Are You Picky With Your Writing Materials?

Discussion in Office Supplies started by tasxx • Aug 12, 2015.

  1. tasxx

    tasxxMember

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    I am really into buying new stationery items every year around the "Back to school" season due to the nicer sales. I've found that I'm really particular with what writing materials I use. I don't like using Pens that are scratchy or don't give a good color payoff. I like my black pens to be black and my mechanical pencils (As they are the only pencils that I use) to be very smooth and Neat looking. Maybe I'm just weird, what do you guys think?
     
  2. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I'm very particular about my pens. The free ones you get in hotels are fine for filling out forms or as a spare by the phone or in your bag, but for writing I have to have black gel pens. My dad can't understand why I need to buy pens when there are so many in the house, but as I can use a pen a day when I write, I can't afford for the pen to run out or the ink to fade when I am on a roll.
     
  3. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    I have to say, I'm like you ladies. I love stationary (weird, I know!) and really take my time picking exactly what I prefer. I do pick up pens at different events I go to, but they're not always the best quality for me. I'm also very particular about the types of notepads I buy. If you go into our home office, there's very little you won't find in there that you need in a regular office. It's pretty well stocked up :)
     
  4. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    I used to be, back when I used to write things by hand more often. But I would say in the past 10 years in particular, I hardly every write anything by hand, aside from the occasional form I'm filling out, or signing my name, or labeling some food in my fridge. These days, I do about 99% of my correspondence with people or businesses online via my computer or my phone. My handwriting has seriously gone downhill as a result though, however my typing skills have improved tremendously.

    Being left handed though, the main reason I was picky about my pens is because traditional pens would smear all over the place and get all over the side of my hand, just like pencils would. The only pens I would buy are the Pilot rollerball pens, because their ink dried really fast and they write so smoothly, it's less strain on your hand. The gel based pens were fine too, but they didn't write as smooth as the rollerball pens did.
     
  5. GemmaRowlands

    GemmaRowlandsActive Member

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    I have been in the past, however I am now coming to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter, and that it is just a waste of money a lot of the time. I only use scrap paper now for making my notes when I am writing, and the majority of pens are either given to me as gifts, or free ones that I have received through the post. I don't buy pens or paper for myself anymore, as I find that I am able to get it for free elsewhere, which is of course always going to be the preferable option.
     
  6. jneanz

    jneanzActive Member

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    Pilot pens. I'm also partial to the Sharpie brand. And I'm a stationery fanatic, as a love to coordinate. A long time ago, I temped for a pen company and was elated when I got an executive pen as a parting gift.
     
  7. LeopardJones

    LeopardJonesActive Member

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    I’m semi-picky about my pens, but not so much my stationery. I love nice stationery as much as the next person, but I’m perfectly happy to write notes and such on scrap paper, or regular binder paper. Cute notebooks are my weakness, though. I carry a glittery one in my car all the time, and I’ve got five or six others that are probably each 3/4 full or more.
     
  8. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    When I used to write manually, as a teenager, I used to have certain rituals? I may be alone on this here, but I did used to think that if I picked the right note pad, and the right pen or pencil to write with, then the writing would flow better.
     
  9. LeopardJones

    LeopardJonesActive Member

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    I sort of did that. Although it was more that certain notebooks/pens were designated for certain types of writing, so while there was some ritual and maybe superstition involved, there was a definite organizational purpose as well. I stopped doing that and just started writing whatever came to mind wherever I could, but that makes it impossible for me to find things later. Maybe I should go back to my old system…
     
  10. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    I actually think that many people did and still do this. It am sort of the same when it comes to writing on my laptop computer too. If I am writing something fictional, I have to have it set to a certain font, and the font has to be at a certain size for me to feel like everything is perfect, and I am now in the best place to write my best. There was definition some sort of superstition involved, I feel.
     
  11. Sunshine703

    Sunshine703Active Member

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    Nah, I don't blame you at all. I totally have empathy because I hate it when I buy cheap writing utensils and I just don't like it. Pencils I'm a bit more ok with but not pens. Especially those cheap pens that don't write smoothly, I hate those. Which is why I'm really in buying good writing tools. Not just pens that write nice but also look nice haha.

    I'm not as picky with pencils but I mostly buy ticonderoga because I like the color and I think it's the best standard pencil to have. It's got a smooth finish on it which makes it comfortable to grasp and it just look like its better quality then those cheap wooden pens. I mean, not that it matters but since I'm spending money anyways, might as well get the better one right :p.
     
  12. Feneth

    FenethActive Member

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    I have a specific brands of pen that I like (uniball signo or dr. grip) and specific pencils (also dr. grip with 0.5mm lead). I also don't like notebook paper that feels scratchy on my hand as I write. I often spring for the stonepaper for the smoothness. I don't actually write or use paper for much though so spending more for the thing I like doesn't make a huge difference in our budget. I mish-mash everything into a single notebook for day-to-day use and it includes everything from to-do lists to bits of fiction that come to me away from the computer to quotes or poems. When it is full, I go through it and decide what to save (by digitizing) and what can be thrown away. Then I start a new notebook.
     
  13. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I am very picky with my writing pens. I like to have a pen that writes smooth and does not bother my hand when I hold it. I do a lot of note taking and some pens just feel uncomfortable when you hold them. I tend to find a pen that I love and buy it in bulk. I normally do not purhcase cheap pens like the Bic Stick because the ink flow sucks and they are hard to write with.
     
  14. Andrea Phillips

    Andrea PhillipsActive Member

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    I am partial to pilot pens, for their quality. I love notebooks. Some notebooks that are well designed, really inspire me to write more. I was never picky about pencils, but after hearing that there is a type that is neater, I want to check it out.
     
  15. Briannagodess

    BriannagodessActive Member

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    I love using the more expensive type of Zebra pens. They cost more than regular pens but not as much as pens like Parker. The good thing about it is that you can change the ink with just the regular cheap ones for Zebra. What I like about it is the packaging, it looks classy and sleek. Unlike the regular plastic casing of pens. It has a variety of colors for the casing too. I highly recommend it!
     
  16. purplepen88

    purplepen88Active Member

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    I have to agree, I love back to school sales on stationery items. There are certain pens I like as well. The ones I really are the ones that the ink comes out very smooth and easily. The flow of ink is important. If it's scratchy I'll throw it out. I like some gel pens but I find if you don't use them for a while they get dried out easily and it's hard to get them started. Also I have a preference of you guessed it.. purple pens. I'm a teacher and all the kids know I use a purple pen to mark their work.
     
  17. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I'm not a stationery fan at all. The only things I ever write are greetings cards and shopping lists. I'll do this with one of the various free pens that you always seem to pick up. I will also use the backs of envelopes for shopping lists etc.
     
  18. MyDigitalpoint

    MyDigitalpointActive Member

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    Until early this century I was the kind of person waiting anxiously back to school time to get all kind of writing materials and office supplies at a discount price. I loved to have stationery, rubber seals, stickers and whatever you can think of, not just like a hobby collecting them, but because I need all that to do my job.

    I used to write a lot by hand and making use of a typewriter, I liked to make my own greeting cards, and many other of the writing stuff was used to make my own flyers and promotional stuff for my home-based business.

    With the pass of the time, I lost the enthusiasm to buy all of these, probably because I'm nowadays more devoted to spend time in the kitchen playing with recipe preparation and room decor.
     
  19. SLTE

    SLTEActive Member

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    To an extent I used to be, back when using pens was more of a thing. I always wanted Bic pens, at the very least, because I found other pens would run out in the middle of taking notes. Also, fewer explosions with Bics. They're hardly fancy, but I would still insist. Now I don't care nearly as much, because, like others in this thread, I type far more often than I write out notes.

    I'm still picky when it comes to picking out markers and pens for outlining drawings, but those aren't quite the same.
     
  20. CherylTorrie

    CherylTorrieMember

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    I can't say that I've ever gotten attached to a certain writing implement or stationery and I honestly don't remember when I wasn't using someone else's pen. I have a uncanny ability to pick up a pen and never set it down again until it's in my desk drawer or my purse. It's almost embarrassing what a pen kleptomaniac I am. The only thing that saves me is that everyone who knows me knows I don't do it on purpose, I just seem to always walk away with a pen. It's so bad that I go to work early and clean out my purse of all pens because I have no idea whos they are. It does surprise me that there are people who only use a certain brand or style even today when most writing is done electronically. The only hand written work I do now is some creative writing that's usually on napkins because I always have a lot of napkins in my car or desk. :)