Hi Everyone!
I was perusing the ‘net for writing tools and found a really interesting piece by Alison Nastasi that lists ’20 Writing Tools of Famous Authors’. Â You can find the full article on FlavorWire.com, but I’ve summarized it here for you!
Many of our favorite writers have a special tool or method they use when writing their incredible works. From typewriters and notebooks to fountain pens and regular pencils, they use them all. Several authors, including Stephen King, use fountain pens because it causes them to write slower and think more when writing out longhand. Another tip about fountain pens is that you are forced to edit more thoroughly when putting your writing into a computer or other word processor.
Mark Twain, one of my personal favorites, designed tabbed notebooks where he would wear off the tabs on pages he had completed so he would know where the next blank page was. I have done a similar technique in compositions books, where I move a slim paper post-it to the next available page so I can turn to it quickly before and idea escapes me! Later in his life, when writing longhand became painful, Mr. Twain dictated his stories.
Jane Austen is one of my all time favorite authors. She used a steno style book and a quill pen with ink that had to stand in the ‘chimney corner fourteen days and be shaken two or three times a day.’ I was delighted by the short article on Jane, you can read the article HERE.
Truman Capote reportedly wrote his first version always in longhand with a pencil. The second version was also in longhand. The third version was typed on special yellow paper. Even in bed, with the typewriter balanced on his knees, he could type 100 words per minute!
Charles Dickens used standard black ink until the 1840s when he switched to blue ink. He often also used blue paper!
J. K. Rowling used loose leaf paper and pen to draft her Harry Potter books. Arthur Conan Doyle used a pen to write his famous Sherlock stories while Agatha Christie used her trusty Remington Home Portable Number 2 typewriter. Young adult author Judy Blume used paper and pencil to write her famous stories. She does use a computer sometimes, but usually likes to print them out and edit with a pencil.
What types of writing tools do you use? I love the feel of writing with a smooth pen on paper. There is something so creative and inspiring about it.
Happy Writing!
~ Eileen 🙂
for the link at any time!
Eileen Maki 