For the Love of Pen and Paper

10 Tools of the Trade I Recommend

Dec 09, 2023

*Stationery*, Allegra Villarreal, hand-drawn illustration, 2023.

There are few places on earth I love more than a well-stocked stationery shop. The smell of fresh paper, the swirl of bottled ink, chalky fingertips from freshly pressed pastel. Trinkets and small objects - bookmarks, book darts, book tabs, book lights! Trying out pens on tiny blotters, writing across dozens of undulating lines, in various colors and thicknesses, left by people who have long since moved on. Whenever I am in a new city, I make a point of gathering recommendations for stationery shops. And I’ve never been disappointed - indeed, always surprised - by what I find. As a person who spends too much time perched before the white glow of screens big and small, I remain a pen-and-paper gal when out and about in the real world.

Writing on paper is both pleasant and frustrating. Thoughts come out faster than can be captured; it is, however, this slower pace that leads to genuine surprises. I think this explains why handwriting letters opens hidden chambers of expression while email messages are so often perfunctory, flat, stale. There is a crafting, a deliberation, a thoughtful space that must be cultivated when pen meets paper. I don’t think the tap of a keyboard or gentle pattering of thumbs can quite achieve the same. At least for me.

I also tend to remember what I’ve written down (research also backs this up) and I feel the physicality of it reminds me of my humanity. I feel less of an automaton, more connected to this ancient art, more open to the muses whenever they may choose to visit me. As Natalie Goldberg wrote in Writing Down the Bones, “Writing is physical and is affected by the equipment you use,” or, to quote the artist and author Chanel Miller,

If I have an upcoming project I’m nervous about completing, I go and buy a new pen. It’s like a tiny accomplice.

Since this is the season of gift guides, I thought I’d create a list of my top 10 “accomplices” in writing, the tools I most cherish. I’m not paid in any way to endorse these products - I just absolutely adore their design and utility. They have served me well whether I’m sketching, writing or otherwise compelled to doodle - this is my personal, subjective “best of” list….in no particular order:

1. Best Everyday Pen

Muji Gel Ink Cap Ballpoint 0.5mm

Finding these was a journey. The last time I was with the family in Prague, I visited a stationery shop called Papelote (I mean, the name alone!) and picked up some notebooks, pen holders, stickers, the works. But the best thing I picked up was a ballpoint pen that cost a couple dollars. I was obsessed with this pen. I used it until it ran out, and when it did, I almost cried. It was branded with a minimalist interior design company out of Copenhagen but every time I looked for these pens on their website - nothing. Always out of stock. These pens became my white whale. I spent hours searching for them. After some trial and error, a few errant orders, I figured out that they were, in fact, Muji pens.

Why the love? My handwriting is pretty atrocious. A mix of cursive, script, and the visual representation of too much caffeine. For this reason, the higher the mm count, the worse it looks. I can swing a 0.7 but a 0.5 is preferable in almost every use case (a .38 is also heavenly). And these are the best .05s I’ve found - fluid, consistent, and they make my writing legible. They don’t scratch against the paper, they don’t seem to carve into it either. They also come in a variety of colors. What more could I ask for? Buy them. And, if you don’t, tell me you did.

2. Best Marker

Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Marker

These are often cited as favorites of cartoonists and graphic artists; they are versatile (the “dual” refers to both a brush tip and fine nib on either end of each marker), water-based, and blend beautifully. The grayscale set is my personal favorite as it helps elevate my sketchnotes with the depth of shadow and light.

Why the love? They’re versatile and not too precious. I even let my kids use them (with supervision!) They don’t stink and they last forever with proper care. I like a marker with longevity.

3. Best Art Journal

Archer and Olive’s Dot Grid Notebook

This is the kind of journal that can be a little intimidating at first. It’s almost too pretty. You know the type: it sits, unused, on your desk because what could you possibly write in it that would match its beauty? This is the problem with really nice journals. I have a graveyard of them. But…I got over myself by using this notebook for what I now believe is its true purpose: making art. There is a whole cult of Archer and Olive - apparently, they are all over Instagram - and I think the major selling point is the thickness of the pages. They also release new designs every season, and - if you find you like them - I recommend a set of their acrylic pens for some real fun. They’re pricey, so look out for the sales.

Why the love? You can use a lot of different pens, markers, paints and the 160 gsm paper will hold its own. Some people also use them for bullet journalling since they market themselves this way, but I think the lack of pages makes Baron Fig’s Confidant similar and more suitable for bujos.

4. Best Everyday Journal

TRAVELER’S notebook

At some point, in my bullet journal years, I couldn’t not find the right notebook and so I gave up. Instead, I bought myself one of these, with a stack of soft-cover inserts, and used it for more than two years. I ended up not continuing on in bullet journal form but I still do love to take it out on travels, for a quick jot, or as a repository of lists and sentimental deritrus.

Why the love? It’s part scrapbook, part notepad, the leather feels so good in the hand. It expands and contracts based on the number of inserts. There are so many accessories (diaries, pockets, elastic bands, brass clip holders). You can really make this one your own.

5. Best Oversized Notebook

Maruman Mnemosyne Notebook (Horizontal A3)

Big notebooks are so impractical. And yet, like moth to flame, I continue to buy them. I have tried several oversized notebooks in the past without filling them up. But this one, perhaps because of the spiral binding and its ability to lay flat on the table, just feels so pleasant to write on. I love to sit at a desk, pull it out, and allow my mind to wander around its vast expanse. In other words, its size isn’t a hindrance. My only qualm is that it is graph paper - I’d love a dot grid or blank version if such a thing exists.

Why the love? 12 x 17 inches of space! I do feel that this is the very best notebook for “big ideas.” When I’m planning a workshop, a course, a website, or chapter outline, I love to do so in this notebook. It’s like a portable whiteboard. It always pushes me to the edges of my own thoughts - inviting me to diagram, draw, to connect disparate ideas. This notebook just screams: mindmap on me!

6. Best Binder/Organizer

Mochithings Funnymade Canvas Pocket 6 Ring A5 Binder

I like my binders compact. Less chance of bowing, or the rings getting banged up and permanently falling into crooked obsolescence. This one is perfect as a daily diary, organizer, planner. I’ve also seen people use these for albums of photos, concert stubs, receipts, etc.

Why the love? They’re more structured versions of Traveler’s notebooks - they come in beautiful colors, feature a front pocket to hold pens and ephemera, and can be zipped up to suppress the mess in a hurry. The whole Funnymade line is worth a look for higher and lower price point options of the same concept.

7. Best Highlighter

Zebra MILDLINER Double Ended Highlighter

I have a love-hate-love relationship with highlighters. I used them a lot as a student - I highlighted so much my notes looked like tie-dye - but stopped after university. I returned to them a few years ago and only because of these Zebras. What I hated about my previous highlighters was just how loud they could be - the bits of texts I selected shouted at me. As if my books had turned their brights on. If you feel the same, try these “soft mild colors” which only gently suggest emphasis.

Why the love? The colors are subtle, they go on smoothly, and - most importantly - they don’t pool or over-saturate.

8. Best Analog Annotation Tool

Stellar Factory Book Darts

I have a confession: I prefer physical books to e-books. Sure, the Kindle is convenient. Libby is a dream. I can highlight and those highlights are recorded and saved forever in my Second Brain via Readwise. It’s a modern miracle younger me could never have dreamed of. Digital books are efficient. And still, I end up buying most of my books in bookstores, and mainly paperbacks. So, as I’m reading, I slip these on to remember good quotes and salient passages that document resonance. Once done, I record the parts that I still like, remove the darts, and start all over again on the next book. A definite upgrade from marginal notes and/or dog-eared pages.

Why the love? These are reusable (unlike stickies), can easily mark a specific line of text, they do not damage the book in any way, and can be applied quickly so they don’t distract me in the moment as I read.

9. Best Backpack

Baron Fig’s Venture Backpack

Now that I’ve loaded up your imagined cart with all manner of stationery goodies, you need something to put them in. I’ve always been a backpack person. I like having the use of both hands at all times, and my sloped shoulders naturally reject purse straps. It’s true. So, I’ve tried a lot of backpacks over the years. This is my very favorite.

Why the love? They’re minimalist in design, open up as a clamshell, and are just the right size: spacious enough without allowing me to overstuff. The straps are comfortable, the colors cool, and it just makes me smile when I hang it on the back of my chair. The vibrant yellow interior of mine feels like the sun.

10. Best Thing Ever

Bostik Blu tack

This is another item I used a lot in Europe and rarely see stateside. It’s a gum-like putty that you can use to mount posters, papers, and artwork on walls. My son - whose room is adorned with dozens of coloring pages thanks to this product - is a hearty endorser.

Why the love? Blu tack is a very mild adhesive, it doesn’t damage walls, and it can be used for other purposes too - removing fluff from clothing, cleaning keyboards, as a door stopper, leveling picture frames, a pencil eraser. You can even use it to create small sculptures.