Best Pen For Writing Your Memoirs, Biography Or A Book

[theblackpen]

Let's say that you're thinking about writing your memoirs and you don't want to use a PC or a typewriter. You're using something more personal, closer to your heart. Something more civilized ( you're the lightsaber type not the phaser kind of guy/woman, just like Obi Wan Kenobi). You're using a fountainpen. I would go for a Sheaffer Targa. How about you?

[andybiotic]

Something that is comfortable to use over an extended period, I.e. smooth. Something that will keep me entertained consistently, e.g. something with line variation, like a cursive italic or a flexible nib. And something that has good ink supply, so you don't have to fill it up every page. Sadly I not have a pen that satisfy all of the above criteria. My cursive italics are cartridge filled, my smoothest wiring nib is a normal medium, my best flex nib is not always smooth... In the end if I have to settle with one, it will have to be my Pendleton point medium cursive italic on a Rosetta mosaic and just forget that it uses cartridges...

Edited February 21, 2012 by andybiotic

[Clancy]

Hmmm....yes, something comfortable for an extended period of time. For me I'd choose my Pelikan M600.

[Mickey]

That's really going to depend on a bunch of factors. Probably the most important are the size of your hands and the normal size of your writing. These will determine pen length and nib width. The pen, when grounded, should be long enough to reach past the web of your hand, and the nib should be narrow enough that the letter 'e' at your normal writing size does not tend to close up.

 

After that, I would chose a light weight pen (heavy pens and extended writing sessions don't go well together) and have the pen set up normal to dry unless you use blotter paper religiously; you don't want to smear the facing page or be stuck waiting for ink to dry.

 

After several less than successful choices, I've finally settled on a Nakaya with a Fine nib, set 5 of 10 wet. This is probably too fine and a little dry for some folks, but it suits my hand and writing size. If your hands are average sized (mine are decidedly not), a Platinum President is an excellent writer and a bit of a bargain a bit over $200: same nib as the Nakaya but no frills.

[ajoe]

I would go for a Sheaffer Targa. How about you?

 

No. I would use something else.

[Pierce]

what about the paper a narrow line a4 would be my worst nightmare.

 

and why one pen? or even one ink?

 

if i had to live with just one id pick up hmm... m1000 as my m600 feels "small" now that i have the 1000. though the twsbi 540 would be tempting.

[Fabienne]

A Pilot because they have amazingly smooth nibs. Try their 823 sometime. Too much $, the Custom 74 is a real smooth easy lightweight pen.

 

A Pelikan broad nib is a great choice as well. Smooth and very plush. Somehow it feels as if it is putting down more ink at every stroke than any other pen I own. I got a replacement nib for a nice M215 body from Richard Binder and had him Binderize the nib. That is posh. Care to upgrade to something like a White Tortoise, John Mottishaw will tune your nib and it will be just your preferences alone. Can't beat that. This would do if you like a smaller pen. It's an M400 and a real light weight beauty.

 

Perhaps you are a bit short of cash. You can't beat a TWSBI for smooth lovely writing and a lot of ink going down.

 

I would have to fight myself over the Pilot and the White Tortoise for the memoir. So, maybe I would cheat and write one chapter with the Pel and one with the Pi. Great pleasure either way.

Edited February 21, 2012 by Fabienne

[SamCapote]

Something that long, I would use a variety of pens and inks. In part because each of them have their own personality, and seem to "call forth" unique experiences and feelings....which in turn affects your memories and style of writing. I mean style in terms of nib/ink/paper feel, quality and spacing of penmanship, playful, serious, significant, but it also affects the style of your thoughts and what you have to say. I may want to stay with permanent ink colors.

[ajoe]

Here is how it would go down:

 

Once I decided to write my memoirs, I would start shopping for a publisher.

 

When the word hit the street that I would be writing my memoirs, Montblanc would contact me to do a Writers Edition in my name.

 

In exchange for their generous support, I would agree to use their pens and have book signing at Montblanc Boutiques.

 

You guys would line up to buy the new Montblanc WE "Ajoe", because let's face it, you will buy anything.

 

So, I will use my newly gifted Solid Gold one-of-a-lind Montblanc 149 with custom let-right OOBB nib. But just to let them know they didn't pay me quite enough, I'll use Aurora Black ink.

Edited February 21, 2012 by ajoe

[flight878]

Lamy 2000. EF or F nib.

[Lszuk]

Definitely a MB 149. It's comfortable, writes flawlessly, and holds a good amount of ink. And no matter how many times it's used, it's always is pleasing to the eye.

[Yuki Onitsura]

Edison Pearl in black ebonite (comfortable and less distracting than something shiny or colourful), bulb filler, stub nib.

 

Yuki

[ylw]

Any of my fountain pens because I actually buy them for prolonged writing. Not that I currently do much of that but I have this strange habit of writing down the manual of a command on paper (I could read it on screen or print it) or something like that (and those manuals can be quite lengthy). The fact that I'm a sysadmin and am still using pen and paper is seen as rather strange by many anyway

[JefferyS]

I would want a piston filler, syringe filler, or bulb filler. My choices would be:

 

Edison (take your pick) bulb filler (the #76 in bulb filler is just right for me)

Pelikan M800 or M805

Gate City Postal Senior

Gate City Belmont

Bexley Corona

TWSBI

 

If you are going to do a lot of writing, fiddling with a cartridge/converter is sort of a pain.

[sadiemagic]

I'd go for some of the pens that I enjoy writing with most:

 

Omas Paragon Blue HT with a broad nib ground to a CI by John Mottishaw (piston fill).

Pelikan M800 green demonstrator with a broad nib (also a piston fill)

Bexley Corona Summer Storm with a broad nib ground to a CI by Richard Binder (another piston fill)

Platinum Galaxy Maki-e with a music nib (its only drawback the converter, which I'd have to fill often)

 

All of these pens are supremely comfortable to write with and could be used for hours on end....

[mark e]

my almost-too-smoove-and-wet -m- nib pelikan 140---light enough, well balanced (posted or not), classic looks, easy maintenance---wish i had a dozen of 'em, w/ a dozen different ink colors

[asaha]

Currently, I would use my MB 149. No long ago, I wrote up an article more than 5000 words. The 149 was performing so well that I could not even feel the existance of writing. It was like I was printing my thought on paper

[BrandonA]

I would go for a Sheaffer Targa. How about you?

 

No. I would use something else.

 

And that would be?

 

I think I might use my MB Faulkner (fine nib). I've currently got it inked and am using it at work. It is super smooth, about the right size in the hand and when I drift away into thought I find it smoothly to fondle the pen's barrel.

[basterma]

I have to agree with SamCapote. I'd write the thing with the pens in my regular rotation, just like I lived my life using the pens in my rotation.

[JLT]

I'd probably use more than one pen for the reasons that SamCapote has mentioned, but the bulk of the writing would be done with my Omas MoMA. It has a very generous ink capacity, its fine nib is as close to perfect as one can expect and the ergonomics are spot on. It is a very comfortable pen for extended sessions.