What Size Paper is preferred for correspondence

[southpaw52]

I have been receiving letters with varied sized paper. I rarely receive a letter with 81/2 by 11. What is the preferred size for writing letters, any paper suggestions?

[caribbean_skye]

My tendency is to ramble and since I can't seem to write in a straight line on my own, I prefer something closer to 8/5 x 11 and lined (or with dots) and preferably thin.

[cedargirl]

Personally I prefer using an A4 sheet (that's 8.5 x 11"), but a couple of my correspondence writing pads are smaller. The bigger ones are less commonly available.
Sometimes I find it easier, especially with a starter letter to someone totally unknown, to use a smaller sheet.

The smallest I have received so far is 4.75 x 7.5".

[woosang]

A4 for me! :-)

[Tracy Lee]

I have a lot in that pesky size that is bigger than 5x7 but smaller than 8x10. I use a lot of the smaller sheets for a single letter so the bigger size would definitely be better for me. Sometimes hard to find my preferred brands that big for some reason. My very expensive stuff from the Amalfi coast is oversized - bigger than 8x10 but odd sized. So, I use a wide variety, and sometimes mix and match where it seems appropriate.

[KrazyIvan]

I like A5 sized pages or anything close. (around 5" x 7")

[Barbara]

I'm a stationery glutton so I've amassed a nice variety over the years. Smaller sheets or cards for quick notes, 8.5 x 11 or slightly larger when I'm feeling particularly chatty. Or even notebook paper when I have something that simply needs to be said before I get home to my stationery stash. :)

[Chi Town]

I like 8 x 6, I believe is the size that I use, in TR paper

[gwgtaylor]

I alternate between A4 and A5 triomphe but going forward I'll be switching to A4 Tomoe River exclusively. But I might cut it or fold it booklet style. We'll see. I think letter paper is A4 and note paper is A5. Crap. I'm rambling. Hi everyone! *waves*

[southpaw52]

I alternate between A4 and A5 triomphe but going forward I'll be switching to A4 Tomoe River exclusively. But I might cut it or fold it booklet style. We'll see. I think letter paper is A4 and note paper is A5. Crap. I'm rambling. Hi everyone! *waves*
Do you have a source to obtain Tomoe River paper?

[KrazyIvan]

Do you have a source to obtain Tomoe River paper?

There is some in the FPN classifieds. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/classifieds/item/17357-for-sale-tomoe-river-paper-sheets-pads/

[gwgtaylor]

Do you have a source to obtain Tomoe River paper?

Well, the Toronto pen posse meet up folks are doing a group buy. 4 cents a page. I'm getting 500. Not sure how they are getting it though. Will be distributed at monthly meetings with money exchanged face to face so this is Toronto only.

[Bogon07]

B5 is my favourite size but hard to obtain unless from a Japanese stationery shop like Kinokuniya. When suffering hypergraphica A4 is the size of choice.

[southpaw52]

Thank you everyone. Paper is the one area that I have paid very little attention to, now has become important to me.

[Mags]

Remind me Gerald when is the paper set to arrive?

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

[gwgtaylor]

Remind me Gerald when is the paper set to arrive?

An guessing at the next meetup later this month? Not sure.

[jbb]

I like 8½ x 11 because it fits comfortably on my desk.

[TSherbs]

A5 for me. Has the most personal feel for me. Or a blank folded card of one kind or another.

[ndw76]

I like A4, or close to that. When I can get it, I like to use cheap recyled paper I get from school. For some reason the cheaper the paper the better it is with fountain pens. When I can't get that, like now when I am on holiday, I use A4 90gsm drawing paper. The 90gsm paper is thick enough to handle even the wettest gusher of a fountain pen and thin enough to see a line guide underneath. I also seem to be able to write more on one sheet of unlined paper than I could on lined paper. On lined paper I have to double space to make it neater.

[Pendragon]

Do you mean what size paper do we as individuals personally prefer to use, or what is formally considered the "proper" size for formal writing?

For letters I write, almost always Executive/Monarch size stationery (7-1/4 x 10-1/2 inches), or occasionally Letter size (8-1/2 x 11 inches). I use A4 sheets if using metric sized paper.

If one wishes to adhere to formally accepted paper sizes, the US standards are stated thus in the Crane Blue Book of Stationery (http://www.crane.com/etiquette/social-stationery):

"Most men use monarch sheets for their personal letters and personal business letters. Also known as “executive stationery,” monarch sheets measure 7 1/4 x 10 1/2 inches and fold into thirds to fit their envelopes. Although monarch sheets are available in a variety of colors, most men prefer ecru or white."

and:

"Men who usually do not write long letters may prefer correspondence sheets to monarch sheets. Measuring 6 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches, correspondence sheets are somewhat smaller than monarch sheets and fold in half to fit their envelopes."

and finally:

"​Correspondence cards are small (usually 4 1/4 x 6 1/2 inches), heavy, flat cards that are used for thank-you notes and other brief notes. Men generally use these in lieu of fold-over notes. The cards are very practical, and most men find they use many more correspondence cards than sheets."

[Runnin_Ute]

I use 8.5 x 11/A4 most of the time for correspondence. Although I just wrote a note to someone today on a note/thank you card - it was the appropriate size for what I was sending.

[Gulfcoast]

For most day to day professional and social use, I find I use correspondence cards more than any other size. For writing personal letters, I tend to use monarch size.

[menunes]

Do you mean what size paper do we as individuals personally prefer to use, or what is formally considered the "proper" size for formal writing?

For letters I write, almost always Executive/Monarch size stationery (7-1/4 x 10-1/2 inches), or occasionally Letter size (8-1/2 x 11 inches). I use A4 sheets if using metric sized paper.

If one wishes to adhere to formally accepted paper sizes, the US standards are stated thus in the Crane Blue Book of Stationery (http://www.crane.com/etiquette/social-stationery):

"Most men use monarch sheets for their personal letters and personal business letters. Also known as “executive stationery,” monarch sheets measure 7 1/4 x 10 1/2 inches and fold into thirds to fit their envelopes. Although monarch sheets are available in a variety of colors, most men prefer ecru or white.

:) I'll write to all men in pink laid paper! I've discovered a nice stash of A4 Galgo Paper at my local stationary store.It's a paper from Spain at a great price. It's a pity the last remaining colors are rose and green but it's still a great paper.