On Writing with Dip Pens....

'Cus I'm nerdy like that - also Oscars!

My story notebook is probably my most prized possession. Not my phone, not my laptop, not my purse - it’s my story notebook. Filled to bursting with random ideas, bits of prose and moody doodles, my story notebook is where all my books take shape and grow and without it, I would be lost. 

Which is why, when I sit down to use my notebook, I like to be a bit EXTRA. Sure, I could break out a simple ballpoint pen, and I do have a lovely one that I quite enjoy, but nothing makes me more excited to write than my dip pens. That’s right - today’s post is a nerd-out about stationery - specifically, dip pens.

Glittering glass spears like little twinkling jewels - I can’t have enough. I have - well, had because they have a tendency to break and I am clumsy - dozens of different colours and shapes and nib styles. I discovered them in the depths of lockdown while spending way too much time on Instagram - they looked mystical and mysterious and fun, and at that time, whatever might make me feel better I figured was a worthwhile investment. And reader, they were everything I hoped. 

A friend of mine asked how exactly you use dip pens and I decided - Hey! Lemme tell ya! On my newsletter. So here we go.

To use a dip pen you:

Dip.

The pen.

In ink!

And write.

That’s it.

Isn’t that great? No muss, no fuss. You don’t have to screw it open and clean out the guts like a fountain pen. You just grab your favourite colour ink and dip and go. That’s all! They’re cheaper than a fancy coffee and are more practical than a feather quill but feel just as magical. I got most of mine on Amazon.

And here’s the other reason I love a glass dip pen - they force me to write fast. The nib of the pen can only hold so much ink before you have to stop writing and go back in for another dip. I thought this might be a problem and interrupt my flow, but it actually improved it. Because the second I dip the pen I have a finite amount of time to get out my thought before I have to stop and dip again. So there’s no time to hesitate. No time to dally inside my own head. I just have to write. As fast as I can before the ink runs out. The ideas go down in a frenzy of creativity, dip after dip. Editing is for later. My story notebook is just for me. It’s for playing and experimenting and risk taking. And when the ink starts to run, I can’t hesitate, or I’ll waste the dip.

And before I know it, I have pages filled up. Some of it terrible and I have every intention of burning the pages at the first possible opportunity, but some of it is surprising, or interesting, or just plain great. And some of it even ends up in the finished book. Like everything I wrote on this page:

So. How do you use a dip pen?

Dip. The. Pen. And go for it! No hesitation. No second guessing. The ink is running out!

DOODLE

I watched the Oscars mostly to check out the dresses and of course enjoy the Encino Man references because I love Encino Man. Loved the super fun bubblegum pink dress Stephanie Hsu wore, so here’s my live Oscar doodle, scribbled during the show. What was your fave Oscar look?

WHAT I’M WORKING ON

It’s March break here! So the kids are home and I don’t expect to get much done this week. Which means I’ll probably do a lot of drawing in the evenings, continuing with the characters for ‘After.’ Here’s a peek at Eadlin, Laurel’s daughter.

Since there’s not many updates, how about I load you up on some fun reads?

Substacks to check out:

ChatGPT doesn’t seem to want to leave me alone, turning up uninvited to every corner of my daily life and it seems I’m not alone!

Counter Craft

covers ChatGPT headaches for the creative world in this interesting post.

Loved this post from

The Shit About Writing Team

- especially the section about publicists!

And since it was the Oscars, this post from

Write More with Simon K Jones

was a great reminder that stories don’t need to be explainable.

And finally,

WordCraft

by Alisha Sevigny is officially out in the world! I interviewed Alisha for Authorstrator in this old post and now she’s here sharing her genius in a newsletter of her own! Go sign up for the fabulous Alisha’s newsletter for great insights into writing and publishing from a great writer and industry pro.

Til next time!