1Lamy Safari fountain pen, umbra
Lamy's Safari is a tough, glossy plastic fountain pen with a shaped grip that guides the fingers into place and a springy clip. It takes Lamy T10 cartridges, and one comes in the box. This is the umbra finish, a dark charcoal grey.
Pros
- Shaped grip for a comfortable hold.
- Ink cartridge included.
- Nib widths include a left-handed option.
Cons
- Takes Lamy's own cartridges or converter.
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LAMY product page ↗
2Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen, black
The Kaweco Sport is only 10.5cm long with the cap on, so it slips into a pocket. Put the cap on the end and it becomes a full-size pen. The Classic Sport in black has a gold-plated nib and a gold logo on the cap.
Pros
- 10.5cm closed, full size when writing.
- Gold-plated nib.
Cons
- Small to hold until the cap is posted.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Kaweco product page ↗
3Rhodia No.16 dot pad, black
The No.16 dot pad has 80 sheets of 80g acid-free paper with pale dots every 5mm, handy for notes, lists and planning. The sheets tear off cleanly along a micro-perforated top, and the cover folds right back.
Pros
- 80g acid-free paper.
- Micro-perforated sheets tear out cleanly.
Cons
- A stapled pad, so it won't lie flat like a notebook.
- Dot grid only.
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Rhodia product page ↗
4Moleskine Classic notebook, large, ruled
Moleskine's Classic notebook has a hard black cover, rounded corners and an elastic band to keep it shut. This is the large 13 by 21cm ruled version, with ivory acid-free paper, a ribbon bookmark and a pocket in the back.
Pros
- Elastic closure and ribbon bookmark.
- Expandable pocket in the back.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Moleskine product page ↗
5Field Notes original memo books, 3-pack
Field Notes are pocket notebooks for jotting ideas down before they disappear. Each is 3.5 by 5.5 inches with 48 pages, and the mixed 3-pack has one each of graph, ruled and plain paper.
Pros
- Fits in a back pocket.
- Graph, ruled and plain in one pack.
- Made in the USA.
Cons
- 48 pages each, so they fill up fast.
View on Amazon UK↗UK listing only in this guide.Amazon price at the time shown. Prices and availability can change; the price on Amazon at purchase applies. Product sources
Field Notes product page ↗
What to buy someone who loves writing
Writers usually have favourite tools, so pens and paper are safer than writing software or courses. The best gifts for writers make it easier to catch ideas wherever they are. Check whether they write by hand or mostly type, and whether they use a fountain pen. A good notebook gets used every day.
How we picked these gifts for writers
We picked each product for what writers enjoy and because it makes sense as a present. The order is our own choice. The pros and cons come from published product details, not customer reviews.
Amazon shows the current price and delivery. Where we've checked that the US listing is the same product, the US link goes there. Otherwise you'll get the UK listing, labelled as such. More about our research.
