How often are fountain pens and dip pens are used today by writers, and why do they use them? Or, if applicable, why not?
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I use fountain pens regularly, as do my friends over at Fountain Pen Network. I'm not sure how common it is, but writing longhand with a fountain pen certainly isn't dying out. I became a fountain pen lover when I realized how much easier they are to write with (my RSI improved immensely when I switched from ballpoints, roller balls, and gel pens to fountain pens). Writing with a fountain pen just feels good, and my handwriting is better. I spend less on writing instruments than when I used ballpoints and such, while I have a greater variety of inks available. Also, working at the computer comes with a host of distractions. I can retreat with my paper and pen to some distraction-free place and get more writing done. |
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I doubt that anyone could post a serious answer to the question. I find myself leaning to pens while writing poetry because, as stated above, it gets you in the right mood and setting. Also it has the additional advantage of not creating distractions (facebook, friends, mail etc). |
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I find it depends a lot on the paper you're writing on. Printer paper of course won't even keep a line from a standard felt tip pen, and therefore is relatively useless for notes or other short-lived things. If you're using a heavier grade though, a dip pen will give a better, more expressive line. Whatever you are writing then becomes more interesting to look at due to the line weight and quality. |
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If you were going to write a piece that you planned to publish, writing it by hand is going to be the long way around. You aren't going to be able to submit it to the publisher that way, so you're going to end up having to re-type it anyway! I don't think any major publisher is going to be willing to deal with a hand-written manuscript, no matter how good your handwriting, and no matter how good your story. |
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Short answer: I have no exact number. I doubt anyone has an exact nomber at the moment. Maybe some site should run a survey... Christopher Paolini has stated he's used them recently. But they're not often used, as far as I can tell. I'd use them for the same reason Paolini's stated to: it gives a nice feeling, sets the mind in the right mood, etc. But it's not practical. So, as I'm not that good a writer, I like to stick to the place where I can write my ideas the fastest (so they won't go flying out the window to the corners of Neverland). |
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