Write On! – The Paper Problem

The Paper Problem is the simplest way to communicate the question "how big of a difference does my choice of paper make in the total writing experience?". The answer to that question cannot be boiled down into two words or even in a percentage format, rather it's highly dependent on the type of writing you're engaging in. See, the Paper Problem isn't as big of a deal for someone who is monitoring a phone and taking notes for an office. In fact, they likely don't have a lot of options when it comes to paper for those tasks. However, someone who writes notes on an ocean-going vessel, might need to take into consideration the paper they are using, or someone who is handwriting a novel might also put a lot of time and effort into solving their personal Paper Problem. The Paper Problem is largely personal and subjective, but it is my opinion that it is as important to the overall writing experience "equation" as the pen itself.

To accurately examine the Paper Problem, we need to set the stage, as it were. We will use the example of someone who is looking to purchase their first "nice" pen because they've started to write more at work and they've found that their enjoyment of that part of their job improves with a better pen. They upgraded from the office-provided, mass-produced ballpoint to a Pilot G2, then after a few months bought a Zebra G-301 and a Sharpie Roller, now they're shopping online for their first "nice" pen, something in the $30-50 dollar range. When this person reaches out to us, we have a few questions that we ask before we start providing them with recommendations. Are you going to be leaving the pen at work or carrying it with you? Of all the pens you mentioned before, what was the one you liked the most and what was it about that pen that made you decide it was your favorite? And the one that I always focus on the longest, what paper do you currently write on and how much leeway do you have in your job to change to a better type of paper?

If that person is going to be taking the pen home with them rather than using it solely at work, the final question about paper will play an even bigger role because they'll likely be using the pen a lot outside of work. If their favorite pen was the original ballpoint because it always laid down a very nice, smooth line then paper choice isn't that big of a deal, and while better paper can improve the ballpoint writing experience, in my experience that improvement is pretty minimal. If there is ANY likelihood that the person asking the question can choose their own paper, I advise that person to focus on that FIRST before they go hunting for a more expensive pen. The reason for this is because even "expensive" paper and notebooks are significantly cheaper than a $50 dollar pen, and the answer to what their favorite pen is MAY change when they try all of those pens on nice paper. This is a minor step in solving the writing experience "equation" but the fundamental step in the Paper Problem.

Is it counterintuitive for us to tell people to solve the Paper Problem before they buy one of our pens? Maybe, but it's honest and an small step in making sure that person will be happy with a $50 dollar pen purchase from us. We don't want the customer to return an item because they're unhappy with their purchase. Pay $50 dollars or more for a writing instrument is a large expenditure. That's nothing to sneeze at, and while many of us choose to do that time and time again because we love our writing instruments, a lot of the first timers can benefit from answering the Paper Problem before they make the big purchase. If they end up loving the way their Zebra G-301 writes on a Mnemosyne notebook and ultimately decide that's their perfect combination for the foreseeable future, we're okay with that. They may still decide to upgrade to one of our pens down the road, but they'll be more knowledgeable when they do and likely happier with their purchase of one of our pens as well.

For the rest of us that write a lot, the Paper Problem is still a huge part of the experience. Based on my own experience, it's not always one that we even fully address until we're well into our journey with fine writing instruments. I don't think I began expanding my paper collection until I had worked for Karas for over a year and had something like 25 fountain pens (vintage and modern) and a few nice rollerballs. That's a lot of time and "collecting" that went on before I addressed the Paper Problem. How big of an impact did it make when I finally started testing out different paper and find out what I really liked to write on? It was huge for me, spurring on a massive explosion of creativity and writing as well as a desire to try out a bunch of different pens I'd never tested before. Then after I'd tested out pens at pen shows and pen meetups, I ended up purchasing some higher end pens because they wrote significantly better on more expensive paper, and I was very comfortable spending extra money on those pens now that I knew how much I would enjoy using them.

How can you apply the Paper Problem to your writing journey? If you haven't started testing out different types of paper, that's the first step. Jet Pens has some great resources on paper you can find HERE and specifically on notebooks HERE. From my own experience, I found out I didn't enjoy writing on coated paper at all, which means Rhodia is out and though I still use them, Post-It notes are a big YUCK as well. I'd actually prefer to write on a cheap yellow legal pad than write on Rhodia because my preferred type of ink takes FOREVER to dry on coated paper. I also have a few pens I keep on hand for the sole purpose of writing on coated paper, those pens are a Bic Cristal and a Mini K with a Schmidt Easyflow 9000. Ballpoints work fine on coated paper, they just feel like writing on glass. If I had my way, I'd only use Maruman products or products with Tomoe River paper. Both of these are Japanese papers that are amazing with almost any type of pen, but really shine with liquid and gel inks. My fountain pens love them, and they're a dream to write on with a Modal and a Pilot Precise V5 refill. I think there's a benefit to buying some of the notebook sample packs you can find on Amazon or the stationery websites like Jet Pens, especially if they give specifics on the paper weight, type, and manufacturer. That's how I tackled the Paper Problem, and how I'd advise anyone that asked about improving their writing experience or getting into "nice" pens. Start with the Paper Problem, once you've figured that out, it's a lot easier and at least a little cheaper.