Ballpoint. Extra-fine. Fountain. Sharpie.
There are lots of pens from which to choose.
In the ballpoint genre, there’s the classic Bic with the clear body, blue or black ink, and flimsy plastic top. One might also enjoy “clicky top” or “twisty bottom” tip expression systems. These usually have opaque shafts…sometimes with promotional logos and the like.
Before I began using a smart tablet for just about all my writing, I always used one of those extra fine tip whiz bang pens. They usually cost about $5 a piece. While they are more expensive, they deliver a more satisfying scribble.
Designer fountain pens are messy. I have a slick designer pen that I use on special occasions. It needs ink.
The one pen every touring musician should have is a standard Sharpie. They are excellent for writing set lists, quickly scribing addresses on merch orders, and signing autographs. If you ever release a CD, at least one person will ask you to sign it. The Sharpie is the best pen for this task.
For tablet writing, I have a stylus. I’ve found typing to be much faster, but I’ll still use the stylus for things.
My favorite note apps are Evernote and Notability. I use Evernote for capturing song ideas and drafting lyrics. For prose, I prefer Notability. There’s something about the faux yellow pad with lines I like better than a blank white page.
Write on.
