So, for which things do you use your pens? And how much do you write?

[Nerdyhistorian]

I am trying to write much more and thus using my pens more. To get some inspiration: for which things do you use your pens? Just for specific things or are you an all-rounder? And do you write much/a lot?

[Sailor Kenshin]

1. Writing, sketching.

2. All-rounder.

3. Yup. Letters, lists, journals, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, notes, thinks.

[ilikenails]

I am trying to write much more and thus using my pens more. To get some inspiration: for which things do you use your pens? Just for specific things or are you an all-rounder? And do you write much/a lot?

Honestly, this seems the wrong way around. If you want to buy something for the fun of it, do it. If you want to do something because you enjoy the doing, do it. But doing something just because you bought the tool seems like a joyless waste of time. Time isn't an infinite resource. Spend it doing either what's most useful or enjoyable at any one time. If you want to write or draw because the activities appeal to you, then do that - and then choose the most effective tools, not the pens you already bought.

...I hand write thousands of words every week and type thousands more. It's work and I find it satisfying, and I chose my tools carefully to be the best for the purpose - a Filco mechanical keyboard with Cherry Brown MX switches and dampers, extremely custom emacs install, and a Kakuno F nib (it beat out every other pen I auditioned - even the Triumph nib Sheaffers and my Danitrio Raw) and custom printed paper. Typing something just because I have a good keyboard, no. Not even if I get around to buying that Topres with electrocapacitive switches. Ditto for pens.

[FredRydr]

...I chose my tools carefully to be the best for the purpose - a Filco mechanical keyboard with Cherry Brown MX switches and dampers....

Mechanical keyboard? That's not a mechanical keyboard! This is a mechanical keyboard:

IMG_3229.jpg

[Kaputnik]

I am trying to write much more and thus using my pens more. To get some inspiration: for which things do you use your pens? Just for specific things or are you an all-rounder? And do you write much/a lot?

Honestly, this seems the wrong way around. If you want to buy something for the fun of it, do it. If you want to do something because you enjoy the doing, do it. But doing something just because you bought the tool seems like a joyless waste of time...

I''d agree that a good starting point is wanting to write for the sake of writing. Using better tools (fountain pens rather than ballpoints) may help you enjoy the process more, and perhaps write more as a result, but I don't know that that's an end in itself. Then again, for some it may be something to pursue for its own sake.

As for what I write, fountain pens have become my primary writing instrument over the past eight years or so. I use them at work for most of what I write by hand. My work notebook of technical notes is all in fountain pen. Quick jottings which won't be saved may be in either FP or pencil, usually a mechanical pencil.

I keep a journal, rarely missing a day's entry, and generally writing at least a couple of pages, often considerably more. Since I don''t want to binge on too much introspection, and since there isn't always anything interesting to record about my own activities, I use it to record interesting things that I learn, and muse about the events of the day.

I have one little notebook with alphabetized tabs that I didn't know what else to do with, so I've made it my private glossary for new words that I learn.

There have been some stalled efforts at producing publishable fiction, but so far they are all at the notebook stage, and I haven't worked on "my book" for a while.

I never learned to draw, and am now trying to teach myself through books and of course, practice. I prefer to use pencils for this, but at least one of the beginner books has me using pen for some purposes. It recommends gel pens, and that's actually what I've been doing, but I have tried my FPs as well, and may return to them as I get more confident.

[Pterodactylus]

In my work I have no need to write a word with a FP (I have an IT job).

But I use every excuse to write or scribble with my FPs.
E.g. scribbling or writing random words during (boring) telcos, to take notes (that I could do also digital), to help to visualize problems I´m working on.....
writing shopping lists, posts for FPGeeks, sketching, drawing, writing just for fun or to improve....




Ok, you got me, I´ve way too many FPˋs for what I write......but I donˋt care, I like my pens even most of them are quite a long time in their storage before I use them again..... It’s luxury to be able to choose from many options.


... I don´t feel guilty (and will not share my pens with others which have less or none)

[Pterodactylus]

Honestly, this seems the wrong way around. If you want to buy something for the fun of it, do it. If you want to do something because you enjoy the doing, do it. But doing something just because you bought the tool seems like a joyless waste of time...

I''d agree that a good starting point is wanting to write for the sake of writing. Using better tools (fountain pens rather than ballpoints) may help you enjoy the process more, and perhaps write more as a result, but I don't know that that's an end in itself. Then again, for some it may be something to pursue for its own sake.

As for what I write, fountain pens have become my primary writing instrument over the past eight years or so. I use them at work for most of what I write by hand. My work notebook of technical notes is all in fountain pen. Quick jottings which won't be saved may be in either FP or pencil, usually a mechanical pencil.

I keep a journal, rarely missing a day's entry, and generally writing at least a couple of pages, often considerably more. Since I don''t want to binge on too much introspection, and since there isn't always anything interesting to record about my own activities, I use it to record interesting things that I learn, and muse about the events of the day.

I have one little notebook with alphabetized tabs that I didn't know what else to do with, so I've made it my private glossary for new words that I learn.

There have been some stalled efforts at producing publishable fiction, but so far they are all at the notebook stage, and I haven't worked on "my book" for a while.

I never learned to draw, and am now trying to teach myself through books and of course, practice. I prefer to use pencils for this, but at least one of the beginner books has me using pen for some purposes. It recommends gel pens, and that's actually what I've been doing, but I have tried my FPs as well, and may return to them as I get more confident.

Good to know!

But where are your drawings in the Art and Calligraphy Forum?

I want to see them!

As you might know I started drawing the same way a couple of years ago at FPN, first I wrote posts, then I started to add scribbles to it, at the end I ended writing much less and drawing mainly.

.... this can be an addictive process.

... and an expensive one too......

First I bought a lot of FP because of the writing.....
..... then I bought a lot of art supplies(tools and materials) because of the drawing .....

[BlkWhiteFilmPix]

1. Writing letters and notes to people.

Also for taking notes during appointments, jotting down things that come up that I want to remember, some drawing, and filling out forms.

2. All-rounder.

3. A lot. Writing letters and notes is my main way to communicate with people. And I keep journals.

Keep using your pens.

[Nerdyhistorian]

In my work I have no need to write a word with a FP (I have an IT job).

But I use every excuse to write or scribble with my FPs.
E.g. scribbling or writing random words during (boring) telcos, to take notes (that I could do also digital), to help to visualize problems I´m working on.....
writing shopping lists, posts for FPGeeks, sketching, drawing, writing just for fun or to improve....




Ok, you got me, I´ve way too many FPˋs for what I write......but I donˋt care, I like my pens even most of them are quite a long time in their storage before I use them again..... It’s luxury to be able to choose from many options.


... I don´t feel guilty (and will not share my pens with others which have less or none)

Yeah, I studied IT and while I am now working as a sort of secretary, my job is quite digital and most of my hobbies are digital as well. I like writing on paper, it just quite difficult to find opportunities... I do keep a journal and also a bulletjournal at work for which I use my pens. If I need to take notes during a meeting I use a pen,

Maybe I am overcomplicating it in my head :P But it is still fun to read what others do.

[Paddler]

Having pens is not the reason I write. I write a lot and so I need fountain pens to keep from getting hand cramps and writer's calluses.

I keep several journals going at once, different books for different subjects. In summer, when I am busy gardening and taking canoe trips, I write ideas in a pocket notebook. In winter, I take the ideas of summer and write entries for the journals. A journal entry usually goes through several edits and drafts before a fair copy is made in the journal book with permanent ink. Then, I am likely to pound it into my computer and share it with friends. When friends and relatives come to our house for visits, they are free to browse my journal collection. If they can't read my cursive chicken scratchin' they can watch the boob tube.

Examples: I played music with a string band for 28 years. We probably averaged 20 gigs per year. They are all described in a stack of journal books. I played with a Celtic string band for 10 years. Ditto those gigs.
There are stacks of canoe trip journals, cat journals, gardening journals, miscellaneous rants and observations.

To me, a pen is a tool. In my opinion, the best of those tools were made in the '40s and '50s and those are the ones I keep in my hoard.

[ilikenails]

This is a mechanical keyboard:

And it's completely gorgeous. I'd be very tempted to collect typewriters if I had room...

[Deb]

All my blog posts are drafted with a fountain pen in a notebook.

[Kulprit]

I’ve completely switched over to fountain pens, so they’re definitely all-rounders. Over the years I had transitioned to doing most of my work on a computer, but in 2017 I re-taught myself cursive after a 30-year hiatus. I switched to handwriting all my notes for work, initially just as an excuse to practice my cursive and improve my handwriting. I found that I enjoyed all the extra time I was getting with my FPs so I never stopped.

Now I hand write pretty much everything (except legal documents and emails) and later type it all up. Yes, it’s twice the work, but it makes the work more pleasurable. And that’s not including all the cognitive benefits that handwriting purportedly provides.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[VertOlive]

I use my pens for daily journaling (including doodles) and for extensive pen pal correspondence.

I've never used them for work either in the lab or the morgue and funeral home mainly because I have to use horrible paper in those arenas and I can't stand the feathering and breaking nibs on triplicate forms-- those are ballpoint duties.

I use nice mechanical pencils for bookkeeping and Latin study--because erasers.

[AzJon]

Mostly grocery lists.

But also pen pals.

I also tend to plot out D&D plots, characters, maps, etc. in draft because the pen is what I have on hand when an idea pops into my head.


Sometimes I just fill a page with ribbons to watch the ink dry.

[penwash]

Sketching, like this one I just did tonight:

[carlos.q]

I've never used them for work either in the lab or the morgue and funeral home mainly because I have to use horrible paper in those arenas and I can't stand the feathering and breaking nibs on triplicate forms-- those are ballpoint duties.

I believe the universe must be whispering in your ear: "You need a vintage Pelikan with a nice DEF nib and some IG ink."

Or maybe an Esterbrook with a 9461 fine manifold nib and some Noodler's black....

[inklord]

fountain pens are primarily tools, not a hobby. any hand writing on paper can be done with a fountain pen. it's just a matter of the right nib and ink combination. a Pilot Metropolitan in 'fine' and some IG ink (as suggested above by carlos.q) will do. that's a year's worth of writing on any paper for around $30...

[Kaputnik]

...But where are your drawings in the Art and Calligraphy Forum?

I want to see them!

As you might know I started drawing the same way a couple of years ago at FPN, first I wrote posts, then I started to add scribbles to it, at the end I ended writing much less and drawing mainly.

.... this can be an addictive process.

... and an expensive one too......

First I bought a lot of FP because of the writing.....
..... then I bought a lot of art supplies(tools and materials) because of the drawing .....

I've just spent some time enjoying your work in the Art and Calligraphy forum.

As for myself, if I end up producing anything that seems worth sharing publicly, I will. I'm far from being there yet. But the nice thing about being at the bottom is that you can only go up.

[Paddler]

Sketching, like this one I just did tonight:

That looks just like my Leica 3G.