My Dream Author Merch

If there's one thing writers are known for, it's daydreaming. And for some of us, that includes envisioning our future successes. How we'd celebrate release day. Our books topping the charts and the acceptance speeches and interviews we practice in the shower. Stops we'd love to make on book tours. Dreamcasting the film adaptation and what we'd wear to its red carpet premiere.

For me, that list also includes author merch. It's not only a way to get your name or branding out there. It can be a sweet addition to a giveaway prize, a token of appreciation for readers who stop by your booth at a bookish convention, or a way for readers to show their support for their favorite writers.

Some writers might offer exclusive limited edition items to celebrate an upcoming release, available only with the preorder, or as rewards for different tiers of their Patreon or Kickstarter campaigns. Merch can also make for a special release party favor.

The most common author merch you'll find includes bookmarks, stickers, mugs, and t-shirts since they're usually easy and inexpensive to have produced (for instance, you can find some of my own writing-themed designs on my Redbubble page Plot Bunny Hollow).

Some authors, like Willow Winters, have gotten especially creative with their merch, and her clips of packing orders have opened the door to what my own offerings could include—some of which are admittedly unconventional.

At the time of writing, I haven't done any research into how much these ideas would cost to have manufactured or how exactly I'd go about it apart from print-on-demand services like Redbubble. This is just a fun little thought experiment of a post about what I'd love to offer someday, not how practical it would be in reality.

Coffee And Tea

Coffee brands have become pretty popular merch in recent years, notably among creators on YouTube who have created their own lines, and I think it's the perfect sort of merch for a writer. We've long been associated with coffee shops and drinking enough caffeine to work on our books well into the night. Plus, many bookworms enjoy snuggling up with a hot beverage as they read!

I'd also want to expand this idea into tea blends and hot chocolate.

It'd be neat to create flavors inspired by my books, like a sea salt caramel coffee for A Tided Love's coastal resort town setting or a strawberry tea in honor of its protagonist, Caroline. I'd also want to dabble in flavors one might have had in the Regency Era to give readers a taste of my stories' time period.

And since some writer merch is rooted in their personal branding, there would for sure need to be a lavender-flavored coffee on the roster because although I may not be a PSL girlie, I am a steadfast, diehard lavender drinker.

Coloring Books

Some writers have coloring books made based on their books, featuring character art, scenes, or quotes. While the It Ends With Us coloring book was controversial, I do think a coloring book can be a fun way for readers to engage with your books.

This year especially, I've become an avid audiobook reader (and to all the naysayers out there, yes, audiobooks do count as reading). I'll sometimes have one playing as I'm cleaning or getting ready for the day, or as I'm unwinding and riding around the wilderness in my dearly beloved Red Dead Redemption II.

That said, I do struggle to focus on audiobooks if I'm not actively doing something with my hands while listening to them (thanks, ADHD). That's just one of the reasons I'd love to have coloring books in my author merch lineup. Readers can work on coloring pages as they're listening to the audiobook or to relax a busy mind.

I'd also want to the pages to be perforated so readers can display their favorites—which would also make them a shareable book club activity.

Embroidery Kits

In that same vein, embroidery kits would be another fantastic addition to my merch as a historical romance writer.

Among the accomplishments a lady in the Regency era was expected to hone was embroidery. It was a useful skill for one to have, and was as much about artistry and leisure as it was about functionality.

Embroidery as a hobby has made a comeback, in part a result of the pandemic, so it's become more common to find pre-made kits that come with the necessary design and fabric with the design printed on it.

Not only would this be a great tie-in to my historical romance novels or be another activity to do while listening to an audiobook, but it can also teach a new, worthwhile skill. I call that a win.

Makeup And Nail Polish

If you know me, you know I'm into cosmetics. I was that girl in middle school sporting a different color of nail polish every day and once I got a department store makeup kit one Christmas, I fell in love with how fun and freeing cosmetics can be.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that nail polish and cosmetics are high on my list of dream author merch. There are plenty of opportunities here. I love the idea of eyeshadow palettes and nail polish colors inspired by my books' covers; if you've read my writer bucket list, you may remember my dream of getting a manicure to match my books for their release days. Lip products flavored like sweet treats my characters indulge in such as strawberries or sugared almonds could be fun, too.

And although not cosmetics per se, perfumes, body sprays, and soaps could also be fun, too.

Candles And Wax Melts

Candles and wax melts are an essential part of my writing setup. There's the aromatherapy aspect to it, of course, but it's also about the atomosphere. There's just something whimsical and ethereal about writing by candlelight, and it allows me to feel closer to my historical setting.

I like to incorporate scents that remind me of my WIP as I'm writing them, so candles and wax melts feel like a must-have for my author merch. Scents like bayberry, oak, and leather as an homage to Zach's bokshop in Bound to the Heart or a blend of sea salt and driftwood for A Tided Love come to mind.

Mood lighting and fragrance are staples of my immersive writing session, so candles and wax melts would be pretty on-brand for me, and I know there are many readers out there who pride themselves on creating their perfect reading space, so it would offer another way for them to sink into my stories.

Aesthetic Annotating Packs

Annotating books is nothing new, but it has become particularly popular in recent years. Whether you're taking notes for a review, prepping for your next book club gathering, or using it as a method to keep track of your thoughts as you read, aesthetically annotating books has really taken off in the age of bookish social media. Many readers color-code their notations (something I'm admittedly too disorganized or too in-the-zone to keep up with), and some go the extra mile to match their annotation gear to the cover of their current read.

I'd love to offer annotation packs with sticky flags, pens, highlighters, and other necessary supplies, all coordinated with my books. I love stationery and use multicolored pens as part of my self-editing process, so it feels like a full-circle merch option.

DND Dice

This last idea may be more for my fantasy peers, but it's too fun for me to omit.

I'm still a newcomer to DND, having only played about eight sessions so far in my first campaign. Although I'm still getting a grasp on how things work and don't feel entirely ready to graduate from the color-coded dice our DM provided, I have so many dice sets saved on Etsy.

That got me thinking about how cool DND dice could be as author merch, especially for fantasy writers.

I know several folks who pick up a new set of dice that fits the vibe of their DND character before embarking on a new adventure—looking at dice for my ranger gnome Fygnche was what sparked this idea—so it seems fitting for fantasy authors to have DND dice match the vibe of their books' characters. This could also evolve to include dice towers inspired by significant buildings in your world.

I'm not sure if it'd get dicey as far as copyrights go (pun fully intended), but it could be a unique offering perfect for fantasy authors but also fun for other genres.

Author merch is something I look forward to creating as a writer because of how personalized and versatile it can be, especially when it pairs well with your genre and books.

These ideas are on the unusual side, but I'd love my merch offerings to reflect my personality as a writer and feel like an extension of my stories.

What merch would you dream of having as an author? What's the most unusual author merch you've seen? Be sure to let me know in the comments below!