What Do You Actually Use Your Pens For?

[bsenn]

If I need to write, I use a fountain pen.

+1, although i do use a mechanical pencil for sketches at work (fountain pens don't erase).

 

Brian

[Brian K]

If I need to write, I use a fountain pen.

 

What he said, except for a couple things at work where a bp (shudder) is the appropriate instrument, in which case the fps subcontract the job to a sturdy Bic Clic. Everything and everywhere else - home, church, work or out and about it's fps all the way.

[Brian K]

 

MB 149, eh?

 

In an emergency mine doubles as a weapon!

[Brian K]

I use my pens almost constantly to stir coffee, open cans, poke holes in drink boxes, open beer bottles, clean nails, reset clocks, as tent stakes when camping, planting flowers, ...

 

Mr. McGyver, nice to have you among us...and not against us

[WaskiSquirrel]

I do almost all my writing with a fountain pen or a pencil.

 

A huge chunk of my writing is novel writing. I just can't think when I type. I hoped to type the third draft of the current novel, but couldn't. What I'm doing instead is a hybrid 3-4 draft where I write the chapter and then type. At least this helps me edit, and it will finally get it on the computer.

 

Another chunk of writing is that I like to do the homework assignments I give before I assign them. I teach a variety of math and science courses, and most of them are very math based. I enjoy writing in one color and then using a bright color to add notes or emphasize certain steps. I scan these pages as .pdf files and post them online after the assignment is due so that my students can check their own work.

 

Beyond this, I write to pay attention (notes in meetings), I write lists, letters, story and book ideas, and so on. I also use a bullet journal to keep myself organized. It just works better for me than any of the electronic alternatives.

[ParkersAndPaper]

I'm a professor and radio professional. I use my pens for pretty much every use that requires a pen; to write lectures, and notes for articles and research, show rundowns, shopping lists, post-its in my office. The only "extras" that I really do that I wouldn't do if I didn't collect fountain pens is keep journals for prayer, diary, and lexio divina.

[Vgimlet]

As stated in many posts above, pretty much everything I do on paper is done with a fountain pen, both at work and at home.

 

I have many journals, two I write in daily. I write to-do lists, grocery lists. I don't write my fiction by longhand anymore, but I might write notes if I get an idea I want to keep track of. I check off my to-do lists with a different color FP ink, too.

 

I work at a library, so if you leave with a piece of paper from my desk with a list of authors you might like, the dewey decimal number for books on deck building or the database that you'll use to look up obituaries, you will have information written with a fountain pen.

Edited August 23, 2014 by Vgimlet

[lurker]

Journal, note taking, shopping lists, underlining in books

[Legal Eagle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEbpXnJGEq4

[lehrer07]

Everything, but especially grading (high school German teacher) and daily writing in my journal.

[bitterwonder]

Drawing. Occasionally writing if I need to.

[tinysnail]

Work, which means doing math all day, writing letters, keeping my planner updated, practicing handwriting, and journalling. I write a lot! I've started to pay attention and I go through 1-2mL of ink every day. I expect that will go up once school starts and I'll have to do more note-taking and assignments.

[phonelady61]

I use my pens everyday for letter writing note taking and journaling as well

[Dottie]

I use mine for journaling, writing notes, lists, letters, sometimes art and doodling. Today I was at a workshop so I used them to take notes, highlight the workshop material and make notes on business cards for and about other people. I'd like to learn how to Sketchnote.

[Icywolfe]

I use my pens to open pop caps, brush my teeth, eat macaroni and cheese, and kill people.

 

Actually I use my pens to write "certain" stories. To write notes about my gameplay on my computer games. To write Japanese Characters that I'm learning. Basically anything that involves writing. All my pens will have a job. If it doesn't have a job I'll learn something new to give it a job.

[vossad01]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEbpXnJGEq4

 

[sadiemagic]

I use a Fountain pen for most every writing task. I journal, work crosswords and Sudoku, sign checks, make todo lists, sign documents, write the occasional letter, sign greeting cards and take sermon notes in church.

 

What he said. Except for take sermon notes in church. :-)

[ScienceChick]

Anything I write that doesn't require a BP or a pencil. I messed up my wrist back in June and have found that it doesn't hurt when I write with a FP. Not true with a BP.

 

In a pinch, a nice heavy pen with an EF nib makes a dandy dart or stiletto. Just sayin'.

[jameswatts]

Everything. I'm a journalist, so all face to face interview notes as well as notes I make during reviews (Lamy Safari is great because he grip lets me know I'm holding the pen in the right way for writing in the dark). I also write plays and pro fiction and all first drafts are written with fountain pens. Current favorites for these efforts are my Pilot Custom 823 and the Viconti homo Sapiens.

[ChickenScratch]

If any writing or drawing or marking-up task can be done with a fountain pen, I do it with a fountain pen. Taking notes, making lists, doodling, drawing, composing letters, book reviews, filling out forms, signing checks, doing language drills, etc. Just to make the daily grind of life more fun. Fountain pens (and nice ink and paper) also serve as motivation to get writing tasks done earlier. If the experience is pleasant and fun, I am much less likely to put it off till tomorrow.