In keeping with the office supplies theme, when I went to the store yesterday I allowed myself to indulge in a new set of pens. They're called Magna Tank and they meet all of my preferred criteria for a good set of pens: gel or liquid ink, multiple colors (blue, red, black, green, and purple), and a fine tip (the rare, but prized .5mm).
Now, I'll confess right here and now that I'm slightly pre-occupied with pens. In high school I started building my collection based on my need for a variety of colors to use in my graph paper sketches (which were kind of like paper quilts) and then my hexes (the fun designs you can make with a geometry compass while in math class). In this case, the writing was a secondary motivation for the mass of pens. Then, one fateful day, I got a box from Camii for my birthday which held inside it a massive pen set - something like 200 gel pens in this huge circular container.
Since then, my taste in pens has simplified. I'm no longer on a mission to have every possible shade of metallic purple. However, a certain amount of pen obsession has remained. A pen with a good tip that writes smoothly and has ink which doesn't smear is something I'm quite keen on. Metallics aren't my preference, but every now and again, the occasion calls for it, and it's good to know I have them - just in case.
Due to my large stash of pens, I've periodically had problems finding a way to store them all. Most recently, that problem was solved when my parents had an extra plastic toolbox (I think something came in it). They gave it to me, intending that I use it for the hammers and screwdrivers I have, but I immediately saw that it would be better served as a pen depository for all those that couldn't fit in the various mugs on my desk.
Now, this brings us to you. When it comes down to the physical tools of writing, what's your preference? When you're searching for the perfect writing implement, what's your criteria? Pen or pencil? What type of ink? Pen tip? Color(s)? Does it bother you if you have to change pens (a.k.a. ink color) part way through a story or chapter?
5 comments:
I use the jet-ink pens (that flow like gel only dry really quickly) for the most part...but I like different colors too and actually, when working on a larger project, prefer to use more than one color so that I know when I stopped or started.
Come on, don't we get into this writing racket just so we have an excuse to buy all those notebooks and pens?
I like lots of different colors and may change to mark a new starting place, like Jenny, or keep to the same color all the way through because it's a purple story. I do change colors every day with my morning pages. It makes it easier to find where one day ends and the next begins. I like easy flowing ballpoints--whether gel or not--and am getting to like my cartridge pen more now that it isn't quite so cranky. My favorite ink color in that one is sepia.
Fun query!
In this order, I prefer:
Fountain pens with Japanese Fine/ American-European Extra Fine nibs. I use Noodler's Bulletproof inks for my personal journal, tea journal, addressing envelopes, writing checks, any writing that I want to have a chance at surviving the elements, check washing, and time.
For drafts, I prefer a variety of inks by Sheaffer, Parker, Pelikan, Waterman, and Noodler's. I pick a color for the body of the writing then use one to three others for editing. I change colors for the body of the writing according to whim. Sometimes, it's for a new page. Sometimes, for a new chapter; not usually for a new day.
After that, I prefer Parker Fine and Uni-Ball Vision .5mm rollerballs. Two weeks ago, I got an 8-pack of the Vision Elites - great colors!
Yesterday, I ordered two ink roller pens. One is by Pelikan and the other is by Kaweco. These are rollerball pens that use the short standard fountain pen ink cartridges. I'm looking forward to trying them out when they arrive.
Pencils, .5mm, are for address books or other notations that may require erasing.
Ballpoints - I carry a Fisher Space pen because it works when other pens don't.
Hi Gail, thanks for the in-depth response :)
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