Funny Gifts for Writers
Writers already own too many books. Give them a book that makes them question what a book is.
What writers actually want
Writers want books that say something about books. A 261-page novel containing only one word says something very specific about novels: that the form and the expectation are separable, that the physical object carries meaning independently of its content. This is a gift that prompts thought, which is the correct gift for a writer.
The Archive's gifts for writers
EW gives the writer who has strong feelings about language a book that reduces language to its minimum. UGH gives the writer in a difficult draft something that resonates immediately. LOL gives the literary fiction writer who has opinions about internet culture an object that makes their opinions complicated. MEH gives the writer who professes not to care about things a book that calls their bluff.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good gift for a writer?
A book that challenges their assumptions about what a book can be. The Archive's one-word novels do this directly.
Which Archive book is best for a writer?
EW or LOL — both prompt the most interesting questions about language, form, and what literature is for.
Related
Gift Guide: English Majors · Gift Guide: Readers · Funny Book Gifts