What Pen And Ink Would You Recommend For Writing A Dissertation (/thesis) ?

[CharlieTurtle]

So, I have two big events coming up:

1. On 23rd March (in a week) I turn 21
2. In September, I start my dissertation (/thesis, I think Americans call it?)

Said dissertation is a 10,000 word piece of writing - in my case, the subject is maritime history. I'd love to hand write this, at least before I type it up, because I find that's the best way for me to work.

 

I'm going to buy some ivory a4 paper to keep in a ring binder (suggestions for paper would be awesome too, come to think of it), but what pen and ink should I use?

 

I love my Safaris but the grip section can get a little slippy if my hand is sweaty. I adore my Nexx but I'd like this pen to be a 21st birthday present to myself and a Nexx just doesn't cut it.

 

And what ink? I mean, my first thought is blue or turquoise (sea colours) but any other ideas?

 

For the pen, my ''wish list'' is:

 

1. Light pen - though not so light it's fragile
2. Medium nib or 1.1mm italic available
3. Around £50-100
4. Preferably with a convertor or piston-fill (or vac fill)
5. Preferably not black. I don't know, I'm just not a fan of black pens.
6. Not too big - tiny hands. I'm only 5"3 and even then my hands are small for my size.
7. Ideally available easily - Goulet's, thewritingdesk, cult pens, amazon type easy.

There are NO pen stores near me, before you suggest that - I have looked!

 

Thanks,

 

Charlie

[hypnostene]

I am not going to suggest any particular pens or inks, but rather using something that gives you a lot of pleasure: say, if you enjoy shading, get an ink that shades like HELL. Writing itself is fairly difficult, so you want to make the experience as pleasant as possible.

 

I would also suggest writing your main text and footnotes with different inks, to make your main text stand out. For another approach: the "a pen to write a book with" thread has a quote from Gaiman, who would write his books in two inks, alternating them each day - this way he could easily gauge his progress. This also helps a lot, when you don't have easy access to "count words".

 

Finally, how are you going to do your references? Are you going to use archival data? I've always found these footnotes tedious enough that I wrote my theses on a computer, only using longhand for particularly difficult passages (although, I guess that with only 10 000 words it shouldn't be too much of a problem). Good luck!

Edited March 18, 2014 by hypnostene

[AndrewC]

Get a Pelikan M200 (used) with a steel nib-the older ones often flex a bit. I find the gold M400 nibs are all nails and tiring to write with. Piston filler that holds a fair amount of ink, sturdy as #%$&, easy to clean as the nib unit screws out, so you can also change nibs if you want (get that 1.1 latewr when you find it cheap or someone is selling one on a sales board). Post a WTB here, Pentrace, FPClassifieds, etc. Explain this is your 21st BD/Dissertation present, and see what pops up. The M200/400 pens are small enough for your hand, but not so thin your hand will fatigue from clutching it. And they come in many cool colors, including demonstrators in blue, grey, red, green, amber, etc.

 

As to ink-get something that won't run or bleed if you spill on it. Noodlers has plenty of nice colors that are bullet proof. There are also quite a few maritime themed inks in that label. Diamine Sargasso Sea is a great color, but it might be best to avoid given the bad luck associated with that area. Hate to see you becalmed...Whatever you use, keep in mind that if it is really bright and you are going to have someone read it, it might be hard on the eyes and annoying. I only point this out from experience.

 

Good luck and early Happy 21st Birthday!

[SnorriRafn]

For mine I mostly used a Safari and a TWSBI 580. I had a few inks around and made sure that I used only one pen per writing session, in effect color coding it by day.

[Jbloodwo]

Although I have never written anything close the the length of a thesis or dissertation, i do like what i have heard Gaiman does when he is writing. the only other thing that i can think of is when writing you initial passes by hand it might be easier from a formatting prospective to use end notes and not footnotes. just keep them organized by section,chapter, or however you faculty adviser tells you the comity wants to see the work formatted. congratulations on your degree. as for pen i am really new to this so i cant really make any recommendation as to the pen. if you are going with the several color approach, you might want to do what some other form members do and use the color of the pen to indelicate the ink color. For example a black and blue pen for normal witting and say a green or red for foot/end notes.

[Nokin]

The Pelikan 200 range seems a good choice for you. Personally I find them too light (and small) myself but they could be ideal for you, and suit your price range. Take a look at http://www.pelikanpens.co.uk/acatalog/Pelikan_Classic_Range.html as a starting point. (No affiliation, but I have always had good service from them).

 

You might also like to consider R&K Verdigris for the ink, but you need decent paper or you might see some feathering.

[Wolverine1]

I would second Andrew"s recommendation. Get a used Pelikan M200 pen, or get a used Lamy 2000 pen. Both of them are workhorses. Best of luck and Happy Birthday!!!

[Diver]

Easy.

 

TWSBI 580 in clear with a 1.1 nib. Load it with Waterman South Seas Blue (called inspired blue now).

 

For paper, hunt out the Nuco Elite A4 journals (lay flat or ringbound).

 

Add the whole ensemble together, pen, ink, paper should hit about £70.

 

I personally have the set up above with the exception of the TWSBI being a 540. Had it a couple of years now and it is going strong. The 580's appear to be better made and don't seem to have any quality issues.

 

The Waterman blue works lovely in this pen/nib/paper combination and never fails to start. Very well behaved ink. It's also cheap and available in a lot of online places, which is a bonus once you start consuming the ink in quantities.

 

The TWSBI, although not exactly a cheap pen, is inexpensive enough to replace if you have an accident with it or it goes missing. Any on the hoof repairs can be done, full strip down for cleaning etc very easily, it comes with it's own spanner and dab of silicone.

 

SnorriRafn above has the best idea, get yourself a Safari as a back up as well, they also have a 1.1 nib. I do find the safari a drier pen personally but it's nice to have a little variety. It is also easy to maintain, nibs are £4-ish and easy to change so you can have a small selection etc. I would invest in a convertor if you take the Lamy route and use your own choice of ink.

 

+1 On the recommendations for Pelikans above, but I would rather hold off and buy myself one of those as a reward for completing the dissertation on time, as you will have no doubt earned the treat. A little incentive perhaps?

 

Anyhow, lets us all know what you decide to go for eventually, at the price point you are at, there is quite a lot of choice available.

 

All the Best.

[CharlieTurtle]

Finally, how are you going to do your references? Are you going to use archival data? I've always found these footnotes tedious enough that I wrote my theses on a computer, only using longhand for particularly difficult passages (although, I guess that with only 10 000 words it shouldn't be too much of a problem). Good luck!

 

My initial plan was to put the footnote number in the right place like this¹ and then stick a post-it note to the page with the reference written on it

 

it might be easier from a formatting prospective to use end notes and not footnotes. just keep them organized by section,chapter, or however you faculty adviser tells you the comity wants to see the work formatted.

 

We have to use footnotes, unfortunately

[CharlieTurtle]

Easy.

 

TWSBI 580 in clear with a 1.1 nib. Load it with Waterman South Seas Blue (called inspired blue now).

 

For paper, hunt out the Nuco Elite A4 journals (lay flat or ringbound).

 

Add the whole ensemble together, pen, ink, paper should hit about £70.

 

I personally have the set up above with the exception of the TWSBI being a 540. Had it a couple of years now and it is going strong. The 580's appear to be better made and don't seem to have any quality issues.

 

The Waterman blue works lovely in this pen/nib/paper combination and never fails to start. Very well behaved ink. It's also cheap and available in a lot of online places, which is a bonus once you start consuming the ink in quantities.

 

The TWSBI, although not exactly a cheap pen, is inexpensive enough to replace if you have an accident with it or it goes missing. Any on the hoof repairs can be done, full strip down for cleaning etc very easily, it comes with it's own spanner and dab of silicone.

 

SnorriRafn above has the best idea, get yourself a Safari as a back up as well, they also have a 1.1 nib. I do find the safari a drier pen personally but it's nice to have a little variety. It is also easy to maintain, nibs are £4-ish and easy to change so you can have a small selection etc. I would invest in a convertor if you take the Lamy route and use your own choice of ink.

 

+1 On the recommendations for Pelikans above, but I would rather hold off and buy myself one of those as a reward for completing the dissertation on time, as you will have no doubt earned the treat. A little incentive perhaps?

 

Anyhow, lets us all know what you decide to go for eventually, at the price point you are at, there is quite a lot of choice available.

 

All the Best.

 

I have a selection of safari/al stars available, I just didn't feel like they were a good enough gift for myself (that sounds very snobby, doesn't it, but I wanted this to be something a little... special as the most I've spent on a pen before is £25)

 

I do like the TWISBI idea, though, and seeing my ink level would be nice.

[Charles Rice]

 

Said dissertation is a 10,000 word piece of writing - in my case, the subject is maritime history.

 

I figure that if it is about Maritime History, you best use a Sailor. LOL

[Jbloodwo]

 

My initial plan was to put the footnote number in the right place like this¹ and then stick a post-it note to the page with the reference written on it

 

 

We have to use footnotes, unfortunately

I was thinking more for the initial hand written drafts of you project, as yellow stickies can get lost easily. you could then convert them to foot notes in either a second hand written draft or when you go to transcribe the document in to a document in the word processing software of your choice. Basically you are saying something along the line of what i was thinking in my mind, only instead of using sticky note collecting you citations as "pseudo" end notes do you know how the want the note numbed is it by entire document, chapter/section, or page?

 

"so you would end up with something like this then"¹

1: Straw, Jack, "some title here" pp 15-xx © date, publisher

or what ever format your note goes in.

[Diver]

If you can manage with a cartridge converter instead of an ink window, I think you will find the "Parson's Essentials Italix" with a medium italic nib will fit the bill nicely. It is very much a classic looking pen. I know you want to avoid black, but this thing lays down the smoothest of lines and looks classy it is worth a try. I can't vouch for other nibs in the range, but the medium italic is glassy smooth.

 

I have just watched a review by Stephen Brown and he mentioned Faber Castell nibs being ultra smooth as well (although I think they shy away from italic varieties). The Ondoro retails at £60-£70, is a little unusual in design but the few reviews I have read about it seem to fit your criteria. I almost bought one two weeks ago until something bigger and shinier caught my eye.

 

The price point you are in really leaves a lot of choice available to you. I think any of the ideas from the guys in this thread are top notch, it is really down to your personal preference.

 

:-)

[welch]

- Pelikan 200 is a great pen. The steel nib (I use a medium) has some give to it...just right. I bought it from Richard Binder. Blue, of course. One great thing about the Pelikan is that they follow the Esterbrook example: nibs unscrew. A Pel 150, 200, or 400 series nib will all fit the 200. (Larger Pelikan nibs are too long for the inner cap). Break a nib or don't like a nib: new ones are about $30 USD. TWD has Pel 200s for 62 GBP and 205s fpr about 80 GBP.

 

- Lamy 2000 sells for about $125, although I just checked The Writing Desk and gasped. Now at 175 GBP...something luke 250 USD or more. Ouch!!!

 

I'd choose a Pelikan.

 

By the way, you can get a great "English" Parker 51 for less than 10 GBP. Make sure you like the nib-guage, since only a repair specialist can comfortably pull a 51 hood and set another nib. The P51 was made when people wrote all day...then handed their writing to a typist. Almost all "made in England" 51s are aerometric, which is the simplest and most reliable 51 filling system.

 

Also consider an English Parker 61 cartridge convertable. Parker made the 61 c/c starting about 1969. after finding that the market did not want the amazing, but disastrous, capillary filler. Intended to be the replacement as parker's high-end pen.

 

For details on both pens, see Tony Fischier's Parker Penography, at http://parkercollector.com/

 

No kidding: the Parker 51 was probably the best fountain pen ever made, and only about three times better than any current pen.

[Koyote]

I'll be the contrarian and suggest that you use a computer from the start. This is academic writing, not creative writing (I presume) and hence you will likely often be going back to edit while the work is in-progress...You will find new sources that relate to material you have already written, you will modify your argument, etc. Such "editing on the fly" is much easier to accomplish with a word processer than with a pen and paper, and will be more efficient than producing one entire draft with just some scribbled edits in the margins.

 

Footnoting is also much easier with a word processor -- the program will automatically renumber them as you add/subtract references. Much easier than trying to keep track of them with post-it notes.

 

In other words, "horses for courses." Don't let your love of FPs lead you to a less-efficient (more time-consuming) method for doing something that is already difficult enough.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Koyote

[Bigeddie]

I would recommend a Pelikan M200 too, they are beautiful little pens, a good size, the section 'lip' makes for a nice grip over long periods. You should have no problem writing a 10k word dissertation with one. (I think you are making a good move in drafting by hand, I get a lot of disso's and other assignments to mark which have clearly never been drafted, just mind dumped on to word!)

 

For paper I am using Clarefontaine seyes lined paper, it's very high quality and the seyes allow you to use them as you wish with custom spaces between them for notes and amendments as you write. It will depend on your handwriting size. I ordered the A5 by mistake and have learned to love it while writing my PhD thesis. I can post you some sheets to try if you PM me an address

 

For ink, I would go for something regular and not too distracting, MB Royal Blue would be my first choice. You can have fun with your Nexx for mark up and edits though! I like red for markup of my own drafts; Diamine Oxblood and Sheaffer Scrip Red recently, MB Winterglow Red previously.

[kenshiro]

Depends largely on the size of your hand, I think. I generally use larger pens, but have smaller hands, so if I know I'm going to be writing for a long time, I'll use a TWSBI Mini. As for ink choice, it also depends on the size of your writing and what nib widths you tend to prefer. If you write tightly on college-ruled, then of course you'll tend towards EF or F, which in most cases means you'll want a more lubricating ink like one of the Noodler's Eel inks to take the edge off the scratchiness; if you're writing on better paper in a larger hand, then the world is your oyster with a wet M or B nib.

 

On the whole though, as someone who wrote his dissertation last year (240pp) the idea of writing such a document longhand is unfathomable to me.

[CharlieTurtle]

I'll be the contrarian and suggest that you use a computer from the start. This is academic writing, not creative writing (I presume) and hence you will likely often be going back to edit while the work is in-progress...You will find new sources that relate to material you have already written, you will modify your argument, etc. Such "editing on the fly" is much easier to accomplish with a word processer than with a pen and paper, and will be more efficient than producing one entire draft with just some scribbled edits in the margins.

 

Footnoting is also much easier with a word processor -- the program will automatically renumber them as you add/subtract references. Much easier than trying to keep track of them with post-it notes.

 

In other words, "horses for courses." Don't let your love of FPs lead you to a less-efficient (more time-consuming) method for doing something that is already difficult enough.

 

Does mean carting my laptop about, though, and also allows me to get distracted

 

Depends largely on the size of your hand, I think. I generally use larger pens, but have smaller hands, so if I know I'm going to be writing for a long time, I'll use a TWSBI Mini. As for ink choice, it also depends on the size of your writing and what nib widths you tend to prefer. If you write tightly on college-ruled, then of course you'll tend towards EF or F, which in most cases means you'll want a more lubricating ink like one of the Noodler's Eel inks to take the edge off the scratchiness; if you're writing on better paper in a larger hand, then the world is your oyster with a wet M or B nib.

 

On the whole though, as someone who wrote his dissertation last year (240pp) the idea of writing such a document longhand is unfathomable to me.

 

I prefer to plan by hand at the very least, and write in small pieces (say 1,000 words) rather than all at once

[hypnostene]

I would suggest a more robust approach to footnotes than sticky notes. But then again I have been called a footnote fetishist by my social scientist friends.

 

I'll be the contrarian and suggest that you use a computer from the start. This is academic writing, not creative writing (I presume) and hence you will likely often be going back to edit while the work is in-progress...You will find new sources that relate to material you have already written, you will modify your argument, etc. Such "editing on the fly" is much easier to accomplish with a word processer than with a pen and paper, and will be more efficient than producing one entire draft with just some scribbled edits in the margins.

 

Footnoting is also much easier with a word processor -- the program will automatically renumber them as you add/subtract references. Much easier than trying to keep track of them with post-it notes.

 

In other words, "horses for courses." Don't let your love of FPs lead you to a less-efficient (more time-consuming) method for doing something that is already difficult enough.

 

That was my initial thought too, but at 10 000 words with footnotes, it's only around 30 pages. That kind of length means that revisions aren't too big of a problem, and he can actually benefit from doing a proper, edit-less first draft.

[CharlieTurtle]

I would suggest a more robust approach to footnotes than sticky notes. But then again I have been called a footnote fetishist by my social scientist friends.

 

 

That was my initial thought too, but at 10 000 words with footnotes, it's only around 30 pages. That kind of length means that revisions aren't too big of a problem, and he can actually benefit from doing a proper, edit-less first draft.

 

Note to self: make avatar more feminine

 

I usually hand write a draft of an essay, go through once done and edit for spelling etc, type it up, and then edit "properly". Takes a while, but I have a year to do this thing.