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Greetings fellow book lovers!

It seems there are people who still like to write various types of literary works using pencil and paper. Even though I have a Windows 11 laptop, I rather enjoy noting down ideas with a pen and paper. I am curious to know if people still do this with the advent of computing.

I love to use a fountain pen and a narrow lined A4 paper pad! The models of fountain pen I use are:

1. The Parker Vector fountain pen. I use a fine nib with blue/black ink.
2. The Ellington fountain pen. They have several ranges. I use one from 'The Stealth' range. Coupled with an extra fine nib with blue/black ink.
3. This one seems to be from a Chinese/Japanese pen company. This one is the Hongdian Matte Black Forest. An extra fine nib is also used with this one. Blue and black ink are used too.

I would like to see what type of pen, pencil or other writing implement my fellow writers/readers use! So please reply if you want to. Also if anyone does use a more expensive type of fountain pen, do you utilise cheaper cartridges or stick to the ones made specifically for the type of pen? Being on a low budget, I tend to go for cheaper alternatives.

Thanks for reading!

Hi! I do both! I use the Google Notes app or Google Docs most of the time, but I will occasionally use paper. I find that using the traditional method is much easier if I need little pictures or non-standard text placement—we can write anywhere on paper!

I have a small notebook, about 4 inches tall, that I use to take notes in when reading for book reviews here. I highlight things in the Amazon Kindle app too. My writing material is just a mechanical pencil from Paper Mate!

I've never used a fountain pen before, but they look fun to write with.

Tina Thomssen wrote: ↑05 Jun 2025, 12:18 Hi! I do both! I use the Google Notes app or Google Docs most of the time, but I will occasionally use paper. I find that using the traditional method is much easier if I need little pictures or non-standard text placement—we can write anywhere on paper!

I have a small notebook, about 4 inches tall, that I use to take notes in when reading for book reviews here. I highlight things in the Amazon Kindle app too. My writing material is just a mechanical pencil from Paper Mate!

I've never used a fountain pen before, but they look fun to write with.

Hello! I used to use a mechanical pencil from the Papermate stationary brand, as well as a lined paper pad when I first started writing fanfiction. I remember around this time, I received my first desktop from an old store manager at the time. I DIDN'T like the Tottenham Hotspurs wallpaper though. THAT was swiftly removed. Recently, I have begun to use narrow lined paper pads again. Spending too much time on a computer can be harmful.

Hi again, thank you for the reply! I remember my fanfiction days, except I typed on a Google Doc instead of paper. I had to look up Tottenham Hotspurs as I have never heard the term. I found out that it is a football team. We learn something new every day! I'm not much of a sports fan, so I would have changed the wallpaper too. I use the blue-light filter/night shade thing on my computer half the time. I always have it turned on on my phone. My screen looks weird to me when I turn it off. There's just something about using a classic piece of paper though.

Tina Thomssen wrote: ↑09 Jun 2025, 15:16 Hi again, thank you for the reply! I remember my fanfiction days, except I typed on a Google Doc instead of paper. I had to look up Tottenham Hotspurs as I have never heard the term. I found out that it is a football team. We learn something new every day! I'm not much of a sports fan, so I would have changed the wallpaper too. I use the blue-light filter/night shade thing on my computer half the time. I always have it turned on on my phone. My screen looks weird to me when I turn it off. There's just something about using a classic piece of paper though.

The night setting on the computer screen sounds good. I might switch mine over. Yup, using the classic pen and paper does have something special to it/

My computer has a slide bar for the intensity of the night setting. Yours probably has something similar!

Tina Thomssen wrote: ↑10 Jun 2025, 12:25 My computer has a slide bar for the intensity of the night setting. Yours probably has something similar!

Actually it does! I'll try that. On my Windows 11, it is in the Settings Menu!

Hi Stacey. I'd like to be dramatic and say I write in blood, but I usually don't.
A nice gentleman from my writing group gave everyone who worked on a particular project a disposable fountain pen. It was great and I wrote it into the ground, so I'm going to go looking for your recommendations.

stacey+2018 wrote: ↑04 Jun 2025, 11:49 1. The Parker Vector fountain pen. I use a fine nib with blue/black ink.
2. The Ellington fountain pen. They have several ranges. I use one from 'The Stealth' range. Coupled with an extra fine nib with blue/black ink.
3. This one seems to be from a Chinese/Japanese pen company. This one is the Hongdian Matte Black Forest. An extra fine nib is also used with this one. Blue and black ink are used too.

I keep a pen and pad around for when I get a flash of an idea. At night, I write them down on the pad by bed, but if I don't sit up and turn the light on, my handwriting is so bad, even I can't read them, so the remarks are no use. I'm usually too lazy to do that. Sad to admit. Happy writing.

The pad of paper and pen beside the bed is a good idea! But first, I would have to dislodge a kitty every time! If you come across a good fountain pen please let me know! I really enjoy trying out different types.

Mary Daurio wrote: ↑28 Jul 2025, 19:04 Hi Stacey. I'd like to be dramatic and say I write in blood, but I usually don't.
A nice gentleman from my writing group gave everyone who worked on a particular project a disposable fountain pen. It was great and I wrote it into the ground, so I'm going to go looking for your recommendations.

stacey+2018 wrote: ↑04 Jun 2025, 11:49 1. The Parker Vector fountain pen. I use a fine nib with blue/black ink.
2. The Ellington fountain pen. They have several ranges. I use one from 'The Stealth' range. Coupled with an extra fine nib with blue/black ink.
3. This one seems to be from a Chinese/Japanese pen company. This one is the Hongdian Matte Black Forest. An extra fine nib is also used with this one. Blue and black ink are used too.

I keep a pen and pad around for when I get a flash of an idea. At night, I write them down on the pad by bed, but if I don't sit up and turn the light on, my handwriting is so bad, even I can't read them, so the remarks are no use. I'm usually too lazy to do that. Sad to admit. Happy writing.

I hope you enjoy writing with the fountain pens I mentioned. Dou you have any suggestions on what pen I should try?

stacey+2018 wrote: ↑30 Jul 2025, 16:29
I hope you enjoy writing with the fountain pens I mentioned. Do you have any suggestions on what pen I should try?

.
I remember having the reloadable ink fountain pens. You drew back a plunger while the nib was in a pot of ink, so when Papermate came up with the cartridge system, it was a treat. But I only have ones that came in a calligraphy kit, and they are plugged, so I will check your suggestions. But I did see a 13.00 $ vintage Papermate on Amazon.

Mary Daurio wrote: ↑30 Jul 2025, 20:35

stacey+2018 wrote: ↑30 Jul 2025, 16:29
I hope you enjoy writing with the fountain pens I mentioned. Do you have any suggestions on what pen I should try?

.
I remember having the reloadable ink fountain pens. You drew back a plunger while the nib was in a pot of ink, so when Papermate came up with the cartridge system, it was a treat. But I only have ones that came in a calligraphy kit, and they are plugged, so I will check your suggestions. But I did see a 13.00 $ vintage Papermate on Amazon.

I remember the ones you had to refill using the plunger! Parker fountain pens, I think, if you purchase them in a kit or box, come with both ink cartridge and the manual refill plunger! I'll have a look for the vintage Papermate fountain pen! I didn't even realize Papermate made their own version of fountain pens.