As I was drafting out my answers to the #21penquestions challenge from earlier this week, I found myself really enjoying the exercise but also wanting to take it a step further. The original questions, while thought-provoking, focus a lot on stuff and the tools we use. After reading everyone else’s answers, I'm especially interested in hearing more "behind the scenes" backstories! I'll start.

1. Why do pens and stationery continue to play such an important role in your life, especially in an age when everything is supposed to be going paperless and digital? The "why" of things might not be as important to some people as it is to me, but because I've devoted a now-significant portion of my life to running this site and have since decided to go even bigger, it's worth my time to think hard on this. For me, it's always gone beyond the things themselves. Sure, it's fun to shop and track limited editions and even design my own stuff, but the act of writing things down - regardless of what I'm using - has far more significance to me than any specific pen or piece of stationery. Stretching back as far as I can remember, writing has been what centers me when I need to focus (or refocus), such as trying to understand difficult, increasingly complex concepts as I made my way through school or worked through thorny personal and professional relationships. I think I value it even more today because thoughtfulness and introspection weren't just disregarded in my home growing up - I would say they were actively devalued, even denigrated, in 1980s and 1990s go-getter America, and my family was no exception. Being labeled an "introvert" was quite possibly the worst “insult” you could hurl at someone. From talking to many of you, this experience isn't at all unique even today: despite countless studies and books about the immense value of quiet reflection, mindfulness, and, yes, introverts in the world, our culture - especially here in the states - seemingly stops at nothing to destroy any attempt to build a peaceful inner life, either through intrusive technology or office workspaces designed to destroy any opportunity for independent thinking. As I’ll discuss a bit more below, this is more than a bit ironic given the benefits. Moreover, writing things down, in a medium I alone control, is to me the purest form of independence and freedom. You own your own thoughts, if nothing else.

2. What do you view as the key benefit of writing by hand? Writing by hand forces you to focus your thoughts and attention, and enables you to distill your ideas into more usable form. Another personal anecdote: I attended an all-boys middle and high school that taught according to an educational model (since updated) that hadn't changed much since the 1920s. We didn't have regular computer access until the mid-to-late 1990s, so all of our writing was done by hand in a strict five-section format: Introduction, Three-Part Analysis, and Conclusion. While I hated this forced methodology at the time, it’s an invaluable part of my life today. As a practicing litigator (trial/arbitration/appellate attorney), I always outline (and usually draft) every single written or oral legal argument by hand. If I had to name my single core strength and professional advantage, it would be my ability to quickly identify key issues and develop targeted responses. You can't do this without an ability to focus on what’s important, and I track this skill - which I find in short supply in a world of constant distraction information overwhelm - directly to my handwriting practice. There may be other solutions for other people, but writing by hand serves as my failsafe and my brain doesn't really work any other way.

3. What is your favorite thing about the pen/stationery hobby? The realization that there is a LARGE community of people who care about this stuff as much as I do. It's been fulfilling to watch not just my own readership grow, but pens and stationery as a whole become far more mainstream as people look to escape from their digital devices and carve out reflective time for themselves. I also love the extent to which this hobby builds connections and friendships between people who otherwise never would have met, simply because their paths wouldn’t have crossed or, if they did, they would have have assumed nothing in common. It's a common complaint that your circle of friends shrinks as you get older, and I've been blessed to have experienced the opposite. Even where acquaintances begin online, traveling to shows and other events to meet people in person confirmed for me that these are genuine friendships that have endured over the years, and that even much-maligned social media apps can be a force for good if they're used in the right way.

4. What is your least favorite thing about the pen/stationery hobby? Easily the FOMO and hype-driven marketing that occasionally rears its head on stationery social media, typically driven by those manufacturers and retailers who don't really engage in the community and value it in the same way that many of us do, seeing it only as an opportunity to profit. In the same vein, like many hobbies, there exists a level of toxic fanboyism that can devolve into trolling and pointless sh*t-stirring, such as, for example, attempting to get people worked up by pressuring them to "choose sides" over largely meaningless controversies and business conflicts involving corporate brands. I have no interest in this and generally choose to ignore it.

5. If you could choose one combination of stationery items to use for the rest of your life, exclusively, what would those be and why? A Lamy 2000 fountain pen with either an extra-fine or fine nib; Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo ink, and Midori MD Cotton Paper in either pad or notebook form. No surprises here. The Lamy 2000 has long been my favorite fountain pen, and the EF and F nibs usually feature a subtle architect-like grind. Tsuki-Yo is a reliably good blue-black ink with a touch of reddish undertones/sheen to keep it interesting; and Midori MD Cotton paper is all-around excellent.

Will this catch on? Who knows, but I always enjoy sharing my personal backstory from time to time, especially as it adds context to why I do what I do here at T.G.S. Feel free to "steal" these questions for your own blog, social media, or even to answer here in the comments!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

At long last, you have The Gentleman Stationer’s responses to #21penquestions! I had to think pretty hard on some of these, but I hope people find these useful. Many thanks to Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk for adapting this “tag challenge” for the pen world.

What is the pen they'll have to pry out of your cold dead hands? It's a toss-up between my Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black (which I received in the mail the day my daughter was born so I associate it directly with that event) or my Waterman Laureate fountain pen/pencil set that was my first "nice" fountain pen over $10.
What's your "Guilty Pleasure" pen? I don't really subscribe to the notion of "guilty pleasure" in things like pens because I actually do use them every day and the reason I use them is because I think they bring a lot of value to my work and personal life - so no "guilt" here! :) That said, if you interpret "guilty pleasure" as referring to relatively inexpensive pens that I tend to purchase without thinking much about it, it's probably one of each new TWSBI ECO as they are released.
What's the pen or stationery that you wish existed? In terms of a specific product category, there isn't one. I don't currently have any stationery needs that aren't being met. That said, I do sometimes find myself on various "quests", such as looking for a particular pen in a particular shape in a particular color with a particular trim, but I've never really been unable to find something I'm looking for, and these change all the time.
What pen would you give to a new enthusiast? These days, one of my favorite recommendations is the TWSBI Swipe simply because of the value you get at the price point. The pen includes a cartridge and two different converters, so you can give a new user a fountain pen that allows them to experience the ease of use that a cartridge offers, and sets them up to move to bottled ink without having to spend any extra money on the converter.
What pen (or stationery item) do you want to get along with but it just never clicked? Anything OMAS. I tried for years before the brand went kaput, writing with friends' Paragons and owning an Ogiva and a 360. The nibs wrote far too wet and I always had some quibble with the build quality. I have similar issues with Visconti, and the style just doesn't vibe with me. In my opinion, SCRIBO and Montegrappa both do a better job of justifying their higher price points by offering a more reliable, quality writing experience.
What pen do you keep only because it's pretty? None. If I enjoy the looks of a pen but there are writing issues and/or it just doesn't work well for me, it typically doesn't stick around and gets sold or given away. The overall aesthetic is honestly the least important factor in whether I keep a pen, though sentimentality and personal meaning will sometimes trump practicality.
What pen (or stationery item) did you buy because everyone else did? So many. I can’t really answer this because I've reviewed pens as part of a "hobby business" for going on ten years. I've purchased and reviewed many "popular" pens on a catch and release basis because they are popular and people want to know my opinion.
What pen (or stationery item) is over your head or baffles you? Double broad round nibs or 1.5+ stubs for everyday writing. How am I supposed to use up my S.A.B.L.E. hoard of .4mm dot grid notebooks writing with a nib that big?
What pen (or stationery item) surprised you? Pilot Parallels and Folded-nib dip pens. I'm very much a "within the lines" type of person most of the time, and didn't expect to enjoy the spattering and imperfections that are so much a part of what makes them fun.
What pen (or stationery item) doesn't really work for you but you keep it because it's a collectible? I have a Montblanc Charles Dickens Writers Edition pen that I rarely use - not because it doesn't write well - but rather because it has a giant sterling silver cap that makes it difficult to post and sort of unwieldy to carry around. But it's a rare pen that I got an insane deal on years ago, and is inspired by one of my favorite writers, so it's in the collection!
What is your favorite sparkly pen (or ink)? I'm not a super fan of shimmery pens, though I did buy one of the Esterbrook "Rocky Top" editions (for obvious reasons). A few years back, Vanness also released an exclusive collaboration with Vinta Inks, Sodalite Kislap, which is a shimmer ink that I sort of inexplicably love even though I rarely use this category of inks in general.
Which nib do you love, but hate the pen, or vice-versa? I love the giant, springy nib on the Pelikan M1000 but the pen itself is just too large and heavy. That said, it has been a while since I've given it a try, so maybe I'll seek one out at an upcoming pen show and see whether my opinion still holds....
What pen (or stationery item) gives you the willies? This one is pretty easy for me: the Lamy Aion. People went nuts over this pen but I just don't see it. It looks like a blunt object (a lead pipe?) and doesn't resonate with me aesthetically in any way, even from an ultra-minimalist, Bauhaus perspective.
What's your favorite pen for long-form writing? The Lamy 2000, and it's the pen that I recommend to anyone looking for a quality writing instrument they can use as an all-day, everyday workhorse. I also love that the form factor doesn't change much, whether you're using the fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, multi pen, or even the mechanical pencils.
What pen (or stationery item) do you love in theory but not in practice? I'll have to go back to the Pelikan M1000 here. I've really, really wanted to like it but it's never worked for me due to the size and heft, even though the nib is exceptional.
What pen (or stationery product) would you never let someone else use? I have two nibs with Spencerian grinds (EEF-Flex) by Gena at Custom Nib Studio that are fairly delicate. I typically let anyone use any of my pens if they ask - that's part of this hobby and the goal of the blog - but these are easy to damage so I limit sharing to those who are experienced with pens or flexible calligraphy dip pens.
What pen (or stationery product) would you never use for yourself? I couldn't think of a single thing. I generally love stationery and can find a use case for pretty much anything, even with only so many hours in the day to use stationery!
What pen (or stationery product) could you NOT bring yourself to buy? I've been eyeing a vintage Sheaffer PFM for years. I love the snorkel-filling system, but the standard Sheaffer Snorkel is too slim for my writing preferences. At the same time, I haven't been able to bring myself to pay the current going rate ($400+) for a PFM. I guess I don't want it that bad, especially when I already have a couple of Legacy Heritage fountain pens?
What's your favorite vintage pen? The Parker 51. You'll notice some parallels between my preference for this pen and the Lamy 2000, with the hooded nib, excellent postability, and the fact that both of these pens disappear in the hand when you need them to be inconspicuous at work. Parker 51s are rock-solid vintage pens, and the aerometric (“squeeze”) filler versions often need little more than a cleaning to write properly, even if you purchase them unrestored.
What is your favorite EDC/pocket pen? The Schon DSGN Pocket 6. Ian has built a great pocket pen platform that not only accepts JoWo No. 6 nibs for maximum versatility, but feels great in the hand and allows him to work with different materials and finishes without dramatically altering the excellent writing experience.
What's the pen or stationery product that got away? I try not to spend time worrying about FOMO, and these days there are so many great pens being released that it's impossible to acquire them all (and if you do, you'll never use them). My main "regrets" are certain pens I sold on a catch-and-release basis in the early days of TGS (typically a lot of now-rare Sailor Pro Gears), not because I disliked the pens but because I wanted to grow the blog and didn't yet have the relationships or monetization to fund acquisitions for new reviews. Now that I'm at a place where the site is self-sustaining, I'm trying to do better about making sure that I still purchase pens that I enjoy for my own personal use, not just for "work," and keep those separate.

This was fun, and I’ve been enjoying reading the responses from other bloggers and creators out there! If I had one wish, I would add a few questions targeted to provide more insight into the “why” and “how” of people’s relationships with pens and stationery. To that end, I’ve come up with four or five additional questions that I found myself wanting to answer and which I’ll be addressing in a follow-up post!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.