The #12PenPersonQuestions was originally posted by Olive Octopus in August, 2025.
Question 1:
If you consider the different ways you can engage with pens and stationery—as a user, a collector, a hobbyist, a creator, a maker, a vendor—which roles fit best and what percentage of 100% would you assign to each? Are you happy with the balance?
User (40%):
In my mind, “user” is an easy choice for first place. I can say this with confidence because the majority of my analog writing is done with a fountain pen. Slightly less of my analog work has been done with a fountain pen of late because I’ve been using pencils more often and my daily planner doesn’t have the best paper; those combined still do not hold a candle to the amount I write with my fountain pens in my various journals.
Collector (10%):
I’ve written about how I like to purchase one-off, weird, and wacky fountain pens at shows. You could even go so far as to say that I am a collector of such pens. I’m not keen on the label, however. Why? My myriad pens are not united beyond the theme of, “I liked it when I bought it.” It could certainly be argued that I am starting a Pentel Sharp Kerry collection (I’ve acquired more of them over the last few weeks than I care to admit), but haven’t been nearly as focused or principled in my gathering of fountain pens.
Hobbyist (19%):
My initial inclination was to reject this term, like I rejected “collector.” The more I thought about it, though, the more comfortable I felt with the term. My reasoning is simple: though I treat stationery as an extension of another hobby (writing), I still treat it as a hobby nonetheless. I like reading about stationery news, I watch videos from stationery-focused outlets, I get excited about current and upcoming stationery trends, and I seek out the new and novel in the realm of stationery to “keep things interesting” (e.g. new fountain pen filling systems, new paper, new inks, etc).
Creator (30%):
I gave this one a relatively high score for two reasons. First, my pen / stationery habit supports my writing. I carry around a pocket notebook for jotting down ideas. I write in my journals to get ideas down (and to get away from the distractions of the computer, phone, etc). I run this blog for the express purpose of sharing my writing, even if I’ve been posting more non-fiction as of late. Second, the number is a little bit aspirational. I want to create more, more consistently, and on a more regular schedule. I’ve been better about sticking to it in 2026; I just need to keep putting in the work.
Maker (0%):
I’ve never made a pen, ink, or notebook myself. While I think it would be neat to try, I don’t have the time, know-how, or equipment. You’d think, given how opinionated I can be on all three, I’d puff my chest out and declare “I could do it better!” Nope! I’ve read enough maker profiles on Pen Addict and watched enough episodes of “How It’s Made” to know that’s one rabbit hole I do not want to go down. I’ve toyed with the idea of making things just for myself; it’d be neat to forge my own perfect pen. I’ve never taken steps in that direction, though, because I’d have to work with a demanding client. Even if I did have the time, money, and know-how, I’m worried I’d optimize the fun out of it and/or try to turn it into a business. Oof.
Vendor (1%):
This one seemed like an easy answer until I remembered: “churn.” I’m referring to selling old pens for new ones. I don’t have infinite funds, after all, and the price of pens has been skyrocketing lately. I’m sure I don’t sell anywhere near the level of pens as a vendor like Vanness or JetPens, but my collection would look very different (and be much more bloated) if I never sold anything at all!
How About the Spread?
Honestly, I’m reasonably happy with the spread. My only qualm is that I would like the “creator” percentage to be higher and the other, non-zero percentages to be lower. It’s something I’m working on, at the very least!
Question 2:
What is something you want to understand better or develop more informed opinions about?
I wish I understood nibs and nib grinding better. I understand the basics – that a nib is a “controlled leak” – and I’ve attended “YouTube University” on the topic. I’ve even gone to a number of nib tuning classes over the years at various pen shows. I’ve never really gotten the hang of it, though, and that’s frustrating. At this point, it’s not even that it’d save me money; I’m happy to leave most nib work to the professionals, especially as grinds get more complicated and time consuming. It would be such a relief to be able to do some basic nib work myself (e.g. aligning tines, making nibs write wetter, etc), especially since I only have 1-2 opportunities a year to work with a nib worker (i.e. at pen shows).
Maybe this is the year that I will buy a bunch of cheap pens to learn the basics on? Maybe not. As an aside, I find it wild that many of the cheaper, Chinese pens I’ve bought over the last few years have not needed any tuning, while some of the most expensive pens I’ve purchased have. I think it’s partly because I have higher expectations for the more expensive pens, and partly because I’ve been on a seemingly never-ending quest for wetter pens. It’s all been a part of the fun, though, so I won’t complain.
Question 3:
In the pen community, what’s something someone has said or done that stuck with you?
I would break my answer into two categories: the positive and the negative. The positive examples are the numerous and frequent acts of kindness that happen in the community. This includes sending free pens and inks to first time fountain pen users, identifying pens for “the love of the game,” and sharing the joy, humor, and community that can come with using a tool that has been out of fashion for at least a few decades (if not a century, ie since the invention and widespread adoption of the ballpoint pen).
With that being said, there have also been a few controversies over the years – and I’m not talking about LAMY’s re-issuing of Dark Lilac (as covered by the NYT, among other major news outlets). No, I’m referring to Noodler’s / Nathan Tardiff depicting Jewish people with horns on some of his ink bottles’ labels, thus perpetuating antisemetic imagery, and his use of Native American tribe names (both discussed in detail on this thread) and the Goulets being part of an anti-LGBT Church (discussed in detail here). There have surely been more scandals, but I’m not interested in turning this post into a catalogue of the stationery community’s worst actors.
Question 4:
There are now 25 hours in a day, a bonus hour is available to use however you like as long as pens or stationery are involved—how do you spend your hour?
A few answers come to mind for this question. Two that I mentioned earlier in this post are: nib tuning and creative writing. I wouldn’t mind more time for journaling, either, as it often leads me to creative writing and self-reflection. I wouldn’t mind giving video production with a focus on stationery a go, either. Given that I barely seem to have time for a weekly post to this website, the idea of producing videos on that schedule seems like it’d sit somewhere between optimistic and fool-hearty, however
Question 5:
In the pen community yearbook, what would your superlative be? (i.e. “Best ______”, “Most _______” “Most likely to _______”)
- Most likely to crash out about the killing of the de minimis exemption (lol)
- A little too into rainbows
- “Most Adventurous” (in trying new styles, materials, colors, filling systems, shapes, etc).
Question 6:
How do you feel about your handwriting?
I don’t think about my handwriting often; instead, I see it as a means to an end. As long as I can still read what I’ve written, I’m good. Of course, I still appreciate the “flair” a nib grind can add to my writing. I also switch between print, cursive, and block lettering as I write, though I’ll usually fill an entire page before I make the change. I’ve also never explicitly worked on improving my handwriting, at least not since I first learned it back in grade school. I took Kimberly Lau’s (of Pen Addict fame) handwriting class on Fountain Pen Day last year, but my main takeaway was that my writing was more inconsistent than I thought (NOT that I needed to practice my handwriting more).
Question 7:
What is something you are proud of doing, achieving, or overcoming?
I’m really proud of having written a novel. It’ll likely remain a trunk novel for the foreseeable future, partly because it was my first attempt at a story of that length, and partly because it needs a lot of editing before it’s ready to be seen by anyone other than me. I’ll admit that I didn’t use a lot of stationery during the writing process (see: “how I went from a serial NaNo Quitter to Winner”), but it was nice during the drafting / outlining stage.
Question 8:
You’re going on a writing retreat anywhere in the world—where would you go, what would you write, and what would you write with?
Despite my love for the fountain pen, I have yet to visit a factory or place where they are produced. For this reason, I’ve dreamed of visiting Japan or Italy, both places known for the creation of high-end fountain pens (among other things). Japan seems like the obvious choice at time of writing because of the weak Yen, but I’m not sure if any of the “Big 3” Japanese fountain pen makers (Pilot, Platinum, or Sailor) actually offer factory tours. If they didn’t, that’d put a damper on my plans!
As for what I’d write with, a few modalities come to mind. Since I’d have to travel there by plane, I’d surely bring an electronic drafting device like the BYOK or the Pomera 250US. I’d also bring paper, pencils, and pens (of the fountain, gel, rollerball, and ballpoint variety). In particular, I’d bring my daily journal for collecting thoughts, memorializing my trip, and having a familiar paper to work on. I’d also probably bring one of my binders filled with fountain pen friendly paper. It’d probably be in A5, since that’s my preferred size, but my A7 or M5 notebook could also work, especially if I could find more paper during my travels. Lastly, given that both Italy and Japan (or parts of both places) are still known for their creation and use of fountain pens, I would pack light on ink (if I brought any at all beyond what was already in my pens). While I’ve never had real trouble traveling with inked pens, I wouldn’t want the added hassle of traveling with ink, too.
Question 9:
What’s a current or favorite creative outlet?
My current creative outlet is this website, actually. I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but I have to give it points for getting me to write and share consistently.
Question 10:
What’s something that causes you benign envy—the kind of admiration and desire that leads to inspiration or motivation?
I love seeing fellow creatives bring their vision and completed work into the world. What really gets me is when they say something to the effect of, “I’ve been doing this for ten years,” often with a mixture of pride and fatigue. It inspires me because I want to be able to say something similar in a decade. I want to be able to look back on my body of work with that same pride (and, in all likelihood, a bit of fatigue / resignation, too).
Question 11:
What’s a comfort item, material, or color?
My comfort item is my daily journal. Having a space to write about anything is a great stress relief valve (even if I mostly just write about stationery and the day’s events). As far as specifics, it tends to be A5, lined or grid, Tomoe River (or some other fountain pen friendly paper), and in a cover of some kind. Lately, the cover I have been using is a dupe of the Hobonichi Tragen. I haven’t made the most of the included zipper pocket, but I am still enjoying the cover regardless.
Question 12:
What would be a dream collaboration, project, or partnership?
I would love to get my hands on a “Bungubox x Sailor Silent Night King of Pen.” Why? I love the slightly translucent material. I love the nib imprint. I really love the Maki-e on the finial. With that said, it would be really cool to see something similar reissued. I would also flip my lid if Sailor re-issued the “Area 51” pen in the “King of Pen (Pro Gear)” size with a little alien head in Maki-e on the finial. That wouldn’t be much of a collaboration, though. Really, I just want Sailor to continue working with vendors to customize the King of Pen model.
