What do I write with? Well, for the most part, I use a cheap-ass Dell hardwired keyboard attached to an Acer desktop computer with two monitors- one for reference, one for writing.
I also use Junior Legal Pads (yellow) with a small array of pens. Here are some of my favorites with links to Amazon:
Fountain pens- Traditional, classic, awesome. Did you know… Stephen King wrote ‘IT’ with a fountain pen.
- Cross Bailey Light fountain pen- Looks good, feels good, comes in a fine tip
- Cross Bailey (Classic) fountain pen- Feels great! If only it came in a fine tip, it would be tied with #1.
- Cross Calais fountain pen- Another fantastic pen from Cross! Why, oh why, don’t they make these in fine tip? It could have been up there with #1. Posting the cap takes a little effort. Comfortable grip without being too bulky. Try the ballpoint twist (see below.)
- Why all Cross pens? I’ve tried several others, Wordsworth & Black, Pilot, Dryden Designs, which are very nice, but Cross has the best ink. They figured it out. It’s smooth and fast drying. Check it out.
Some more practical pens I use- I have a second job, which takes me from mostly office to sometimes warehouse. I have to leave a lot of notes on paperwork.
- Again, The Cross Bailey except with a rollerball tip- I like to think that since I’m management, I use a fancier pen. In reality, it feels good and I like the gel ink. Though I do switch to fine point refills. (Often times, I have to write small.)
- And of course- The Cross Calais, it’s fat enough you don’t get a cramp in your hand; that’s important, since my hand has been broken and fingers dislocated. I like the gel ink Rollerball, but the Ballpoint, that twists open, is a favorite all-around everyday use pen. I’m partial to the blue/chrome, but the matte black is decent too.
- Always in my pocket for writing emergencies, inconveniences, and the less than sanitary conditions of borrowed pens, I carry a Fisher Bullet Space Pen. Never leave home without a pen; it pairs nicely with a Moleskine Volant or Cahier Journal and cozies right up next to my wallet.
Everyday durable, universal, one hand use, the clicker pens:
- Zebra F301– Stainless steel with a sturdy clip, not so expensive that you’re afraid to loan it out, slides in/out of pockets, this pen works. And it’s refillable too! The Zebra F301 is great for dirty warehouse hands. The only edge it has over the next one is that if you fail to retract the ballpoint, it is less likely to leave a mark on your shirt or pants.
- Zebra G302– How do you make the F301 better? Gel ink with a fine tip. The only downer, and just barely, you have to be sure to retract it before pocketing.
- And finally, to her credit, the WriteWife likes the Pilot Precise V5 RT. They’re affordable and great if you leave them on a desk; otherwise, the rubber grip can make pocketing a fuzzy challenge.
Parting advice, if you have to leave pens on a counter for guest to use, get something antimicrobial with a cap, then remove the cap. Nobody walks off with a capless, non-retractable pen. Some more creative people stick flowers to the end so when you put it in a cup with others you have a nice bouquet.