Kourtney's 2023 Gift Guide for Freelancers
Getting into the holiday spirit yet?
Have a freelancer in your life, one that specifically writes and edits?
This gift guide will help you choose a gift they'll love and double as useful as they plan their 2024 business goals.
If you need more gift ideas, check out my 2023 Gift Idea for Writers—it lists great programs, subscriptions, equipment, and fun little items to get them through the next chapter or plot their next book.
Let’s get to the 🎁 gift guide!
💻Gifts for an Improved Working Environment
Whether your office is its own room, part of another room, or the corner of your kitchen table, here are my favorite things to improve the workday.
Stand Up/Sit Down Desk
Here’s the one I use. I fought this purchase for a while—but the big-decision indecision has always been a struggle for me. The desk I have is in the middle of the road in price. It goes up, it goes down. Just that helps change my environment and keeps me working.
An Ergonomic Computer Chair
I’ll lament about my spine feeling like a shrimp🦐 some other time. A good chair is one of the best ways to improve the quality of life of your freelancer.
I sat in a very high-end ergo-chair once and it was life-changing. You could actually feel the difference. But that’s out of my price budget. There’s plenty on Amazon, of course, that are dupes for the more expensive brands.
✈Gifts for the Digital Nomad
Becoming a digital nomad and traveling a bit more is one of my biggest goals in 2024—I’m coming for you, United Kingdom. So, here are some items I’ve been eyeing to help me make traveling easier:
Universal Travel Adapter for USA, EU, UK, and AUS travels
Apple Airtags & keychain cases – because if the airline doesn’t know where my bag went, I sure as hell will.
And finally, comfy travel in. Have a favorite pair of leggings or yoga pants that your friend will love sitting in for 8+ hours of travel? Any kind will do, buy my favorite low-cost, high-quality yoga pants are found here.
☕Gifts for the Caffeinated Fiction Editor and Ghostwriter
If you have an editor or ghostwriter in your life, I’m sure you’re aware of their borderline problematic habit of drinking coffee from sunup to sundown. I’ll be talking coffee, machines, and other things to fuel and motivate your freelancer.
For the cold brew lover: Takeya Patented Deluxe Cold Brew Iced Coffee Maker
For the espresso lover: SOWTECH Espresso Coffee Machine Cappuccino Latte Maker
If you have a favorite blend of coffee or tea, your freelancing friend will appreciate the personal touch. Especially if they don’t live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s (don’t worry I email them quarterly about the opportunity their missing out not being in my hometown), send them Joe’s Medium Roast…or whatever their roast preference is.
🎓Gifts to Increase the Freelancer’s Skills
If freelancers aren’t consuming material, books, and courses, we’re stagnating in our skills and falling behind in this ever-growing market. So, here are some ideas for helping them hone their skills and getting that 1% better.
Amy Suto
Amy is one of the freelancers I discovered early on in my freelancing career, and boy, am I glad I did. She’s the gift that keeps on giving—literally.
Not only does she have an incredible blog that has tons of free educational resources and tips, but she also has two other resources that I can’t recommend enough:
I read this book early last year and it made my goals feel legitimate and attainable. There’s something about someone just like you—you know, not a celebrity—doing great things. It makes big, awesome things feel reachable.
This book is at the top of my list for 2024 re-reads.
Her Substack: From the Desk of Amy Suto: Writing & Entrepreneurship
Her Substack is something special. It’s not often I subscribe to things like this, but her writing and business tips are unmatched. She’s also one of the kindest, open people in the freelancing space and it’s awesome to be in her orbit even in a small way.
EFA’s Classes & Membership
If your loved one is an editor, paying for the EFA—Editorial Freelancers Association—yearly dues will put you in their good graces for a long time. Dues are annoying and sometimes stress-inducing, so take that away by offering to pay for one year ($145) or two years ($260).
EFA membership offers:
Resources for both freelancers and clients
Job listings sent director to your inbox (I’ve booked 2 jobs this year from shooting my shot)
Ability to list yourself on their directory (I’ve gotten several inquiries and booked 1 job thanks to this list)
Discounts on all their classes—and their classes are 1) incredible, 2) give so much actionable information, and 3) an industry standard.
🍎Gifts to Help the Freelancer Maintain Health
Listen, us freelancers (especially those who need to type or draw to do our jobs) are sitting for a good part of the day—or standing if you have a convertible desk.
But our backs hurt, we likely have a certain degree of tech-neck, and our daily step count may be severely lacking by this time of the year.
Massages – Our backs, okay, are not okay. Get your favorite freelancer a gift certificate to a local spa or massage therapist. It might spark joy for them to book one every month and it’s a great way to help them improve their self-care.
Fitbit or other health devices – I’ll be the first to admit that I’m low-key obsessed with step count, despite being fully aware that the 10k step thing was a marketing ploy. But a Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Oura Ring all track steps, sleep cycles, heart health, readiness level, and even menstrual cycle. Our goals may all be different, but what gets measured, gets managed.
Walking Pad – Here’s the one I have. It’s just over 1-year-old and going strong. There are others out there, so do your research and take measurements. But this is one of my most-used items of 2023. Whether it’s taking breaks between editing chapters for a quick 10-minute walk or a 30-minute walk while catching up on The Crown, it’s helped me get moving and improve my energy levels when the coffee doesn’t get the job done.
🆓Gifts that Cost Nothing
I’m fully aware of the state of the world—there are some days when I still have to choose between one thing or another when it comes to bills and being a human.
All of the above items are simply ideas, but if you’re not giving gifts this year (my family isn’t!) here are some ideas:
Become an Accountability Buddy (an accountabilibuddy, if you will)
Whether it be a daily or weekly thing, make a promise to your friend to maybe:
Go to the gym with them (if you’re both already members at the same gym)
Hike a favorite trail every other weekend
Try out a new yoga class via YouTube
Go for morning or evening walks (if you live near each other)
Happy holidays!
Kourtney