When it comes to writing by hand I must have a pen with smooth flowing ink. Writing in a journal needs to be a comfortable experience. It's taken me a while, but I've found several pens that feel
right for writing in my journal. I like the nib to be fat and for the ink to roll out in a long velvety uninterrupted line. My letters curl and circle back on themselves, so this means I hardly ever let the pen leave the page. For me, this allows the thoughts to trickle down easily onto the page.
You might be different. You might enjoy those pens I think are scratchy and sparse. Maybe this suits the way you think and feel better than the kind of pen I enjoy. It doesn't really matter what kind of pen you use. Just aim for one that feels
right for you. It needs to feel comfortable in your hand. You shouldn't be aware of your fingers straining around the pen. The pen should feel like the tool or implement it's meant to be; an extension of your thoughts, a part of your body. No one wants to work with awkward tools.
Experiment with different pens. I'm always checking out new pens as they're released onto the market. I can get lost just writing "
Hi there" as I test the various inks out on the little pads in the shops. Gel pens feel good to write with, but for me they just don't go the distance. I need to lug around several with me in case I have a really intense journal session and wrote like a mad thing using up all the ink. And they tend to dry up at the wrong moment.
For the most part I stick with pretty basic brands and make sure I have at least one extra on hand.
Paper Mate have good pens in their collection. Be prepared to spend as much as you need to. The right pen is going to make all the difference to keeping your journal writing experience pleasurable and something you'll want to keep doing. What kind of pen do write in your journal with? Please leave any comments in the section below.
Heather
Photo used with permission from
Pixelperfectdigital
