Fantasy Writers' Pens?

[Flourish and Blotts]

C.S. Lewis rather famously used a dip pen his entire career.

[Beardy]

Paul Auster's New York Trilogy feature FP's rather conspicuously, makes me think he's a fan.

[MinasTirithScribe]

Has anyone info on what Stephen R. Donaldson writes with?

[Sailor Kenshin]

I have a vague memory of a couple of writers who mentioned fountain pens... must search reference material!

 

PS: I think the book was Writers Dreaming, N. Epel.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Sailor Kenshin

[mucephei]

J.G. Ballard says that he uses a pen to write with as well. He doesn't say what kind though. It would be great to learn that he uses a FP.

[dogpoet]

I'd be interested to know that as well, mucephei: I'd always thought that he typed up his first drafts, but as his stuff is invariably very polished, he must use something to mark up his manuscripts.

 

Rincewind, I can't swear to it, but I think Howard wrote straight to a typewriter as well. A lot of his stories are supposed to be first drafts.

 

Michael Moorcock has talked about using a fountain pen to write books in longhand in one essay I've read, but I don't think he names the pen. (He does, however, mention that it was leaking and that he'd filled it with Quink.)

 

Jonathan Carroll is definitely a fountain pen nut: he uses a rare Parker 51 (the plum colour in broad) as a plot device in Kissing The Beehive, iirc.

[Atomsk]

This is all good intel, folks - many thanks! I will take careful note, and make some contacts to see what can be found out about Robert E. Howard's pen(s) and those of JRR Tolkien.

 

I believe JK Rowling is a biro user, but I will look into that further.

 

Cheers!

 

- Stuart

 

I would LOVE to know what pen Tolkien used.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I would LOVE to know what pen Tolkien used.

 

I have a very dim memory of seeing a documentary on Tolkien, and whether it was a recreation or not, someone was shown drawing those maps. I can almost see a dip pen, but don't quote me.

 

[Silvermink]

Although not quite sci-fi/fantasy... I understand Neal Stephenson penned the "Baroque Cycle" with a montblanc.

 

Neal Stephenson also uses a Waterman Gentleman, a Jorg Hysek, and some kind of Rotring, according to this.

 

Stephenson's one of my favorite writers, though I seem to keep getting misprints of his books that are missing the endings...

Edited January 9, 2009 by Silvermink

[pixwriter]

I would LOVE to know what pen Tolkien used.

 

I have a very dim memory of seeing a documentary on Tolkien, and whether it was a recreation or not, someone was shown drawing those maps. I can almost see a dip pen, but don't quote me.

 

that sounds right because he did hs own illustrations, I have a book somewhere on his illustrations. Some are ink and wash so it must be waterproof.....

 

I think Leigh was involved in a promotion with Neil Gaiman and I am sure she must have talked pens.

[pixwriter]

Diane Wynne Jones, I love her writing. It would be nice to think she used FPs.

[dogpoet]

Stephenson's one of my favorite writers, though I seem to keep getting misprints of his books that are missing the endings...

:roflmho: