If you're a person who gives gifts this time of year, and if a screenwriter is on your list, here are some suggestions:

1. Paper. Writers love paper. Any kind of paper, bound into notebooks, punched with three holes, lined, plain white 20-pound bond paper, just paper would make us happy. We use a lot of paper. Some writers would be thrilled even with a pile of discarded paper that went through a copier or printer but is still "good" on one or both sides.

2. Pens. Writers love pens. Some writers love pencils, too. We can't have too many. Blue ink, black ink, inexpensive, engraved, pens with logos or advertising, just pens that write would make us happy. Sometimes we actually use them up before we lose them.

3. Books about writing. Writers love to read about writing. How-to books, a paperback dictionary, a thesaurus. Check with someone close to the writer to see if he/she has begun a collection of books about a certain form of writing. For example, my friend Sandy has a huge collection of books about film and film writing. I wouldn't even think about giving her one without checking her shelves first, unless I knew the book was hot off the presses. Screenwriting magazines, if you can get the latest editions, are fabulous.

4. Snacks. Writers usually eat or drink when we're contemplating, percolating, struggling with, and giving birth to stories. The only writer I know who won't eat chocolate is Chris, because she's allergic to it. The rest of us have chocolate in our desk drawers along with potato chips, pretzels, jelly beans, peanuts, dried fruit, you know, comfort foods. Tea bags and packets of hot chocolate are great, too. I think the creative bone is connected to the stomach bone.

5. Movie passes. You can figure out the appeal here, I'm sure.

Most of these gifts won't break your bank, and the gift recipients will feel that you knew exactly what they wanted and needed.

May you and your family and friends enjoy a blessed holiday season. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Winter Solstice.

Mary J. Schirmer is a professional writer who writes screenplays and teaches screenwriting. Her e-mail is awarenessprod@yahoo.com.

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