Done.

It ended up being just over 53,000 words, once I ran the NaNoWriMo word count verification widget:  about 43,000 typed, plus another 10,000 handwritten.  That was quite an adventure, and fittingly, I closed out the month by handwriting my final 1,000 words.  While the book is far from finished (as in, not even halfway there), this was a great way to get started, and I'd definitely consider participating again next year.  Now, to get back to some pen-and-ink blogging, here's a shot of my last set of tools.   

Staples sugarcane paper composition book and a Franklin-Christoph Pocket 66 eyedroppered with Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo.

I really enjoyed taking a break from the blog to write some fiction, but now I'll probably take a short break from further work on the book to let the ideas percolate for a while and get caught up on other projects.  This was definitely one of the harder things I've ever done, in terms of daily commitment and discipline.  I'm not sure 1500-2000 words of anything on a daily basis is sustainable for me, especially if I want to maintain the standard of quality I shoot for in my writing.  While NaNoWriMo is a great vehicle for getting as much down on paper as you possibly can, I often felt that I was pushing quantity over quality, and that I had to keep going past the point where "the well was dry" for the day.  

Anyway, thanks to all of you who reached out with words of encouragement.  It made a real difference.  I thought about hanging up on this challenge at least twice, but always managed to wake up the next day and get back on the horse. 

Happy writing, and to those of you still finishing up NaNoWriMo today, write on!   

This Pretty Much Sums It Up

Sorry, folks.  I know it's been sparse around here lately.   I've turned the corner on NaNoWriMo, crossing the 35000 word threshold today. Unfortunately, some family health issues and work travel conspired to steal three or four of my writing days, so I've had to play catch up. While I'm going to do my best to finish this thing, priorities do exist. 

Since I had to spend a bit of time in a place where it wasn't easy to write on the computer, I switched over to handwriting my novel. I discovered that I'm not that much slower writing by hand than I am typing. Bonus: I was able to empty half-a-dozen fountain pens in three days. Some of those had been filled since the DC Pen Show (yikes). Now I actually have the capacity to load up some new inks, and review some pens I've had in the queue. PenBoutique was kind enough to send me a bottle of Emerald of Chivor to review, so at least a portion of my remaining NaNoWriMo challenge will be spent with that ink loaded into my Newton Shinobi.  Thomas Hall was also kind enough to loan me his Zebra Sharbo X multi pen to try out, and I've got a review in progress there. Lots of good stuff to come (including woodcase pencil goodness). But for tonight, I'm inclined to enjoy this beer and wait for my hand to stop cramping. (Seriously people, this brings me back to college finals...)

Anyone else making the final NaNoWriMo push?  Anyone else finding that they are having to take an "internet holiday" to get the writing in?  

Pen Review: The Scriptorium Balladeer

After the Atlanta Pen Show, all the way back in April, I made the tough (for me) decision to liquidate a large number of pens in my collection and invest in a smaller number of more expensive custom pieces.  I ended up ordering a Newton Shinobi, a Conid Bulkfiller Minimalistica, and a Scriptorium Balladeer.  The most difficult part of ordering a custom pen is that you have to wait for the pen to actually be made, which in some instances can create a lag of three to six months between the time you pay for the pen in full and when you actually have the pen in your hands.  It’s worth the wait, though.  All three have exceeded my expectations.

While I don’t have a personal favorite—all three pens are well made, and very different—the Balladeer has surprised me the most.  While I knew that I wanted to order a pen from Renee at Scriptorium Pens (you can read up on her and her story here), I was torn between several models.

Size

The Balladeer was my favorite from the beginning, but I hesitated because I thought it would be too big.  I don't mind a large-diameter pen--I have several--but because I like to post my pens, weight becomes an issue if the cap is too heavy or if the pen posts too high.  After some discussion with Renee, she suggested drilling out the barrel to decrease weight (which also has the benefit of increasing the pen's ink capacity when filled as an eyedropper), and tapering the barrel ever-so-slightly to allow the cap to post deeper than it normally would.

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Renee conveniently offers pens in a variety of sizes (small, medium, large, and oversize), but keep in mind that even the medium is relatively large.  I settled on a medium, after scrutinizing the measurements on the Scriptorium website and comparing them against what I considered the most comfortable pens in my collection.  (The site is a pen geek's dream.)  The exact degree of variation between sizes will differ depending on the model you order.  To give some sense of the scale of the Balladeer, I would compare my *medium* to a slightly slimmer Montblanc 149.

Dartmoor Acrylic

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The beauty of the Dartmoor acrylic doesn't show up as well in photographs as it does in person.

I'm a sucker for celluloids and other materials that *look* like celluloid, such as these Conway Stewart acrylics that Renee and other pen turners scooped up after Conway folded last year.  My Balladeer features the "Dartmoor" acrylic, which I'd describe as a dark brown/green/black with veins and flecks of white, gold, and caramel.  From what I've seen around the interwebs, Dartmoor and Amber are the two Conway Stewart acrylics that have received the most attention, and photos don't do the Dartmoor justice.  To set off the Dartmoor, I opted for end caps made out of Urushi Red acrylic.  The end result is a hand turned acrylic pen, made to my specifications, that, at least to me, is practically indistinguishable from a celluloid pen with urushi trim.  To purchase the latter--or even to find someone who knows how to make it--would be prohibitively expensive.   

 Build and Trim

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Scriptorium Pens Silver Clip.  I love the minimalist engraving. 

Renee knows her stuff.  This pen is hand-turned, and if there are any manufacturing flaws or artifacts, I haven't found them yet.  I chose the sterling silver clip and the stainless steel medium JoWo nib, which is the same steel nib used by Edison Pen Co. and Franklin-Christoph.  JoWo nibs aren't my favorite, but they are more than serviceable, and the beauty of this pen is what makes it a pleasure to write with.

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Value

All models of Scriptorium Pens start at $225, which includes a steel nib with a converter.  Some materials, such as ebonite and the Conway acrylics, have an additional charge associated with them.  Renee's pricing process is transparent and plainly set out on her site.  Between the Dartmoor, the Urushi Red caps, and the sterling silver clip, this pen set me back approximately $275.  Value is always a matter of opinion/preference, but I consider that a good deal for a work of art.  To the extent any issues ever occur with the pen, I couldn't imagine that Renee's customer service would be anything less than impeccable.

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Normal cartridge/converter filling system, but the pen also can be used as an eyedropper.  I just haven't gotten around to testing this out ye!

Overall, I'm extremely happy with my Balladeer, and consider it a great purchase.  I've been using it fairly exclusively for the past month or so, given that I find it so comfortable to write with. Renee will work with you to customize your pen to your needs, and I cannot recommend her services enough. 

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased this pen with my own funds, for my own collection.  I have not been compensated in any way for this review.  All thoughts expressed here are my own.  

What's in Your NaNoWriMo Toolkit?

NaNoWriMo--or National Novel Writing Month--is upon us once again, and this year, I'm participating for real, which is why you might be hearing from me a bit less frequently this month.  For those of you unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it's pretty simple:  you commit to writing a "novel" during the month of November, and if you do it, you win!  For purposes of the challenge, a "novel" is defined as 50,000 words or more.  I'm currently at 12,200 words, which puts me more or less on pace to get to 50,000 by the end of November.  50,000 words won't be enough to complete the book I've been working on for the past couple years, but it's going to go a long way towards getting the entire story out of my head and onto paper. (Link here to my author profile if you want to follow along on my progress.)  

Last year I tried to commit to NaNoWriMo, writing entirely by hand.  It didn't work. In order to hit the 50,000 word mark, you need to produce a daily "quota" of just under 1700 words.  If you can type even reasonably well, I've found it a heck of a lot easier to manage that much writing using a computer rather than writing longhand.  As much as I enjoy handwriting, I can type 70-80 words per minute once I get in the zone, and I don't have more than an hour or two per day to devote to this project.  That's not to say that I don't have a ready supply of pens, pencils, and paper (primarily Field Notes) at hand to make notes and work through some thorny plotting problems, but this year Scrivener and my Vortex One have been my friends.  (Story for another time, but I exchanged the Matias Tactile Pro keyboard.  The white Vortex One has the same great "classic Mac" aesthetics in a much sturdier frame, although unfortunately without the Mac-specific keyboard layout of the Matias, which I loved.)  If you end up "winning" NaNoWriMo, you qualify for some sweet discounts on writing software such as Scrivener, Storyist, and Aeon Timeline.  You can also demo the full version of Ulysses until well into December.  

Twitter is awash in NaNoWriMo status updates, so I know many of you readers are participating. What are you relying on to get your writing done this month? 

More Fun with Mechanical Keyboards

A while back, you may recall that I wrote a piece on mechanical keyboards, which might be an even geekier interest of mine than fountain pens (or even woodcase pencils, if you can believe that).  To recap, mechanical keyboards are those massive, heavy things that you may recall from the days of Apple IIs and IBM Juniors when we (well, when some of us) first learned to type.  Big, loud, clacking things that sound like typewriters. They're awesome, and once I switched over from the cheapo rubber dome keyboards that come packed with every computer these days, I never looked back.  

Side Note:  I briefly discussed the difference between a mechanical keyboard and a rubber-dome or scissor-switch keyboard in my prior article, linked here, but if I've piqued your interest and you really want to get down in the weeds, then go visit MechanicalKeyboards.com and take a look at the wealth of information available on that site.

So why do I care about this stuff?  Because between e-mail, research memoranda, and legal briefs, I probably type 30 to 50 pages a day.  When I'm at home, my hobbies include blogging and writing fiction.  I type a LOT, and I need a keyboard that maximizes speed and accuracy. Mechanical boards are much more accurate than the usual rubber dome keyboards, once you get used to them.  

I started out with two Corsair K70 boards.  The first, which had Cherry MX Red switches, I picked up at Best Buy on a whim.  It's a good keyboard, and the red switches are nice, but I wanted something "clickier", with a more tactile feel akin to a typewriter.  So I ordered the same board with Cherry MX Blues, which is nearly perfect for me with the docked Dell Latitude that I have to use for work.  At home, I'm a Mac user, and I started getting annoyed with the lack of Mac-specific functions.    

In the course of researching my next keyboard, I realized that MechanicalKeyboards.com is located about 15-20 minutes from my house, and they have a small showroom open during regular weekday business hours.  Since I had the afternoon off, I took a drive out to Fairview, TN for a visit.    

Tomorrow, it begins! (Yes, I cracked it a day early!) We still have a few #inkvent2024 calendars left. Order yours from us and take 10% off using the code “INKSGIVING” through Monday evening. Also, special promotion for those who visit us in-store, but you’ll have to come see us to find out! We’re open tomorrow (Sunday) from 12-5pm. The INKSGIVING code is good on most other inks and refills, see today’s blog post for full details. #inksgiving #blackfriday #smallbusinesssaturday #penaddict #fpgeeks #fountainpens #penandink #pens #goanalog

One of my favorite ink sets ever, and definitely one of my favorite ink bottles! #diamine #diamineink #diamine150anniversary #penaddict #fpgeeks #fountainpens #fountainpengeeks #penandink

I’m calling this one a project for next week. 😂 #newink #alltheinks #diamine150th #diamine150thanniversaryinks #fpgeeks #fountainpenink #fountainpeninks

The new @kaweco.germany Kaweco Collection AL Sport, in Olivine, catching some sun! Check out these plus the new Classic Sport Piston fillers. #kaweco #kawecosport #kawecoalsport #kawecoalsportolivine #fountainpen #fountainpens #pens #newpenday

At last week’s @chicagoplannerconference, one of the more common questions we received was how to know whether an ink is “safe” to use in a fountain pen, especially now that there are so many different types of inks on the market (shimmer, sheen, iron gall, pigmented, and more). As a general matter, if an ink is made by a pen company or sold by a fountain pen retailer “for fountain pens,” it’s probably fine. But it’s always good to test especially “adventurous” inks in an inexpensive pen first, and for inks like the iron gall and pigmented Platinum inks shown here, to clean your pens out every few weeks for peak performance. Check out today’s post for an “Ask TGS” segment on this topic! #platinuminks #irongallink #choukourou #platinumchoukuro #penaddict #fountainpens#fountainpeninka #penandink #inkaddict

Check out this space at the @chicagoplannerconference before the vendors area opens! Pen show ideas? Just a reminder that the brick-and-mortar is closed today, we will be open tomorrow afternoon, flight delays depending. Check the site and here for updates! #chicagoplannerconference #penshow #penaddict #fpgeeks #fountainpens #planners #plannercommunity

All the Teranishi Guitar inks are swatched and available! Remember we are closed Friday and Saturday this weekend due to us attending the @chicagoplannerconference this weekend. Possible hours Sunday afternoon so keep checking the site. Online is still open and orders are shipping in normal timeframe. #teranishi #teranishiink #penaddict #fpgeeks #fountainpeninks #fountainpens #teranishiguitar

What could this be? Come by the shop and find out! We’re open today 10-5-ish. Be sure to check the site for special hours this weekend. We’re closed Friday and Saturday as I’m attending the @chicagoplannerconference with @justvanness, @hinzepen and @wellappointeddesk, but we should be open for a few hours Sunday afternoon in addition to today. #penstore #stationeryshop #nashvillestationery #nashvillestationerystore #penaddict #fpgeeks #teranishiguitar #teranishiink #fountainpenink

A few people have asked me whether a “grip” exists for the @tomsstudio Lumos pens, and apparently Tom’s Studio was getting the same request, because these leather grips/roll stops appeared and sold out instantly. I managed to get a few for the shop and will order more as soon as we are able. We also have the new “Poise” pencil grips, which I’ve also enjoyed. Over the years, it’s became increasingly uncomfortable for me to use narrower pencils for longer writing sessions due to RSI issues, and grips like these have helped. Available now! #pencilgrip #pencilextender #pencils #woodcasedpencils #penaddict #fpgeeks #analoglife #tomsstudio #tomsstudiolumos

Happy @fountainpenday everyone! Swipe left to see my festive pen of choice, and also take 10% off most items in the store using the coupon code "FPDAY24" at checkout. We're also offering two different Fountain Pen Day specials: a sampler of Fountain Pen friendly paper and a pencil sampler. Both are priced at $10, but for orders over. $100, get one sampler for free using "FREEPAPER" or "FREEPENCILS". Can be combined with the FPDay discount. Have fun! Oh, and we have some in-store exclusives. Come see us today from 1-7pm! #fountainpenday #penaddict #fpgeeks #penstore #nashvillesmallbusiness #nashville

The guy manning the store was extremely personable (and patient).  After hammering away on five or six boards for an hour or so, including some very nice (and expensive) keyboards from WASD, Vortex, and Ducky, I decided to go with the Matias Tactile Pro 4, which is regarded as the "standard" mechanical keyboard for the Mac.    

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The Matias Tactile Pro v.4 Mechanical Keyboard on my desk.  It's big, ugly, and awesome.  

Matias bills the Tactile Pro as the contemporary version of the Apple Extended Keyboard, often referred to as the "best keyboard Apple ever made."  It uses a modern variant of the ALPS mechanical switches that Apple used back in the day.  The keys are tactile, though not as "clicky" and loud as the Cherry MX Blues.  Honestly, they feel just like the original Apple keyboards that I learned to type on back in school.  Apart from a few hiccups, I'm pretty happy with it.  

Things I like about the Matias include: (1) the multiple functions etched onto each keycap, accessible via the "Option" and "Shift+Option" combinations; (2) the tactile feel of the keys and the overall "clickiness" of the board; and (3) the white "classic Apple" color scheme.  Some things that annoy me a bit about the Matias are: (1) the suspect quality control process, including a sticky "O" key that sometimes either fails to register or registers double presses; (2) the plasticky construction of the keyboard itself, as opposed to the brushed stainless and aluminum design of my Corsair; and (3) the lack of LED backlighting.  The issue with the "O" key seems to be resolving itself as I break in the keyboard.  I removed the keycap and sprayed around the switch with some compressed air, and the problem seems to be going away on its own as I type, but still, making sure all of the keys actually work out of the box is something you would think Matias would check before the keyboard left the factory.  Overall, the fact that I have easy keyboard access to symbols and functions on my Mac simply by looking at the keys themselves outweighs the "cons."  The Tactile Pro is a good keyboard.    

Please be aware that I am not a (serious) gamer or coder.  I'm coming at this from the angle of wanting a nice keyboard to write on.  I also fully realize that the majority of my readers may very well have little to no interest in this post whatsoever, and I promise that I'll be back to blogging about all sorts of stationery goodness soon.  But if you're sick of typing on crappy keyboards, and find yourself longing for what is essentially the modern equivalent of a typewriter, then visit my friends over at mechanicalkeyboards.com and give one a try.  Their prices are fair, and for the most part are lower than what I've seen elsewhere on the internet, including Amazon.  

I'll spare you the details of my new obsession with ergonomic computer mice.  I have problems.  I know. (If you really are curious, buy this one.  If you can use all the functions, it's worth the money and is what I use at home.  If your employer, like mine, locks down your computer to where you can't use the sidescrolling thumbwheel or any of the programmable features, the older version might be your best bet.)   

DISCLAIMER:  This post contains affiliate links, through which I may be compensated a small amount if you make a purchase from one or more of the sites linked to in this article.  While I'd greatly appreciate it if you use these links to purchase something you are interested in, you are, of course, under no obligation to do so.  Many thanks!