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Many students struggle to continue their writing habit when they return to school and have to dedicate most of their time to schoolwork. Whether you’d like to support a studying writer’s studies or writing, this post has plenty of ideas for thoughtful gifts.
Other blog posts for the best writer gifts: The best back to school gifts for bookworms – What are the best subscription boxes for writers?
Subscription box – a gift that keeps giving
There used to be plenty of options for writers in the subscription box space, but currently I can only find one that has obviously been created with AI, so I’m not going to recommend it here. However, there are still plenty of subscription boxes that your writer friends will appreciate even if they aren’t specifically made for writers.
Box of Books includes 1-2 books in each box plus a “novelty pack” full of trinkets and treasures. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Christmas every month?
Introvert’s Retreat is a box that I hope won’t be going anywhere because I’ve been recommending it a long time. Each box includes a book, a candle, sweet treats, a hot drink of your choice and bath products, and if you’re not a bath person, you can swap them for extra treats. Sign me up!
If sweet and savoury treats are more your or your writer friend’s thing, why not get the TokyoTreat box? I’ve even written a review about it specifically for writers, so do check it out.
Notebooks are great gifts for the aspiring writer
Because it’s 2026, we have to start with something that is straight up from the future.
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook is exactly what it sounds like – a smart notebook that you can use over and over. Make notes and scan them into the Rocketbook app where you can organise them and back them up to a cloud service of your choice. The notebooks come in different sizes and colour options, and there are also multiple layouts for the pages so you’re not stuck with just a dot grid or blank pages. You can use any Pilot FriXion pen to write in the notebooks – one will be provided with each notebook you purchase.
For a little more robust note-taking system AND an ebook reader, you can’t go wrong with Kindle Scribe. I got mine in 2024 and I genuinely use it every single day. I can’t think of a more convenient way to do your reading, writing, outlining and researching. It can now even use AI analysis to turn your handwriting into text, which you can then get sent to your email.
If you don’t want to purchase your ebooks from Amazon, you can easily send your ebook files that you’ve obtained from somewhere else to your Kindle using the Kindle app on your phone. Just an FYI.
If you prefer to take notes and plan your novels in a less futuristic way, LEUCHTTURM1917 and Moleskine both offer ranges of similar classic and extremely popular notebooks. They carry ruled notebooks as well as ones with blank pages and dot grids.
Even if you prefer to use a computer for all your writing, it’s never a bad idea to carry a notebook with you to capture random story ideas or to write down snippets of cool dialogue.
If the previous notebooks were a little too plain for your liking or they don’t suit your price range, you can find loads of different options in different price points in Amazon.
If you’d like to check out notebooks that I can personally vouch for (I’ve never been a fan of Moleskine or Leuchtturm because they’re a little too plain for me) you should check out Victoria’s Journals, and you can even get 10% off with the code KATRIS. They don’t seem to offer my favourite green and gold design anymore, but I’m definitely getting this dark moss vegan leather journal next. (If you prefer, you can also find these journals on Amazon.)
Good quality writing pens are some of the best gift ideas for writers
Of course, you can’t use those notebooks without some good pens if you’re looking for gifts for someone who writes, so here are a few options to add to your back to school shopping list.
I plan and draft my novels by hand which can sometimes be difficult to organise. That’s where using different colour highlighters can be so useful – you can use them to colour-code your ideas and make note of what is important. These Creative Markers by Sharpie can also be used for bullet journaling and for highlighting important passages in books, just to name two of the many things they are useful for.
A good ballpoint pen is a staple on most writers’ desks but unfortunately pens are notoriously good at getting lost. So why not get an 8-pack of good quality InkJoy ballpoint pens from PaperMate?
If you are getting a back to school gift for a writer, you might want to get something a little more special. I own a few regular ballpoint pens so that I have a pen at every location where I might need them (I really do write a lot by hand), but I do most of my writing with a refillable pen. My absolute go-to pen is the Ballograf Epoca, and I used this black and gold one just a minute ago. The ink lasts a LONG TIME even with regular writing, so these pens are a solid 5/5 in my opinion.
Back to school backpacks for writers
When you are a writer, it’s important to be able to carry your notebooks or your laptop with you wherever you need.
Backpack is an easy and comfortable way to carry everything you need with you and both of these backpacks have the space and the compartments to fit your laptop and everything else you need with you. High Sierra Loop backpack is comfortable to carry even when heavy and it comes in a dozen of different colour options.
If you would prefer something a little more classy and less sporty, this LOVEVOOK laptop backpack has loads of space for your laptop and books, a built-in cable for your phone and data bank, two strap options and an extra wristlet bag for your pens and other knick-knacks.
If you’re like me, you might prefer something a little more academia aesthetic, which is where this Cuero messenger bag comes in. Despite the vintage look, it can definitely fit your laptop inside!
Other back to school gift ideas for writers and authors
Nothing looks cooler than writing with a typewriter, but unfortunately those are harder to come by these days and slightly inconvenient. However, if you love the look and feel of typewriters, there are plenty of bluetooth keyboard options for you. I don’t have personal experience with any of them, but I happen to think this YUNZII wireless retro keyboard simply looks neat. (Using the word “retro” in your keyboard search will help you find ones that don’t look too futuristic.)
Yes, you can now get the old-timey clickety-clackety typewriter feels without lugging around a contraption that weights ten pounds. (And I’m saying this as someone who started writing her first horse girl novel on a typewriter – older isn’t always better.)
Lastly, any writer needs to keep honing their craft, but how can they do that if they’re busy with school or work? A Writer’s Workbook by Caroline Sharp gives you daily writing exercises that are easy to incorporate into your daily life so you never have to stop learning about your favourite craft.
Here at Protagonist Crafts we love finding the best gifts for writers and readers. Check out the rest of our gift guides here.
Protagonist Crafts is a blog about writing fiction, written by a published author and creative writing teacher. You can find more writing tips and inspiration in the blog and you can get the best author tools at Writer Lifestyle on Etsy.
