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?

    Analog tools like these help me slow life down. They are excellent techniques for enhancing mindfulness. I take the time to appreciate how the ink shows up on the page and focus on the moment, the experience of writing, without being interrupted by notifications.

2. What do you view as the key benefit of writing by hand?

    Mindfulness. 

3. What is your favorite thing about the pen/stationery hobby?

    I most enjoy how it elevates my experience as a writer. When I take my craft to the page instead of the screen, there’s an extra level of joy and appreciation for the art.

4. What is your least favorite thing about the pen/stationery hobby?
    When I say ‘the cost’ I don’t just mean the monetary investment. Because while the price of certain pens is astronomical, it comes with the added ‘cost’ of anxiety. What if something happens to the pen? Especially if I can’t then afford to replace it? Or repair it? Will I be able to enjoy the pen if I’m always worried about 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?
    I interpret this as it’s guaranteed to last the rest of my life. So I’ll go with my grail pen — Otto Hutt design 04 in black metal guilloche — filled with Faber-Castell Black. For paper, I’ll use my Levenger Circa Junior bomber jacket black filled with Midori MD Cotton. The pen because it’s a distinguished mother effer that is a great marathon writer. The ink because it’s a dependable, deep black.  The notebook because it’s adaptable and allows me to fill it with my fountain pen-friendly paper of choice.

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