Do you have a favorite writing utensil?
As part of my job, I get to interview WordPress.com bloggers about their passion projects. A couple weeks ago, I was able to chat with Joshua Danley. He’s a pulmonary physician by day and a successful fountain pen blogger by night. Since 2014, he’s been writing exclusively about Pelikan brand fountain pens.
I’m not much of a penman myself, but I was fascinated by the idea. How is there enough content to cover a single brand of a niche hobby? He’s writing within a niche of a niche. Ultimately, he told me, he just loves analog writing and finds it to be a powerful force for good in his life:
“I find the act of using a fountain pen somewhat cathartic. We are so connected and device-oriented these days. There is something special about unplugging and putting pen to paper. That tactile feedback, the nib gliding on a smooth line of ink, seeing your words come to life, that is something very rewarding. It can really unlock your creativity in a way our digital devices can’t.”
Though I wasn’t inspired to go out and buy a fountain pen, I was inspired to start using my Blackwing pencils again. Blackwing is a classic line of high-quality pencils — not only do they look nice, but they write beautifully and also smell awesome (they’re made from California Incense-cedar wood). I didn’t believe that an expensive pencil would be worth it, but it is — at least for me.
A favorite pencil or pen is used on a daily basis:
making lists of all kinds
daily planning for work and/or chores
helping kiddos with homework or other projects
journaling
writing checks, addressing envelopes, filling out innumerable forms
so much more!
And isn’t it better when you don’t have to guess if the writing implement will work? I hate finding a pen in the jar that won’t write anymore, or a mechanical pencil out of lead (which is actually graphite), or an unsharpened crappy wooden pencil that my kid got as a birthday party favor.
For the last couple weeks I’ve exclusively been using my Blackwing pencils and I’ve quite enjoyed it. There’s something almost luxurious about using a high-quality, well-designed product for everyday tasks.
For me, using a fancy pencil brings some unnecessary beauty (I just love how they look and feel!) to what can otherwise be mundane — like writing grocery lists or underlining words in a book.
So, readers, do you have a favorite writing utensil? Tell me all about it!
-Jeremy
My wife calls me a pen snob, joking of course. I prefer a Pentel 0.9 mm mechanical pencil for all writing tasks. I like the ease of use, and the width of the lines on the paper. Plus the 0.9 mm size is strong enough to stand the extra pressure I place when writing.
Timely post for me! I recently delved into the world of fountain pens myself. I've always enjoyed writing by hand - whether that's journaling, list making, or taking notes - to escape the monotony of the digital world we live in now. A few weeks back I bought a Pilto Metropolitan ($20) and I've loved it so much I've just purchased a Lamy 2000 (far me $$$ lol). Anyways, for me, fountain pens have become my preferred writing instrument.