Women and Fountain Pens: Celebrating Women's Month with EndlessPens

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

Honestly, this is one of those questions that feels impossible to answer in sum. I could probably write pages and pages. I will try to put it all in a nutshell: This hobby, and this community, have encouraged creativity, inspired socializing and sharing, and taken me on new adventures I never thought possible.

What is your hope for all women?

To never hinder oneself from doing something because it’s not what “women do.” Growing up, there were so many things I wanted to do, and still do. To name a few: work as a car mechanic, be a firefighter, learn to work with wood and metal. Ultimately, what always stopped me was my gender. I grew up believing that women simply didn’t do those things, and was fearful of intruding on those male-dominated spaces. I’d like to believe I wouldn’t limit myself so much these days, but those early childhood beliefs run deep and are difficult to conquer sometimes. So, just do it - whatever it is, just do it.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

It may not make sense but being in this community, I felt seen, I felt heard and I felt recognized. Writing has given me the chance to appreciate that I am different and I learned to embrace that, because eventually, you will find a group out there that enjoy the same things you or I do.

What is your hope for all women?

That we learn and appreciate mutual respect towards one another. Clapping for someone else's success or achievement does not lessen the chances of any personal growth. If not that, then I hope that we all find the courage to be exactly who we are and who we want to be without compromising our morals. It's a tough world out there, it won't make anyone less of a person if you are kind to one another.

Being an artist, I used to think I’d only collect Extra Fine nib types (the tinier nib size allows for more detailed illustration work), but now that I use my fountain pens for pretty much EVERYTHING (penpal letters, planners, journals, etc), I’ve begun collecting nibs of all kinds! My absolute favorite nibs are the 21K Medium-Fine and Medium nibs from Sailor. They’re pretty much perfect for everything from illustration to handwriting, and they show amazing shading with multi-chromatic shading inks (my favorite ink type).

I originally began collecting fountain pens in October 2021 when I wanted something more convenient than a dip pen for lining my illustrative work and paintings. But that first LAMY Al-Star was a slippery slope, because I then discovered the cute colors of Kaweco (hello, Vibrant Violet!), which then led me to Sailor, the brand mecca of adorably girly and elegant fountain pens. I keep telling myself I’ll stop buying pink fountain pens, but I CAN’T HELP MYSELF. The heart wants what it wants, right?

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

I have met so many people who are at my speed through the fountain pen community. People who appreciate the tactile feel of stationery, the microscopic details of ink shading and sheen, and the coating/absorbency/weight of paper (geeky details I could never discuss with my “normy” friends who’d rather text than write a sentence). This hobby attracts people who enjoy taking their time making things beautiful, who appreciate art when they see it, that value aesthetic appeal, and find the idea of analog creativity romantic & cool. Who knew I’d meet so many people just like me through fountain pens? It seems like such a niche subject matter, but it’s one of the most active (and rabid) communities I’ve ever been a part of! I’ve noticed the community is also very “mature”, and that’s pretty rare, especially online which can be a cesspool of wildly varying opinion. It’s wonderful to think we can all come together without much head butting over a mutual appreciation for fountain pens.

What is your hope for all women?

I feel like society expects a lot from us. To be perfect examples of womanhood. To be mothers, homemakers, CEOs, popular with friends, constantly out getting brunch with people or doing exciting things. My hope for women is that we remove ourselves from the pressure society puts on us to be human superstars and get back to appreciating “slow living”. My hope is that women take a moment to breathe, remove themselves from anxiety-causing social media apps that make them feel like they need to “keep up with the Joneses”, and focus on nourishing themselves and what makes them truly happy. For me, that’s fountain pens, illustration, and stationery. I’m all about that cozy life, and I hope more women slow it down and “smell the flowers” (then press those flowers into wax seals or their journals to appreciate again later). Life’s too short to rush through. Better to cruise.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

The hobby and pen community has changed my life. For years, I hid myself and what I was struggling with because of shame, fear of judgment. Finally I opened up and the wave of support was beautiful and uplifting, and I found happiness in sending notes and connecting with pen lovers. There’s something about gushing over how an ink behaves or how a nib sails across a page that makes a stranger a kindred spirit as well. I am happier for it.

What is your hope for all women?

My hope for all women is that they can find truth in knowing they deserve to take up space, they deserve good things, they deserve to have wants and needs, to ask for what they want and need, to make decisions that aligns with their values without being insulted, to be safe, and to find fulfillment. This sounds wild and vague in some ways, and overly specific in others, but it’s what I would love to gift my younger self, and I think that’s what many women could benefit from.

I have nibs of all sizes, but I prefer writing with either an architect grind (broad or medium) or the usual round tipping in Fine. I cannot, for the life of me, write with a cursive italic or a flex nib, being a leftie overhand writer.

In terms of aesthetics, I like modern pens. I've yet to add a vintage one to my collection. If it's pretty or elegant-looking and in my favorite color, I'll add it to my ever-growing wishlist!

I bought my first fountain pen, a purple Pilot Metropolitan, a few months after my boyfriend showed me his small collection of LAMY Studios (in an attempt to impress him by dabbling in his hobbies). I soon fell deeper into the rabbit hole than he did, and now 5 years later, I have just under 50 pens and he has about a quarter of mine.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

I wanna say stationery gives me the "escape" I need from life, but that's not really fair to my stationery because it's the very thing that gives me life, especially through these difficult few years. The hobby helped me rediscover my love for arts and journaling. It keeps me grounded, helps me appreciate the little things, and gives me something to look forward to (stationery happy mail lol). Through this hobby, I've met some very valuable lifelong friends who inspire me every day. I love my tech, sure, but nothing beats the charms of the analogue lifestyle.

What is your hope for all women?

My hope for all women is that we never have to plead for our rights and our place in society, and that we don't have to fight twice as hard to get the respect and recognition that we deserve. My hope for little girls is that they never get discouraged from pursuing a dream because of their gender. Women are just as powerful, capable, and deserving of every opportunity offered in this world.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

I love that there’s so much more to this hobby beyond the initial excitement and geekery about pens and paraphernalia. If I had to pick one aspect, it’s the correspondence that this hobby has opened up for me. I’ve received so much generosity, support, and life advice from some of my closer friends in the community over the years. I’m eternally grateful for the incredible friendships I’ve made all over the globe, thanks to this rather obscure obsession of ours.

What is your hope for all women?

On a fundamental level, I hope for a world where women can participate in society feeling empowered, respected, and safe. On a more personal level as a woman working in tech, I hope that our industry will strive for more diverse teams and follow through with equal opportunities in career progression and pay, regardless of gender or how one might identify themselves. And I hope that maybe one day, we can get to a place where all of these things will be perceived as a given rather than something extra.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

The pen community is very friendly! And is the best community for me. A dangerous community also  but in a fun way. They’ll help you achieve whatever pen or ink your heart desires. They’re just the best, helpful and very generous in all terms. Enriched my life? I guess I gained new friends, experience, and learnings.

What is your hope for all women?

Is gender equality too cliche? Lol. I hope they’ll respect women who choose not to have or want a child, let’s normalize it shall we? It’s not a responsibility.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

The fountain pen community has been wonderful to be a part of. I’ve met so many wonderful people and new friends because of it. And on top of that it has helped my art style evolve and change over time.

What is your hope for all women?

My hope for all women is to know your worth and follow your passion.

Nib preferences: 

My "regular" fast handwriting is rather spidery-looking and it looks best in a good Japanese Fine nib, but I own and enjoy almost every type of nib, from Extra Fine, to Broad, to Italic, to Architect and to Fude. I truly enjoy learning the characteristics of each type of nib, finding a perfect ink to match and finding a lettering style that shows off what the nib can do. I write in a number of different handwriting styles depending on the nib I use. My favorite grinds are skinny italics like a fine cursive italic or a Franklin-Christoph S.I.G., architect nibs of all sizes from tiny to huge, and flex nibs. I have a variety of flex nibs in both gold and steel.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

 I have three primary hobbies - pens, gardening, and photography. My Instagram account has allowed me to express myself using all three hobbies. I include garden flowers in my posts at least once a week on Fridays.  I rediscovered my pens once my son was old enough to be self-sufficient and I have had a lot more time to spend on hobbies now that we are empty nesters. Fortunately all three hobbies have been easily accessible to me during the pandemic, and each one has a calming and relaxing effect on me.  There is something about slowly forming loops and letters and flourishes that soothes me. I have made many pen friends via Instagram, and there are a few I know well enough to be counted among my "real life" friends. In several cases the friendship began with the sale of a pen.  I enjoy going to pen shows, where almost everyone there seems like a kindred spirit.

What is your hope for all women?

 We are living through a difficult era, including a pandemic and war in some parts of the world. Being able to play with pens and inks often feels like a luxury. My hope is that all women can find a little space in their day for themselves and for some form of self-expression that is meaningful to them. It might be journaling, writing, correspondence, artwork, music or even advocating for a cause they believe in.

As for body style, I like my pens the way I liked my cigarettes when I smoked -- long (120 mm) and slender. If I can't post a fountain pen, I'm not a happy camper. The length is critical to my writing enjoyment. My ideal pen length, tip to tail is 6.75" (175mm) and NOT cigar shaped if at all possible. My favorite writer from an ergonomic standpoint is the LAMY Studio or newer LAMY Ideos. Both are long and slim and with the right ink can keep up with stream-of-consciousness-speed handwriting. My favorite writing nibs currently are the 18K Pilot Vanishing Points followed by the Pelikan M600. I've dabbled a bit with vintage pens and am looking forward to trying flex at this year's San Francisco International Pen Show.

I've had fountain and calligraphy pens since high school but college and graduate school note-taking led to a career dependent upon writing which made fountain pens an impractical choice. For decades I used rollerball and gel pens. It was only fairly recently that pen envy overcame me when I saw social media photos featuring the TWSBI Diamond 580 RG II. But what led me down the fountain pen collecting path was an antique glass and brass inkwell sent to me by a friend in Denmark. It was THAT desk accessory that required a Kaweco Special Brass and the aforementioned TWSBI fountain pens to complete "the look". Followed quickly by the YStudio Brassing fountain pen. And so on and so forth.

I've been on a mission to collect colors, nibs and brands ever since. I tend to lean towards the "newest" model but do try to balance my acquisition list with the classics as they become available at a discounted price. Appearance always attracts me first but a pen won't stay in my stable unless their writing performance lives up to their price point. I'm a lot more forgiving of a $100 fountain pen than I am of a $400 one.

Over the last 20 months have built my collection to number nearly 30 higher quality fountain pens ($100+ pricing) from a dozen different manufacturers; have swatched over 375 different ink color samples ; attended a 3-day pen show; ordered custom grinds for my pens; received and returned damaged and inferior nibs on several pens; and only now am I beginning to feel I have enough experience to even discuss with any degree of hands-on expertise. Or know how to ask an expert a reasonable question.

I write every morning as part of my creative process. If a more expensive pen produces page after page of scratching or skipping or other general slow-poke writing nonsense and I've been through several ink changes, I show no mercy. I return the pen if at all possible. I write quickly with a flourished, cursive writing style that can't tolerate nibs that aren't smooth or pen feeds that cause railroading. I usually use an EF or Fine nib but on occasion in a Japanese writer, I will choose a medium size nib.

How has the hobby and the pen community enriched your life?

This is an interrelated community with enthusiasts, manufacturers and retailers across the globe. And that's what I love most - it brings the world closer. I have acquaintances from many many countries, who share knowledge, good wishes and sometimes even friendship, bonding over our love of fountain pens and their inks.

What is your hope for all women?

My hope for all women is that we all lean into JFK's famous quote to change the world for good and address injustice, poverty, hate and climate change: "A rising tide lifts all boats," said John Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1960 when addressing one state to remind them that they were a part of the union of the entire United States. With women's sense of justice and compassion, voting and purchasing power, I think within a generation we can change the world, beginning with the children inside our spheres of influence.