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Hello! Today I have a post brought to you by Cissy from The Contemplative Belle about fountain pens… So let’s get to it.

Fountain Pen Writing Joy

Fountain pens were once a common sight. I write with one on a regular basis and am often questioned about them. The curiosity fountain pens arouse in people surprised me at one point but I have come to expect the questions and enjoy sharing the joys of writing with one. I hope in the process I have drawn a few people into the world of fountain pen enthusiasts. There are several reasons I enjoy writing with a fountain pen including the way they glide effortlessly across the paper, the ability to change ink colors so readily, and the beautiful shading and shadowing the inks display on paper.

Fountain pens come in many sizes, shapes, lengths, nib sizes, and fill mechanisms. There is a fountain pen for everyone and at every price point you can imagine. The most important thing for a beginner to think about is what size nib (the metal point you write with) you want and what type mechanism you want. There are extra fine (EF), fine (F), medium (M), broad (B), and several other sized and types of nibs, but those are the basic ones a beginner needs to know about. After choosing the nib size a beginner should choose how the pen will hold ink. There are several different options, the most common for a beginner being a cartridge or converter. A cartridge is the easiest method as it would involve simply replacing a cartridge when the ink is empty. A converter is my choice. It provides the ability to change ink colors at any time.

However, it does require you buy bottled fountain pen ink and refill the pen on a regular basis. How often depends on how much you use the pen. It is as simple as placing the nib into the liquid ink and twisting the tip of the converter and having it draw the ink up into the barrel. It can be a messy process and I typically have a drop or two of ink on my fingers, I wear it like a badge of honor. I own more ink than I would want to admit and belong to Ink Drop, a program where Goulet Pens sends 5 ink samples each month. I love getting my Ink Drop in the mail to be surprised by fun colors that are themed and always a pleasant surprise.

Writing with a fountain pen is a pleasure as the ink just glides onto the paper. Holding the pen at a 45 degree angle and moving your arm, instead of just your wrist, writing becomes effortless and I find my handwriting to be better and almost musical. The pressure callous I once had on my finger is now a distant memory as writing is once again a joy instead of a chore. There is nothing quite like a personally written letter and one written with a fountain pen whose letters are shaded is a piece of art.

If you have never written with a fountain pen it is something I would recommend you try. There are many wonderful pens and inks available. My favorite is the LAMY Safari fountain pen. It is a great choice for a beginner. I would recommend Ink Nouveau blog for more information on fountain pens and to answer further questions. I hope you join us in the world of fountain pen enthusiasts and rediscover the joys of handwriting letters, journals, and anything else you can think of.

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I love the look of fountain pens, but have never tried one… Some really good information here if you’re looking to try it out! Is anyone here a regular user of fountain pens?