It drives me crazy when I’m going along, writing a letter, and the ink from my pen gets particularly scratchy or blotchy. It may write well for a few words and then the ink seems to dry up … and then it blots all over the place. Pens that are really inconsistent like this make it hard for me to write a letter because I want to focus on the content and the enjoyment of writing, but all I can think about is how obnoxious the pen is.
Though I will definitely write with whatever tools are available to me at any given time, there are a few types of pens that I’ve grown to love over the years.
First, I love to write with colorful or sparkly ink. I like the surprise of colored ink, and I love the whimsy of sparkles. For a long time I had a green sparkly pen that wrote so smoothly it’s what I used for every letter, but it has long since dried up. However, for some reason, most of the generic colored pens I’ve had over the years haven’t been as consistent as my green pen, and I often have to make the sacrifice of a slightly scratchy letter in exchange for the fun colors.
I also adore the Uniball Vision fine-tip pens, which come in a variety of colors as well. The ink can be a bit thick if the pen is held in the same place for too long, but it’s a minor inconvenience compared to the dark, solid lines I can create with these pens. I’ve never had one of them halfway dry up or provide for an inconsistent experience. One thing I have learned, however, is that these work better on thicker notecards rather than when writing on both sides of a sheet of paper because of the darkness of the ink.
My final pen of choice is the Pilot Precise V5 rolling ball pen with an extra fine point. These have been my pens of choice lately, and I enjoy that they, too, come in a variety of colors. These are the perfect pens to use when there’s a chance of bleeding into the paper, or when I’m trying to squeeze a lot of words into a very small space.
Of course, if all I had at my disposal was a crayon, I’d write with that, but when I have a choice, I go with one of these three pen options. How about you? Do you have a pen preference when it comes to writing letters?
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I really like the new Sharpie pens…
Thanks for the recommendation, Melissa!
Have you ever thought of using a fountain pen? I discovered them in the last year or so and I am truly in love! You do have to be careful to get one that fits your hand or it can cause fatigue. If you like skinny pens, don’t get a thick pen — that sort of thing. And I have found that the better then pen, the better the nib and the better the nib, the better the writing experience.
I just got a couple of restored vintage fountain pens on eBay that I LOVE!!! I’m really happy with both of them. I’ve done a review of sorts on the first one on my blog. I plan to do a write up on the other for tomorrow. I hope you’ll check them out.
Of course when you get fountain pens, you then get to use fountain pen inks!! There are so many wonderful colors out there! They are amazing! You can get anything you can think of, except, I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen any sparkly stuff. I think that would clog the nib, but some of the inks glow under black light and all kinds of fun stuff. Check out http://www.gouletpens.com for great options. They even have ink samples and you can get a Platinum Preppy pen to try the samples in and have it converted for $2 to take the ink from bottles instead of cartridges. You can pour the sample right on in it! The nibs aren’t as great on the Preppy’s as a really good pen, but it’s a nice way to start to see if you like them and messing with the inks.
I do love my fountain pens and inks!
I haven’t thought about using a fountain pen, but mainly because I’ve always thought they were expensive (plus I have a gazillion pens from conferences, conventions and press trips, so buying a pen seems like a nutty idea to me). That said, I’ve had a few people recommend them to me, so I might look into getting one. Thanks for the information.
I am also a fountain pen user and particularly like that when the ink starts to disappear, I can quickly refill. Granted, there is a bit of mess involved since ink is not typically an easy liquid, but with practice, the mess gets much messier. I don’t use sparkly inks, but there are scented if you like that sort of thing.
And Sharon’s suggestion of experimenting with Preppys is a great! Goulet Pens has lots of videos, too. Brian has a very nice way of sharing his expertise … feels like a dear friend talking.
Scented ink? I’m definitely intrigued!
I love the Pilot G-2’s, the 05, 07, and 10. I use the bold 10 to make big dark swirls. Happy.
I’ll have to check these out Christy. Thanks!