The reference box
What makes the Scribbler box different
Scribbler is a monthly box for fiction writers from authors Victoria Scott and Lindsay Cummings. Each box pairs a new-release novel with a Writing Passport, a short craft booklet from a featured author, plus an inside look at publishing. It’s made for writers who want to sharpen their craft and finish a book.
- The box
- A new-release novel with a signed bookplate, a Writing Passport, a “Publishing Process Inside Look” card, and a few writing gifts such as a notebook, pens, or a snack.
- Extras
- Live chats with literary agents and editors, and writing contests for subscribers.
- Cadence
- One box a month, with a lighter Slim box that skips the gifts.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Best fit | Cost and commitment | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scribbler Box Reference box |
A signed new novel, a craft booklet, and writing gifts each month | Monthly subscription, in a full box or a lighter Slim box. | One box a month. |
| Writer’s Block Box | Prompts, a craft workbook, and writing tools | $43 a month, month to month. | Monthly with free shipping, to US addresses. |
| Journey Box | A 12-month path from idea to finished manuscript | $53 a month, month to month. | Monthly with free shipping, to US addresses. |
| Writer’s Digest | Craft articles and advice on getting published | $32 for a year at the current online rate. Renews automatically. | Six magazine issues a year by mail. |
| Field Notes Quarterly Edition | Limited-edition pocket notebooks | $120 a year, paid up front. Free US shipping, $45 extra elsewhere. | Four editions a year, worldwide. |
Both Writer’s Block Box plans cost less per box when you prepay 3, 6, or 12 months, and both renew until you cancel.
The alternatives
Prompts, a craft workbook, and writing tools each month
Writer’s Block Box vs Scribbler
Best for: The writer who likes Scribbler most for the Passport and a fresh notebook.
Each box is built around a Builder Mini, a short workbook of craft exercises by published author Connie Bauldree. It comes with 30 new writing prompts, practical writing tools, and puzzles for when the draft stalls, and you can tell the seller which genre you write when you order.
What feels familiar
A monthly lesson from a published author, plus supplies for the desk, made for fiction writers.
What changes
No new-release novel and no chats with agents or editors.
A year-long plan to finish your novel
Journey Box vs Scribbler
Best for: The writer with a half-finished manuscript who wants a deadline more than a surprise.
Journey Box comes from the same seller as Writer’s Block Box, but it runs in order. Each month’s tools, prompts, and resources cover one stage of writing a novel, with progress trackers and milestone goals so you can see the book grow. A year of boxes is meant to take one book from idea to finished manuscript.
What feels familiar
Finishing the book is part of Scribbler’s pitch. Journey Box is built entirely around it.
What changes
It’s the priciest pick here, and because the boxes run in sequence, it suits a writer ready to commit to a year.
Craft lessons and publishing advice
Writer’s Digest vs Scribbler
Best for: The writer who reads the “Publishing Process Inside Look” card before anything else in a Scribbler box.
Writer’s Digest is the one magazine on this list. Each issue mixes technique articles and exercises for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with the business side: writing queries, finding markets, submission guidelines, and contests.
What feels familiar
Advice from people who work in publishing, the part of Scribbler that the agent chats and inside-look cards cover.
What changes
No book and no gifts, and six issues a year instead of twelve boxes. You can cancel anytime and get a refund for issues not yet mailed.
Notebooks for the ideas
Field Notes Quarterly Edition vs Scribbler
Best for: The writer who kept every Scribbler notebook and carries one everywhere.
Field Notes makes a new limited-edition pocket notebook four times a year, each with its own paper, design, and theme. A year-long subscription starts with the current edition in a subscriber box, and the next three editions follow by mail as they come out.
What feels familiar
A notebook you didn’t pick out yourself, arriving on a schedule, the way Scribbler’s gifts do.
What changes
Notebooks only, and four deliveries a year instead of twelve. No lessons and no book.
The honest part
What none of these replaces
Scribbler’s best trick is the pairing: a new novel, a craft lesson from a working author, and a chance to put questions to a literary agent or editor, all in one box. None of these picks sends a book. Writer’s Block Box comes closest on the monthly lesson, and Writer’s Digest covers the publishing side. If the novel is the part you look forward to, add a book club alongside either one.
How we chose these picks
We started from what a Scribbler box holds (a craft lesson, publishing insight, writing gifts, and a new novel) and looked for subscriptions that cover at least one of those for fiction writers. We went through Cratejoy’s writing, journaling, and stationery listings, kept the two writing boxes that fit best, and added two from outside Cratejoy for the gaps. The photo at the top is Scribbler’s own photo of its box.
Questions before switching
Which alternative is closest to Scribbler?
Writer’s Block Box. It’s a monthly box for fiction writers with a craft workbook from a published author, writing prompts, and tools, at $43.45 a month on the month-to-month plan. It doesn’t include a novel, and it ships only within the US.
Is there a writing box that sends a novel every month?
None of the alternatives here sends one. If the monthly novel is your favorite part, pair a writing box with a book club. Our Book of the Month alternatives compare monthly book boxes by genre and price.
Can I give one of these as a gift?
Yes. Writer’s Block Box and Journey Box both have a Give as a Gift option on Cratejoy. Writer’s Digest sells gift subscriptions, and Field Notes sells a gift certificate that the recipient uses to start a year of quarterly notebooks.
