Writers tell us their favorite pens for Ball Point Pen Day.
Today is Ball Point Pen Day, and as writers and editors, we feel that it’s our duty to celebrate any holiday dedicated to the art of writing. Many writers are obsessed with their pens, so we asked writers and Alternating Current staffers to share their favorites.
Bic Cristal in black
A black Bic Cristal is like a plain cup of coffee: unpretentious, consistent, and cheap enough to buy two. Oh, and it doesn’t smudge.
— Nick Rossi
Staetdler Elite Fineline Mechanical Pencil, 0.7mm
My favorite pen is actually a pencil, the Staetdler Elite Fineline mechanical pencil, 0.7mm. Slim profile with the tactual feel of a pen, a pocket-clip long enough that it stays put all day (I walk/bike/hike a lot.) and a rubberized grip that’s comfortable but not gummy. 0.7mm lead because my hands are simply not graceful enough for anything less (I also have a 0.9mm for writing on-the-go.). Why pencil? Because I need the psychological comfort of an eraser (that I never use) and the glide over the page is far more satisfying than a pen.
— Douglas Walbourne-Gough
Red Ink Rollerball (Any Brand)
I don’t have one particular favorite pen, but my favorite type is the rollerball. The ink comes out alert and crisp, and it looks indelible, like it will only fade long after I have. My favorite color to use is red, which I save for editing, of course. The dance of red between the black lines on the white page is the closest I come to making visual art.
— Justin Muschong
Business-Stamped Generic Ball Point
I like writing with any pen that carries the name of a business stamped on the side; the cheaper the better. The car mechanic who didn’t cheat me, the motel where I found solitude, the bank where I keep my self-sufficiency. Then no matter what I write, I’m grounded in the real.
— Sarah Stockton
Zebra F-301 Stainless Steel Ball Point
I handwrite first drafts (nearly without fail and length notwithstanding). As such, I need a sturdy implement with a fecund ink chamber, a high tolerance for alcohol, and that fits nicely into the callused depression on the distal phalanx of my right digitus medius.
— Anthony Martin
Pilot G-2 Gel
The Pilot G-2 gel stands as my go-to pen mainly because of its consistency on the medium. I love to write on paper first; there remains a nostalgia for the aesthetic. I feel like using the pen as it forces me to reinterpret meaning and rethink my wording when it comes to the final draft.
— Travis Turner
Pilot G-2 7mm in Black
From the time when I first realized my poetry habit was getting serious, I’ve religiously kept a little notebook on my person for fear of losing some great idea. These could be little spiral top reporter’s pads, crummy, falling-apart, marbled composition books, or multiple varieties of Moleskines. While the paper comes and goes, the pen remains the same: a black Pilot G-2 7mm, clipped inside my pocket. They glide steady amidst frenzied fits of inspiration in situations where ideas need to be put down quickly and their ink is beautifully and thickly black, unlike the weak tea of workaday ballpoints. That said, they’re not terribly expensive, so when one disappears you can do without mourning and get on with your life (after finding a new one).
— Chris Middleman
Uni-ball Vision, Fine Point
I’ve been using these for years. They have a clean finish and low smudge rate. Their build is sturdy, and never have I ever had one break or bust in a purse or bag. Plus, they come in multiple colors, and I’m all about color.
— Cetoria Tomberlin
Paper Mate Blue Ball Point
I’m a habitual, superstitious person; therefore, I must use the same pen: a blue Paper Mate, ball point pen. The color of the ink changes every five years, and I can’t tell you why. Five years ago, I only used black ink. Now, it’s blue. I don’t write with fancy pens. Fancy pens and fancy ink make the writing too decorative, and I’m a sloppy writer. I’m also stingy with my pens. I first met my wife in graduate school at Rutgers University-Newark. Before dating, she asked to borrow my pen. I lent it to her because I liked her. However, she was about to leave without giving it back to me. This is a no-no. I asked for it back, which nearly ended my chances with her.
— Kevin Catalano
Uni-Ball Signo 207 Gel
I like any cheap, but sturdy, medium point, roller ball pens. Even though I am more likely to write down notes with my iPhone than on the composition pad I still carry in my backpack, I always have at least one pen in my pocket, and sometimes I end up with two. I like pens that don’t ruin all my clothes if I leave them in the pockets before I do laundry. I like pens that know when to hang around and just be quiet. This might mean sitting on my desk or the kitchen counter for several weeks or even months without being called to duty. I like pens my dog doesn’t want to chew. I like pens that if it came down to it, I could drive them straight through a zombie’s head. I like pens that when I sign on the pizza driver’s cash register printout, they don’t suddenly turn into invisible ink. For me lately, the one pen that does all of these things is the Uni-Ball Signo 207 Gel.
— Al Kratz
Lamy Safari Fountain Pen
I used to keep my favorite pen, a Lamy Safari fountain pen, tucked in my shirt. I was getting in my car one day, and the pen slipped out without me noticing. I drove away and spent the day thinking I’d lost the thing. I returned home later that day and found the pen in my driveway. I’d driven over it with my car. The lid had cracked. But the pen body had only gained some indentations and was otherwise fine. I emailed Lamy. They sent me a new lid. It snapped on soundly, and I still have the pen. I figure if you can drive over a fountain pen with your car, and it still doesn’t leak, it’s pretty much the right fountain pen.
— Katie Rose Guest Pryal
Pigma Micron 0.45mm, Preferably in Black
It receives this favoritism because it writes a beautiful thick smooth line and allows me to scribble and scramble with the fury of outpouring, all this to get the words out while still remaining (mostly) legible. We can blame the writer and not the pen for most of the illegibility we may run into along the course.
— Sarah McMaster
Pilot Razor-Point Extra Fine
I typically go for the Pilot Razor-Point Extra Fine. I need the fine point to depict my writing style. Each stroke is sharp and chaotic, like a doctor frantically writing his own prescription to feed his addiction.
— Mike Bernicchi
Pentel R.S.V.P Fine
Sharpie Pen Fine
Pilot G-2 Extra Fine Gel
Zebra F-301
Pentel R.S.V.P Fine pens, I found them great for lecture notetaking and letters. The ink flows smoothly, helping to keep my handwriting from getting too messy. Also they come in some of the most vibrant colors. Sharpie Pen Fine and Pilot G-2 Extra Fine Gel pens became a new favorite after I gave up on the traditional Pilot V5 (I think they were.). I use these to jot down writing and blog ideas in the notepads I keep with me daily. Their bold black ink dries quickly when on the go, and I can write as tiny as I wish while still being legible. And lastly, Zebra F-301. I have used these for extended writing because I like the sleek, cool feel of the pen itself and its ease across paper. Unfortunately, they can start bleeding like crazy over time.
— LA Lanier
Uni-ball Jetstream
I’m in a long-term relationship with the Uni-ball Jetstream. It’s sufficiently inky and capable of performing in all sorts of places: long-haul trips, airplanes, in my lunch hour for last-minute essay corrections. Not to mention the splotches it leaves on my fingers makes me feel like I’ve achieved something. (Even when I haven’t.)
— Vivienne Mah
Pilot Hi-Tec-C
The Pilot Hi-Tec-C is a Japanese import that offers the smoothest action I’ve ever experienced with a pen that wasn’t prefaced with “fountain.” I wrote an entire novel with a few Hi-Tec-Cs, which was made easier due to their being available in a variety of extra-extra-fine point sizes, including 0.3 mm and 0.4 mm, allowing me to get far more words on the page than with the other pens in my daily arsenal. They can be a bit pricey and hard to procure, but they are definitely worth the extra money and effort.
— Harry Marks
Originally published on 6/10/15.
