Am I Crazy For Wanting A Climate Controlled Writing Room?

[Tseg]

I have so many pens I love to write with, but change in temperature and humidity impact my writing experience. For me, certain humidities makes my pens perform more to my liking than other humidities, likewise, or maybe related, I enjoy the feel of writing better when the temperature outside is cooler, but not too cool. My nibs are smoother, lag is reduced, etc... anyone else wish they had a tight tolerance temp and humidity controlled room so you could dial in a more consistent writing at peak performance? A fine fountain pen is like a fine bottle of wine and must be kept and decanted properly.

Said another way, “You know you are a fountain pen geek when you find yourself investing in a climate controlled writing room.” And here you thought you had it bad the first time you upgraded to a 14K gold nib from the standard steel nib.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Tseg

[silverlifter]

While I understand the sentiment (it is akin to spending very large amounts of money on specialised high fidelity audio equipment), it is not one that bothers me.

 

Pens are pens. I enjoy writing with them, but ultimately I derive my satisfaction from the meaning on the page, not the marks they leave.

[SpecTP]

totes cray cray.. totes.

 

[Ron Z]

To answer your subject line question: Yes.

 

I doubt that the pens are that sensitive to changes in temperature, air pressure and humidity. Actually, air pressure slightly, but they're designed to work in a broad range of conditions. OTOH, your perception of performance may reflect your mood, which could vary depending on weather conditions.

[DrDebG]

Yes, temperature, air pressure and especially humidity do affect performance. But then again, I live in a more extreme environment with low to very low humidity. I have some pens that I just can not use when I am at home or unless I have a humidfier going. They are just too dry regardless of paper or ink.

[Parker51]

I don't know your environment so I can't comment on your sanity.

 

For me, the pens I use were all designed to function In an environment similar to where I live, and that environment has improved with technology as it is largely a climate controlled environment with central heating and cooling; my home or a local library.

 

Some of the aspects of the "good old days" when many of the pens I own were first designed are gratefully long gone for me; cold rooms in the winter and hot humid rooms in the summer.

 

But as the pens were designed to function in those environments they should still work in them. The problem is some peoples environments are significantly warmer and significantly more humid or less humid than where the pens were designed for and may be uncomfortable environments for writing.

 

For people in uncomfortable environments a climate controlled writing room might make sense, especially if the cost of a climate controlled home is prohibitive.

Perhaps it could be combined with a library so as to also function to help preserve ones books and artwork.

 

I can easily imagine designing and creating such a room in a tropical environment, preferably in a location with a nice view.

And given some of the extravagant constructs I have seen an a variety of Television programs related to houses, it strikes me as a fairly affordable and sensible constructs, actually about the same as some of the sheds I have seen built, with the only min difference being a focus on writing and the inclusion of a combination air conditioner/heating unit.

 

I just checked, and Roald Dahl had a writing shed, inspired by the one Dylan Thomas had, so, I have changed my mind and will offer an opinion, no, you are not crazy.

Precident has been established for the creation of a special place to write by successful authors. All you are changing is climate control and using a room rather than a shed. And in reflection, there is a Television program which had a character who's husband created a writers room for her in their home, so you can even point to popular entertainment (the show is still in production in the US under the name "The Connors") as an example.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Parker51

[praxim]

Yes but hey, who's counting?

Edited February 14, 2020 by praxim

[BDarchitect]

If you have a relatively modern public library near you, the climate control system for the building should give you a temperature and humidity range close to your liking, usually something like 68-72 degrees F and about 40-50% relative humidity, maybe a bit lower. So you should be able to sit in the reading room and write to your heart's content. Likewise, modern museum HVAC systems keep their collections at a very tight 70 degrees F and 50% RH, so if you can find a museum that will let you take out a fountain pen, give that a try as well.

[como]

Not if you are God/Goddess of Calligraphy!😀

Edited February 15, 2020 by como

[Mangrove Jack]

No. If you want to, go for it. To each his own.

 

In addition to temperature, humidity and lighting consider adding odor control too. It would be nice to have a certain smell to go with certain pens and their inks.

[silverlifter]

Roald Dahl had a writing shed, inspired by the one Dylan Thomas had...

 

Both writers had spaces conducive to writing, not to pens (ie., the rationale was peace & quiet, not a climate controlled environment for capillary action).

[JakobS]

I don't find it crazy, not only would a room you find comfortable help keep you focused on the act of writing, but it probably will also help preserve that which you are writing, if you are looking for cooler, lower humidity conditions. It would also save a bit on the electric bill!

 

As has been mentioned many writers famous, infamous, or obscure have created their own little spaces to focus on their craft, many of course didn't use fountain pens, so may of not cared if the graphite on their pencil performed in any climate dependent manner. But, they each created an area that made them content and focused, and however one gets there, those are the things that are most important. Getting bogged down in the details and unable to write otherwise would be the worst case scenario.

[Thymen]

Not crazy..... but no need to take it to the extremes.

 

When my room is too cold, I put on the heater. Too warm, so my palms get sweaty, I open a window or turn on the fan. I dim the lights, and put on one or two desk lamps. Or draw the shades when the sun is shining brightly. Humidity is more or less constant at about 45-50%, no need to regulate that.

 

Humidity really affects how fountain pens write; at work, humidity is about 25%; way too low to be comfortable for me, and even my better writing pens and paper combinations don't work as the do at home.

 

I want to feel comfortable when I write. Otherwise it's beginning to look like work (and you have to bring your own gear and pay)..

[inkstainedruth]

I don't see an issue with it, as long as the OP is happy with the result, and can afford to deal with the climate control issues apparently needed.

Personally, I am just as happy doing my morning pages journal in bed before I actually get up (unless for some reason I have to get up super early, and then that often gets pushed back to when and where I end up eating breakfast; and on occasion -- if my husband is driving -- in a moving car... ). A lot of other writing/drawing is wherever I happen to be. Bills tend to get paid in the living room because that's where I have basket for stuff like that (including things like paperclips and post-it flags). Other writing (fiction/poetry) is, again, wherever I happen to be when the muse decides to come crashing in (often wearing hobnail work boots.... ).

I guess I'm personally less concerned about it because of my mother. Because of her bad foot, she often had to rest in the afternoon with her feet up. My dad bought her one of those bed trays that had side pockets and was sturdy enough to hold her typewriter (originally an old Royal manual typewriter, which got upgraded in the early 1970s to an IBM Selectric, and then in the late 1980s to a small portable word processor once she found one where she liked the screen color). And she would sit with her back propped up with a wedge pillow and write (but because it was the bedroom she could never take it off her taxes as an "office"). That system worked well enough for her to get over 40 novels published (everything from mysteries to SF to bodice rippers to Regency romances).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[essayfaire]

Plants and musical instruments care about such things, perhaps pens do as well. My pens don't seem to mind our temperature/humidity swings.

 

Of course, I've heard it said that the definition of eccentric is "crazy with money".

[torstar]

as a lefty i would enjoy this, no sweat or other stuff getting on the page below my writing, Clairefontaine is amazing at getting sensitive over any kind of hand-sweat....

[sansenri]

Too many other variables involved, you may not achieve your final scope.

 

On the other hand, it would cost you some, but probably not a huge sum to air condition your room and make sure your windows are air tight.

Modern air conditioners can control both temperature and humidity, inverters can manage both cold and warm temperatures.

 

Not sure about your pens, you may enjoy it though.

[A Smug Dill]

That, to me, is akin to wanting a strictly controlled environment as the only circumstances in which one would perform kata "more consistently" or engage in sparring "at peak performance". No doubt it could make the practice of a martial art as a hobby more enjoyable to some people; and with that rationale in mind, I don't think they're crazy for wanting such. Personally, though, I prefer to be able to execute my movements with consistent timing and precision in spite of variations in the ambient temperature, humidity, altitude, time of day, what I'm wearing and so on; and be just as quick, vicious and effective in hand-to-hand combat in disparate or even somewhat adverse circumstances.

 

I see my "hobby" or pursuit of writing with fountain pens in a similar way, and want to be able to produce acceptably good results on paper and a feeling of success and satisfaction, even when this variable or that is not ideal. So, while I'm not going to say no to an ergonomically sound set-up in a comfortable writing room, or (what I subjectively consider to be) capable pens, reliable inks and good paper for that matter, I don't wish or want to limit my enjoyment of handwriting, or "success" in achieving the intended outcomes for which I picked up and uncapped a fountain pen, to only when I have all that.

[Mannyonpil]

If the room is too cold my fingers become stiff. If I come into an overly warm room from a cold environment, my eyedropper pens may get a mind to misbehave. I also do not like to write in an environment where it is so hot and humid that the paper sticks to my sweaty hands or forearms. I also would rather not submit pens to the salt of my perspiration.

 

These are really considerations of my comfort rather than the performance of the pen, with the exception of eyedroppers wanting to burp with a radical change from cold to hot.

[sandy101]

George Bernard Shaw had a rotating writing ht. It rotated, so he could turn it so that it faced the sun thorugh-out the day. So, I suppose he had a temperature controlled writing room.

 

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/george-bernard-shaws-garden