In Praise of Fountain Pens

 "My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane." (Graham Greene)

"There's something special about writing by hand, writing with a fountain pen, and there's something special about writing into a book, to take a blank book and turn it into an actual book." (Joe Haldeman)

"I have to write a first draft with a fountain pen before I type it up as a second." (Colm Toibin)

"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." (Mark Twain) 

When I was writing my journal in a local supermarket cafe, a woman on the next table leaned across and said, "It's good to see someone writing with a Lamy." 

She had spotted and recognised my fountain pen, so we enjoyed an interesting conversation about the beauty of our favoured writing tool. She collects fountain pens of all kinds - indeed it is something of an addiction. I know the feeling. I couldn't resist buying this sumptuous, maple wood and diamante pen. My new 'pen friend' and I are in good company, as you can see from the above quotes.

I've always written in fountain pen - a habit that started at grammar school. Newly-arrived from junior school, where we wrote in blobby, sucked-and-chewed, plastic ballpoint, we were instructed to buy a fountain pen for daily use to improve our handwriting. I chose a black Parker lady, which saw me through school and university, (though I can't honestly say my handwriting improved). I filled it from a bottle of blue ink, which I often spilled in the process, and for which I was chastised. 

Now I choose my ink according to my mood or the season; it's currently 'Antique Copper', reflecting Autumn's colours. 

Writing prompts:

• Do you write by hand and if so, what is your favoured writing tool? Write about it for a few minutes.
• Did you ever get onto trouble when you were younger for something you did over and over again? Set a timer and write for six minutes about how it made you feel.
• Have you made a new friend recently? Write about how you met and what you have in common.
  

 

My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane. Share this Quote Graham Greene
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/fountain-pen-quotes

My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane. Share this Quote Graham Greene
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/fountain-pen-quotes