same things, but I made a list of things that writers would specifically love (or at least I would... hint ;) )
*Disclaimer... All Amazon links are Associate Links*
1) A Kindle
Now, you might be thinking, "Self, didn't Kelly mention a Kindle on the Reader Gift Guide?" And the answer is yes... but there is a DIFFERENT reason to give an author a Kindle. GIVEAWAY! Kindles make awesome giveaway prizes for facebook page likes milestones, youtube, book launches, etc. Why not help out your writer friend and gift them a Kindle with the understanding that it can be used for a giveaway? They will love you for it <3
2) Pretty Notebooks
I dare you to find an author who doesn't love pretty notebooks. It is one of the perks of writing. I have more than my fair share ;) Ideas float all around us and sometimes it takes a pretty notebook to get the idea down. NOW, a 17 cent notebook WILL do the trick, but it's Christmas. We won't splurge and buy them for ourselves, but we'd love it if you bought one for us!
ALSO, find lots of ideas for journals and notebooks at www.etsy.com.
3) Cool Ink Pen
Oh my land! I'm getting giddy just looking at it!
Do you know what goes with really pretty journals or notebooks? Really pretty ink pens!! What better gift to give the writer in your life than a fancy pen. Again, it is more than likely something he/she won't buy for him/herself, but can you imagine the smile on Christmas morning? There are so many options to choose from.
Again, more are available at www.etsy.com.
4) Planners
This is something people don't normally think about but are huge for writers. PLANNERS! I, personally, right now have four planners lol. I have one for business/personal things to remember, one for marketing, one for book releases, and one for blog ideas. Yup. I love planners! So will the writer in your life. Seriously, with as much stuff as everyone has to remember now days, planners are a win/win for anyone.
Find some pretty ones onwww.etsy.com too.
5) "Writing" Gloves
It's cold.
But you still have to write all the words.
Fingerless gloves make amazing Christmas presents! They help you write all the words while your hands stay warm and toasty.
Find more on Amazon.com.
OTHER IDEAS:
*Coffee
*Chocolate
*Flash Drives
*A laptop (if you wanna go that far ;) )
*Amazon gift cards (because we are always giving them... hardly ever getting them)
*Something that goes along with their series. Does your friend write Alice in Wonderland retellings? How about a "We're all mad here" pillow? Think of things that go with his/her genre and gift something along those lines. There is nothing better than the support of a friend/family member for our 'book babies'.
That's my list. What other things can you think of that would be awesome for the writer on your Holiday List? Leave a comment and tell me.
Next week, my thoughts on this year's NaNoWriMo.
See you around,
Kelly
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Friday, here in the US, is Black Friday-- which means the day lots of us go out, fight crowds, and try to get the best deal on a pillow...
Trust me, my sister got into a fight over a pillow once (not her fault). There was blood... oh the humanity! Besides pain, blood, and torture, this is also the time where you have to decide what in the world to buy the person who has 'everything' OR the person that you should know what they like, but you don't... OR the person who you know is a reader and you want to feed that need (because YES!)
Here are FIVE suggestions to buy the READER on your list (Next week, I'm blogging about what to buy the WRITER on your list :)... you're welcome)
*Disclaimer... all of the Amazon links are through Amazon's Associate program*
1) A Kindle
YES! The reader on your list more than likely already has a kindle, BUT kindles are so affordable now that you can have more than one OR you can upgrade. The one I have linked is $49.99 (EEP! A steal!) They go as high as $229. This is also a great gift to give a writer... and not for the reason you'd expect (check back next week)
2) Book Related Jewelry
Buy a version of this necklace HERE
There is nothing better to give a book nerd than a piece of a book! Whether it be a necklace, bracelet, ring... whatever... A) it shows that you actually pay attention to what he/she likes B) It is very cool! I would seriously swoon if someone bought me this.
3) A Classic Novel... with a Twist (Pt. 1)
Find this paperback version of Wuthering Heights HERE
This goes along with knowing what the person on your list likes. Wuthering Heights is my favorite book ever! I have it with different covers (cause I'm a nerd lol). I love finding the book with new and interesting covers. I don't know why. I love covers. This can work for your present too...
You can buy a new paperback with a different cover (one you think is amazingly beautiful.). It is an easy way to show you care and bring paperback beauty into your reader's life.
4) A Classic Novel... with a Twist (Pt. 2)
Because you know you want to gift it... CLICK HERE
Some readers on your list will have favorite novels which have different retellings. Have someone who loves Fairy Tales? There are lots of new retellings on Amazon (heck, I have a series based on fairy tales myself). Buy them an updated version of their favorite.
Or, for a different twist, buy a completely different take on it- like Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies or, my favorite, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
5) A Paperback of their favorite ebook
Paperback of book 1 in the Series by Bella Forrest--click here
My land! Most people, if they have a kindle, have an ebook library that would fill the New York Public Library (okay, maybe not, but you know what I mean). Ebooks are great. I love ebooks. Sometimes, though, it is nice to hold a paperback in your hands. And it especially awesome to hold the paperback of your favorite ebook in your hands.
Consider gifting your reader friend his/her favorite ebook as a paperback. It will make their day!
This has been a very short list of ideas you can give the reader in your life. Some other ideas include:
*Book related pillows/throws/gadgets
*Book lover's journal (where your reader can write reviews and reading goals)
*An Amazon Gift Card
*A Gift Card to a local book store
*A bookshelf (this is what my husband is getting me for Christmas... hopefully ;)
If you are looking through your Christmas list and see folks who love to read...
CONGRATULATIONS!
You now have some awesome ideas for things to buy them.
Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend.
NEXT WEEK, what to buy the writer in your life for Christmas. Stay tuned!
HAPPY READING!
Kelly
If you follow me on Instagram, Twitter, orFacebook, you know that I JUST finished my 50,000 words for November/NaNoWriMo!
Let me do a happy dance... 
Okay, that's not a happy dance. That is a very sexy Dean Winchester... I'm not sorry.
THERE IS A POINT...
I get a lot of messages from people who want to know how in the world I can write so many words a day. On Saturday (because I was so close to 50,000 words) I wrote 14,000 lol. It took me about 9 hours in between taking the middle gal to basketball, then writing, then going to a birthday party, then writing, then doing a fb party... then writing... feeding the kids in there too (because my husband didn't get home until about 8:30 pm).
I wanted to give you a few tips on how *I* write so many words (I normally get betwen 2k-5k a day when I'm working on a story. That is... on the days I write. I'm not perfect. There ARE some days I don't write... we won't talk about that right now.)
I should preface this by saying that I know there are SO many other people in the world who write more words than me a day. AND there are so many people who writer slower than me, but their words are so beautiful. So this post is JUST about how I write and how I can get high word counts a day. I hope at least some of these tips work for you.
1. TRUST IN EDITING
During NaNo, I don't go back and edit. There is no time... there is never any time...
... I'm not sorry.
When I write my first drafts, I write my first drafts. I go with the story, go with the flow and I don't go back and edit. If I decide I want to bring someone back to life, I do it. It makes editing a bit of a messy ordeal, but I think it's worth it. It gets the creative out. It gets your story out of your head. And it gets your words down.
"You can't edit a blank page"-- Laura Heritage, circa 2013 (my friend and one of my editors who knocks me upside the head sometimes)
2. Start with an outline... BUT don't be afraid to go away from it.
If my friend, J. Andersen is reading this, she will have this expression...
I used to be so massively anti-outline. No, that's not right. I wasn't ANTI-OUTLINE... Outlines were great. For other people. However, I've grown as an author lol. And now I do write basic outlines. Actually, I outlined most of my Nanowrimo this year. I had a general idea. And I knew how I wanted it to end. THEN, I went back after each chapter and outlined the next chapter better...
UNTIL, the last 14,000 words lol That totally went off script, and I liked it-- so I went with it.
SO, outline, but don't be so stuck to it that you don't let your creativity and the story take over.
When I write this post next year, I might be totally, 100% pro-outline. Sigh. Times are always a changin'.
3. Know your wpm/hr rate.
MATH!
For me, I know I can write 2,000 words in about 45 minutes. I use that average to decide how much time I need to set aside to do my word count goals for the day. If I want to do 5,000 words for a day, I usually sit down at about 7:30 pm and write til 10-ish (cause Math is specific lol). Knowing your words/rate helps you stay on track and keeps your mind from wandering. I KNOW I have a certain amount of words that has to be done in 20 minutes (1,000 normally) so that's what I do.
What is your words per minute/hour rate? Use that to find out the best times for you to write in your specific schedule.
4. Cut out all distractions.
Stay with me here...
I USED to write with youtube blaring on earphones. I thought I 'had' to do that to get the mood right in my story. Now, even as I'm typing this, I have zero music on... the TV isn't even on.
I found that I could, SURPRISE, write MORE in a quiet room. I NEVER thought I'd write in a quiet room. The first time I figured this out was when I wrote a book for fun. I was in a slump (writer's block), and I decided that I'd write this book just for me. I wrote 64,000 words in 3 weeks. It just flowed. I had no television on. No youtube. No music. From then on, I like the quiet.
Sigh... I never thought I'd do that.
5. No Internet!
I don't have the internet on my laptop.
Because when I had the internet on my laptop do you know what I did? I was on the internet because SOMEONE SOMEWHERE must be posting something awesome.
I write with my phone in the other room too. This goes with the no distractions. If I focus only on the book, let my mind wander, I 'watch' it in my mind like a movie, I'm so much more productive. I guess I have to keep myself entertained and that means writing. :)
BONUS
-- Have your characters mapped out or sketched out. Know what you want them to look like. For this Nano, I printed off pictures of my characters so I'd know what they looked like. I'm horrible to mix up eye color (that's why #1 is trust your editor!)
I'm sorry Tia ;)
--ACCOUNTABILITY! Either have a person who keeps you accountable for your daily word count goals OR post online. Be competitive if that works for you. ANYTHING that keeps you motivated works. I do 1,000 word increments. I write 1k, then rest for a minute or two... write then rest. And and I have amazing accountability buddies that keep me on the straight and narrow.
What do you think?
Do you think these tips can help you? Are you going to try any of them?
Remember, these are just for writing faster. It doesn't help with creativity (though I do find that I'm more creative when I let the words flow), and know that you will have issues to fix in editing (don't we all though lol)
BUT if you are looking for ways to up your word count or even meet your current word count goals, these are my suggestions. Leave a comment and tell me what you think. What are your word count getting tips? I'd love to hear from you.
Much Love,
Kelly
Kelly Martin is the bestselling author of paranormal, contemporary, and YA books. She loves the dark, but sleeps with a nightlight. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When Kelly's not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube-- even though she's a huge wimp-- and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas (because that totally makes sense). She's a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to Netflix. If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kelly@kellymartinbooks.com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at http://www.kellymartinbooks.com/ |
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About Kelly MartinKelly Martin is an Amazon bestseller and award-winning author. She loves abandoned house photography, ghost stories, and trying to figure out what goes bump in the night. New Series Progress
Books by Kelly Martin
Paranormal The Afterlife of Lizzie Monroe The Heartless Series (complete): Heartless Soulless Breathless Hart Reckless DDT Series (complete): Dark and Deadly Things Dark and Devious Things Dark and Dreadful Things Dark and Desperate Things Dark and Dangerous Things Fairy Tale Series (complete): Betraying Ever After The Beast of Ravenston The Glass Coffin Contemporary The Deception of Devin Miller B.I.G. is Beautiful: A Love Story YA Inspirational Crossing the Deep Love in the 80s Once Bitten, Twice Shy Current YOUTUBE videos
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June 2018
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