Top 4 Journals for Writers

Writers love the feel of a fine journal.  Sitting down with your favorite journal can make ideas spring to life.  A fine, leather bound journal can make a great gift for a writer.  Any of the journals listed below would make a fine gift for the writer in your life (or yourself)!  Pair it with a fine pen for the quintessential writer's gift.












1. Vintage Retro Leather Cover Notebook Journal Blank String Nautical - At only $7.30 this journal is a bargain for yourself or as as a gift.  There is a 3-Ring fastener for the paper inside, which makes it refillable. If you're interested in a signature accessory that doubles as an endlessly useful notebook then you've found it.  The leather cover and design of Anchor and Helm medallions will make you proud to carry this.



2. Horizons Classic Leather Journal - Refillable Vintage Diary Notebook With Extra Lined Paper and a Bamboo Pen as a special Bonus - $14.85 Record your greatest ideas, most inspiring visions, and most intriguing days in this stylish leather journal. The rich bonded leather makes the journal a pleasure to handle and helps keep the pages protected.

• RETRO STYLE WITH FREE RUSTIC WOODEN PEN INCLUDED! Makes a great gift and travel companion that features refillable loose leaf pages!
• EXCELLENT CONVERSATION STARTER! With its handsome embossing it will attract many looks. With it's thicker than usual pages, it can take being written on with a fountain pen without worry of bleeding or smudging!
• CONVENIENTLY SIZED FOR TRAVEL! Well made and sturdy, it will handle the abuse you give it while tossing it in your backpack or carrying it over all seven continents.

3. INDIARY Genuine Buffalo Leather Writing Journal With Strap closure and Handmade Paper - EXPEDITION - Coming in at $29.97, this journal is for the enthusiast. This premium leather journal comes in a classic style and has been manufactured to the highest quality. Its fine and pleasant scent of soft buffalo leather will instantly send you back to the old days.

• The Sturdy and Handy Cover is made of Finest Buffalo Leather. It has a smooth surface feel and is yet very durable and long-lasting.
• The Handmade Paper has few and far between Fragments of Flower Petals worked into so that every page is unique.
• The journal is purely Handmade by Masters of their Craft.
• approximately 200 Pages 

4. Embossed Leather Blue Stone 120 Page Unlined Journal with Clasp - $22.99 This beautiful, hand made notebook features a brown leather binding with embossed designs on the front and back and an inset blue stone on the front. It has an antiqued brass swing clasp to keep your secrets safe.

• Unlined, handmade paper.
• These journals are hand crafted, and the embossed designs and shape of the stone may vary.
• Antiqued brass swing clasp.

Also, if you've been on the fence about buying Scrivener...you can get a 20% discount on Scrivener here.

Top 6 Pens for Writers

A pen is a great gift idea for any writer. Finding a good pen to a writer is like finding a good friend to anyone else. The best pen is often subjective and a personal preference. That said, any of the pens listed here will make a writer scribble with glee.  Chose any of the pens listed here, along with a journal, to make a great gift for yourself or the writer in your life!







1. Starwalker Extreme Ballpoint Pen 111039 - When price is no object.  At $654, this pen is like flying in first class.  The king of pens!

• Barrel made of stainless steel with PVD-plated inlays
• Platinum-plated clip and fittings
• Ballpoint Pen with twist mechanism
• Bold and strong silhouette and the floating Montblanc emblem

2. Montblanc 5055 Boheme Stone Ballpoint Pen, Black Onyx Stone with Platinum Trim - $325.75 This pen is short, easy to carry in pants pocket or clipped to shirt pocket. Very light weight and lovely design. Not recommended for those with large hands. The top twists to advance or retract the ball point or roller ball.

• Black precious resin, platinum-plated fittings, inlaid with Montblanc emblem
• Platinum-plated clip set with a synthetic onyx-colored gemstone
• Three platinum-plated rings embossed with the Montblanc brand name

3. Versace ASTREA Ball Point Pen, Black Ink, Medium Point (VR7050014) - $235
When you want an elegant and classy pen for a person of the same caliber. A unique pen that exudes class and confidence!

• Steel guilloché lower barrel, Black upper barrel
• Greek key engraved and enameled in black on the ring
• Versace logo engraved on the clip
• Medusa on relief on the top of the cap

4. Visconti Rembrandt Blue Ball Point Pen - $145.  Building bridges with a beautiful Italian ballpoint pen A universal symbol of friendship and diplomacy a bridge denotes the effort of reaching across a divide to establish a connection. My personal favorite.

• Silver band brandishes the Rembrandt-motif signature and majestic filigree flourish
• Deploys with a twist
• Variegated marbled resin — no two are exactly alike
• Resin design is based on Rembrandt's use of chiaroscuro — adding lighter hues to a dark foundation image
• Ballpoint ink is unusually smooth, similar to rollerball ink

5. Engraved / Personalized Waterman Expert Black with Gold Trim Ballpoint - At $99 this pen drops into the budget pen range, but makes up for it with free 24 character engraving. Still a great buy with precise aesthetics accentuated by the captivating refinement of classic black gloss lacquer finish and luxurious gold trim.

• Comes in a Waterman pen gift case
• Geniune Waterman Expert Pen, Made in France
• Laser engraving shows up gold, matches the trim

6. Cross Apogee, Frosty Steel, BallPoint Pen (AT0122-6) - Well know for their quality, affordable pens, Cross offers a great writing instrument at just $85.86.  This pen exhibits the glitz and glamour of 1980s era Manhattan with pale blue European translucent lacquer over engraved chrome appointments.

• All Cross products are shipped in boutique-quality gift packaging that you'll be proud to give as a gift.
• Cross offers a range of ball-point refill sizes and colors; Selectip gel rolling balls, porous-points (felt tips), ball-points and document markers; 0.5mm pencil leads; specially formulated cartridges and bottled inks.. 
• Cross has re-invented writing instruments with jewelry-quality craftsmanship.
• All Cross writing instruments are unquestionably guaranteed against mechanical failure, regardless of age.

Remember to Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial and get free 2-day shipping on any of the pens listed here.  Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments, even if it's a Bic. Enjoy and happy writing!

Also, if you've been on the fence about buying Scrivener...you can get a 20% discount on Scrivener here.

NaNoWriMo Report Card

We all know how tough it can be to keep on track during NaNoWriMo.  Here is a simple spreadsheet for those of you that want a handy way to track your NaNoWriMo progress during November. Honestly, you could change the date range to keep track of your writing for any month you chose.

All you do is fill in the blanks of any yellow shaded areas and then the sheet will track your daily and monthly achievements for you!  Click the photo for a larger image.  You can download a copy of the NaNoWriMo Report Card here.

Don't forget to grab you're copy of Scrivener just in time for NaNoWriMo.  Use the Scrivener Coupon Code to get 20% off today and get those creative juices flowing.


You'll be able to track

Daily word count
Monthly word count
Number of scenes written
Number of writing sessions per day
Words per hour
Words left until goal
Average words per day
Tomorrow's goal
And much more!
I hope you can make use of it.  Feel free to change and alter as you wish.  Only one week to go. Have fun and keep writing!


If you have any question or any problems before NaNoWriMo starts in Novemeber leave a comment or send me an email.  Enjoy!