I've barely touched my fountain pens since October. For writing at work and at home, with few exceptions, it has been graphite all the way: either my assortment of woodcase pencils, or my new favorite mechanical pencil, the Graphgear 1000, which I love for its pocket friendly retractable mechanism and its solid feel. It goes everywhere with me.
At some point in the future, I'll almost certainly snap out of this phase, get annoyed with the way graphite smears or the lack of contrast compared to a strongly colored ink, but at the moment, pencils are where it's at. No messy liquid ink, no delicate nibs to worry about, no gizmos to wear out or break, no surprises. Scrape the point on a page, it makes a mark. If the point gets dull, put it through a few turns of the sharpener. Doesn't get much simpler than that. Current favorites: the Musgrave Test Scoring 100 (may have more complete thoughts to post regarding that one in the next week or so), General's Semi-Hex, California Republic Golden Bears, Palomino HBs, and (perhaps surprisingly) Ticonderogas--though I still feel a major difference between the Mexican made ones and the Chinese made. The Chinese ones are way better. As for paper, I'm still stuck on a combination of composition books and loose-leaf.
I admit, what with my current music obsession, I've mostly slacked off on all writing save my journal. But this week, the itch is back. I've started scribbling notes and ideas again. This weekend, I plan to read back through my NaNoWriMo story--such as it is, what there is of it--and think about continuing. And I'm about done editing a short story.
I also should really write some letters. I am the typosphere's worst correspondent, bar none. The competition isn't even *close*.
I haven't been using the typewriters much, for whatever reason. I'm sure that pendulum will swing back eventually.
So...what are *you* working on? And what are you writing with: a particular pen/pencil/typewriter/program? What are you writing on: scrap paper/favorite notebook/fancy journal/large stones? And what have you been writing about?
8 comments:
Work has been distracting me from spending much time on anything meaningful, like my own failed NaNo project. However, both work and play are being done with Lamy pens and Noodler's ink. Research notes for an upcoming e-book conference are interwoven through my notebook with ongoing thoughts about airship pirates. I crank through so much paper that the default material is cream-coloured stuff from Staples, although it's punched and spiral-bound for convenience.
I'm grossly behind on my letter-writing, too, and my blog hasn't been updated since before I bailed out on NaNo. Don't feel bad; you're not alone.
What writing I've done for my blog has been on my recently acquired iPad2, using the iWriter app. And the photos accompanying each piece have been taken on the iPad2's camera, usually with Hipstamatic or some such app.
I'm exploring the alternative to the notion that the iPad "is not a content creation device," as we have been led to believe. So far, so good.
But I do miss writing with fountain pen in comp book, or clack-clack-dinging on my typewriting machines. It's just a matter of time before I get back to them.
~Joe
Well, if I take the time; my blog. I presently use my Steadler pencil more than my fountain pen due to my work assignment although at home it is a fountain pen and a Hermes 3000. Journaling, which should be daily, is done in fountain pen, and those way overdue letters...several are started from different typewriters if only the machines would finish them.
I write a lot of technical and policy analysis for a living. That is on a couple of Dell laptops at work. Between research and writing, I have at least three screens populated at any given time. Some days the iPhone and iPad are also pulled into the mix. Seems excessive, but my work combines the functions of multiple departments at large companies.
For fun, I try to keep up with my blog. That happens on yet another Dell laptop with images cranked through a Canon 60D, Sony NEX 3 and the iPhone (work digital leash). The typecast portions are with various Olympia and Royal typewriters, the Hermes Media 3 and the trusty Oliver 9.
I have at least five blog entries in various draft stages. The one I'm currently spending time on is ephemeral in nature and features a 1934 Newsreel book on life at Admiral Byrd's Antarctic base. I haven't decided which typewriter/typeface to use.
Oh LFP, you're such a purist.
I have been working on Chet Masters is Alarming, which is a satire novel...thing. For that, it's Msoft Word all the way (the only way to write quick, witty stuff, says I).
But before the typosphere shows up with pitchforks and torches, I have also been working on a new Silas Starkweather story, using my Lettera 32, Lamy M nib Safari w/red Waterman ink, Moleskine cahier unlined, and Palomino Blackwing 602.
These matters seem to go in cycles. The last few months have been hands on interests: playing music,woodworking with hand tools, and fly-tying.
The past week or so I am reaching more and more often for some good tablets (paper, not digital) and fountain pens with Noodler's or Diamine ink. Seems it is time to get back to the novel I worked on before NaNo. The cover came off the Underwood desktop yesterday. Things must be getting serious.
Jeff The Bear
I've spent the last week and a half trying to get the rest of my library titles into my Library Thing account. This in preparation for 2 projects:once a graphic novel series and one a more formal researchy book. Have promised myself that 2012 is the year I get something concrete done on both. Getting my sketchbooks, notes, and library in order seems to be getting my mind in order. Or so I tell myself!
Mike--not so much a purist as a serial obsessionist. And actually, right after my declarations here, I finished one journal and started another and decided to use fountain pen in the new one even though I wasn't totally feeling it...and a few days later, here I am cruising the Goulet Pens website and Fountain Pen Network again, as if I'd never left... I also had the dip pens out for quite awhile Saturday afternoon. Fun stuff.
Interesting variety here! It was fun hearing about. Thanks, all!
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