10+ Best Gifts That Will Help Aspiring Journalists Succeed In Their Career

If you think that finding a useful and meaningful gift for an aspiring journalist in your family or friend group is quite a challenging task for you, please, no worry! I've collected the best gift ideas for your favorite budding journalist into one handy guide, so you just need to go through the list and find the perfect present for your dear one. 

The most valuable gifts for aspiring journalists are the ones that help them improve their skills and make their work a bit easier. Books, backpacks, online courses, and special software, are just a few excellent presents that any budding journalist will find helpful.

A career in journalism is an exciting but challenging path. That is why it's important to support your aspiring journalist in their journey. Thoughtful and useful gifts are the best way to show your care.

I'm pleased to invite you to check our list of the best ideas of practical and meaningful gifts for your favorite aspiring journalist.

Quality Voice Recorder For Stories' Documentation

A good quality voice recorder is absolutely a must-have thing in every journalist's toolbox.

This compact device will allow your favorite aspiring journalist to record all the interviews, exciting ideas of stories, or some profound thoughts that suddenly struck them in the middle of the night. 

So, without any doubt, a voice recorder is a perfect gift idea for your ambitious journalist. 

Although nowadays the practice of using a smartphone to record interview clips has become more popular, a high-quality voice recorder still is a more convenient way to document all kinds of these journalistic things, like interviews, press conferences, meetings, etc. 

Moreover, an audio recorder, this trusted tool for all journalists worldwide for decades, remains one of the symbols of real journalism. This handy device can help your favorite aspiring journalist feel a little bit more confident and professional. So, you never go wrong with such a gift.

Useful Books To Improve Writing Skills

Writing skills are essential for any good journalist, and they must be impeccable.

But it's not a secret that writing can be a bit of a challenging task for beginners.

And I'm convinced that there is no better way to start writing good sentences than at first to read the good ones. 

There are plenty of fascinating texts written by leading journalists or famous authors that will allow your budding journalist to become a better writer.

Give your favorite aspiring journalist one or a couple of such incredible books that will help improve their writing skills. 

Many valuable books are designed to help beginner writers enhance their grammar, punctuation, structure, and style. But it doesn't mean that you need to limit yourself only to such guide books. 

I prepared the list with just a few most popular books that can help aspiring journalists immerse themselves in writing practices to strengthen their skills.

• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr., E.B. White - this book written more than 100-years ago is probably one of the most influential texts for every beginner writer.

  Authors provide practical advice on how to write clearly, concisely, and communicate more effectively through writing. And these are exactly the things that any aspiring journalist seeks to develop and improve.

• The Associated Press Stylebook: 2020-2022 by The Associated Press - is an absolute handbook for every journalist, especially for aspiring ones.

  Over the years, the Associated Press style is the gold standard for news writing. Because almost all media outlets use this style in their work, this helpful book undoubtedly will come in handy for budding journalists.

• Telling True Stories, edited by Mark Kramer and Wendy Call - is a compilation of essays written by America's award-winning journalists.

  Inspiring stories and practical advice on researching, organizing, writing, editing, and publishing narrative non-fiction are included in the book. It's a must-read for an aspiring journalist who wants to know how to tell true stories.

• On Writing Well by William Zinsser - this famous book, full of useful and insightful advice, is a straightforward guide for good writing.

  The author provides practical tips to improve writing skills in different non-fiction genres, such as travel, science, business, sports, memoir, etc. So, this book makes a pretty helpful resource for career and personal growth for any beginner writer. 

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote - is one of the most significant non-fiction novels ever written.

  The author skillfully combined his journalistic skills with a fascinating and expressive narrative. This book is a perfect example of an absolutely flawless writing style, so it's not surprising that this text is usually included in lists of essential reading for every journalist.

Portable Laptop Stand For Comfortable Work Anywhere And Anytime

Journalistic work often requires being in the field - at the scenes or press conferences, etc.

That is why it's so important for every journalist to have the ability to quickly set up quite a comfortable workplace wherever they have been. A lightweight, portable laptop stand easily provides this opportunity. 

Surprise your favorite aspiring journalist with a stylish and ergonomic laptop stand that can easily fit in their backpack. And no matter, your dear journalist sits on a bench in the park, or the chair in the meeting room, or even in the car in the parking, he/she always will be able to put a handy portable stand and start working instantly. 

Besides, an adjustable and ergonomic laptop stand will come in handy also in the office and, especially during working from home. Without a doubt, a laptop stand is a fantastic idea for a useful gift.  

This helpful thing is designed not only to provide a stable platform for a laptop but, first of all, to help a person sit in the correct posture and decrease the risk of neck and back pain. So, by giving your budding journalist a comfy portable laptop stand, you contribute to their health, as well as increasing productivity.

Water Bottle To Remind Them Stay Hydrated During A Day

Drinking enough water is vital for good health and well-being.

But how does your favorite aspiring journalist not forget throughout the busy working day to refill a glass of water?

Keeping a personal water bottle always on hand is a perfect way to stay hydrated all the time.

A water bottle is a handy and thoughtful gift for your dear one. A compact bottle perfectly fits in any backpack or messenger bag, as well as most car cup holders. So your favorite journalist can always quench a thirst anywhere he/she goes throughout the day. 

Thanks to a wide range, you can find water bottles of different sizes, capacities, styles, and designs. Besides, you can even personalize a water bottle and make your gift truly unique. Giving your aspiring journalist a stylish water bottle is an excellent way to express your care and love.

Special Software To Make Their Work Much Easier

Expert writing software is probably one of the most valuable and practical gifts for every journalist, especially aspiring ones.

So, if you want to help your dear one and make his work easier and even more productive, then writing software is an excellent gift option.  

There are a lot of different writing and editing software developed to format writing texts, organize ideas, as well as keep any writer from making embarrassing grammar and spelling mistakes.

So, surprise your favorite budding journalist with such a valuable gift that will undoubtedly help fine-tune their articles, stories, and even emails. 

Here are just a few best tailor-made programs, from proofreading tools to automatic transcription software, that allow your aspiring journalist to help keep all their texts coherent and well-written and, in general, make work and life easier.

• Associated Press StyleGuard - is a powerful tool that integrates with Microsoft Word and Outlook to check writing text according to AP style automatically. The online version of AP Stylebook is much easier to use than a hard copy because it helps speed up the editing process and has some additional features.

• Lingofy - is one more excellent checking tool based on the rules set out in The Associated Press Stylebook. This software provides an opportunity to install a plug-in for Google Docs and the most popular browsers. It allows proof written content on different websites, such as WordPress or Twitter.

• ProWritingAid - is one of the best proofreading tools for journalists. It integrates with many word processors, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Scrivener, and helps detect grammar, spelling, and style errors in texts. This helpful instrument can help your aspiring journalist polish his/her writing and improve writing skills.

• Grammarly - is another well-known editing tool that allows checking grammar, style, spelling, and even writing tone. Grammarly Premium option offers more advanced proofreading tools, vocabulary enhancement suggestions, and even a plagiarism checker. This helpful tool undoubtedly comes in handy for your budding journalist.

• Trint - is probably the best automatic transcription software on the market. This easy-use tool offers automated transcription of audio and video files that users can upload from different sources, including Google Drive, Dropbox, FTP, or just insert a link. It's a really irreplaceable tool for every journalist.

Portable Charger To Always Stay In Touch

There is nothing worse than “low battery” warnings on the smartphone's screen in the middle of the interview.

And since journalists work a lot in the field, being low on battery is quite common. That is why a portable charger is an indispensable device in journalistic work. 

So, if you are looking for a useful gift for your best aspiring journalist, then a high-capacity power bank is the right choice. A portable charger is a handy thing that helps to recharge smartphones, tablets, earbuds, and other devices anywhere and anytime.

A slim, portable power bank can fit easily into any pocket or bag, so your favorite journalist will not need to look for an outlet urgently. Thanks to such a practical gift, all their smart gadgets will not lose charge in important moments. 

There are various portable chargers on the market in different sizes, capacities, weights, charging speeds, and designs. So you can easily find one that can perfectly fit the needs of your ambitious journalist. Without a doubt, your dear one will highly appreciate this handy gift.

Stylish Backpack To Carry All Necessary Journalistic Things

A notebook, a laptop, a voice recorder, pens, some book or magazines - are just a few things you can find in a journalistic toolkit.

And usually, they need to carry all this stuff wherever they go.

A comfortable and capacious backpack comes into play in such situations. 

A durable, waterproof backpack is a really irreplaceable thing for journalists. Such a bag will help your dear journalist carry all essentials neatly and safely when they are out in the field chasing breaking news. 

Besides, a backpack is more convenient than a classic messenger bag because it helps distribute all the gear's weight across the back and take the stress off one shoulder. 

Among the wide range of backpacks, you will always find the option that best suits your budding journalist's needs. It can be a spacious backpack with many pockets to carry everything, from laptop to raincoat, with them at all times, or a smaller and versatile one for daily use.

In any case, this stylish and handy accessory is an excellent practical gift for your dear one.

Online Courses To Get New Knowledge And Skills

Now more than ever, the journalism industry is changing rapidly.

That is why aspiring journalists need to not only continuously improve their skills but to develop new ones.

And online courses provide a great opportunity to broaden skill-set and become more marketable. 

There are many journalism courses, tutorials, training, and masterclasses, both paid and free, that help young budding journalists boost their main qualifications and get knowledge in new fields, such as photo and video editing, social media, and data visualization, etc.

Browse selections of online courses for journalists on popular e-learning platforms, such a Coursera, FutureLearn, edX, Udemy, or MasterClass, and you undoubtedly find something exciting and useful for your dear one. 

In the meantime, you can look at our shortlist of the best online courses that you can recommend to your ambitious aspiring journalist.

• Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization (Coursera) - extremely useful courses to improve writing and editing skills.

  These courses teach which effective writing techniques are and how to use them to tell stories, be more persuasive, and communicate written messages better.

• Investigative Journalism by Bob Woodward (MasterClass) - in this course, the legendary journalist advises on becoming the best investigative journalist by sharing his own experiences and insights.

  This course teaches how to investigate a story, find written evidence, and verify facts and sources to create a solid story.

• Activism and Citizen Journalism through Media (edX) - this course provides a good understanding of how activists and citizen journalists work.

  The course will help determine how to find appropriate media to promote a social cause and which techniques to use to reach a target audience.

Undoubtedly, online courses' subscriptions or recommendations are an excellent way to contribute to your favorite budding journalist's professional growth.

Personalized Notebook To Write Down All Great Ideas

It's absolutely not surprising that a notebook is a thing without which journalists can't imagine their work.

Journalism is a kind of creative work that often requires generating new ideas. 

And usually, journalists never know when something great will come into mind.

That is why, when a great idea suddenly strikes, it's so important to have a personal notebook always on hand. So, undoubtedly, a stylish journal is a classic gift you can't go wrong.

Moreover, a notebook is an irreplaceable thing to make articles' and interviews' notes in, as well as create some work plans and to-do lists. And even if your loved aspiring journalist already has a favorite notebook, the extra one, sooner or later, will come in handy.

To make your gift more thoughtful, you just need to add a personal touch. A stylish, personalized notebook is a valuable gift that will allow your favorite aspiring journalist to write down all his work notes and great thoughts.

Ergonomic Mouse And Keyboard For Comfortable Work

Journalists every day spend hours and hours tapping away their texts to meet a deadline.

And such a lasting and monotonous work is especially tiring for their hands.

Just imagine how tired fingers and wrists can get after a few hours of almost continuous typing!

There is nothing better than a high-quality ergonomic mouse and keyboard if you are looking for a thoughtful and helpful gift for your favorite aspiring journalist. 

An ergonomic keyboard and mouse are necessary equipment that helps to make a typing process much more comfortable and even faster. And this is exactly what every journalist probably dreams of after countless hours spent on the computer.

Such computer accessories will provide the ultimate comfort for your dear writer and can help improve overall productivity. So, undoubtedly, an ergonomic mouse and keyboard will become their best typing companion for a long time.

Subscriptions To Magazines Or Newspapers To Stay Current On News

One of the essential parts of a journalistic job is always staying in the loop with the news.

There are many different events every minute globally, and sometimes it's challenging to stay up to date with all the critical information. 

Subscriptions for the top magazines or newspapers will allow your favorite aspiring journalist to continuously stay current on media news and trends. 

When it comes to keeping current on stories and events, there is nothing better than subscriptions to major news outlets, such as Time, The Economist, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc. 

It's just a few examples of well-known magazines and newspapers, but you don't need to limit yourself to this list only.

When choosing a subscription option, consider your budding journalist's interests, preferences, and specialization area, for example, business and financial reporting, political or international journalism. 

Subscription to magazines or newspapers will allow your favorite aspiring journalist to keep an eye on major local and global news and prevalent tendency in the media.

A great practical and thoughtful gift is a fantastic opportunity to support your ambitious and hardworking aspiring journalist. The best ideas I have collected in our gift guide will help your dear one grow professionally and make their life and job easier.