Hey pen friend!

Have you decided on your planners for 2027 yet? Now that the full Hobonichi lineup is out, I'm narrowing down my selections. I'm trying to have a couple of options just in case my top picks are unavailable from any of the USA retailers.

But to switch gears a bit, shall we talk about pens? Today, I want to share some of my favorite pens and inks to use in my planners.

Before I start getting into specifics, I should probably note that I have small handwriting. So my pen choices will reflect that. I also write almost exclusively in black when planning. This allows my color coding to stand out more.

With that in mind, let's dive in!

go to fountain pens for general writing

When it comes to the fountain pens that I use, I'm looking for two things:

• large ink capacity and
• small nib size.

So typically, I'm using a piston filler pen or a vacuum filler pen with an extra fine, a Japanese fine, or a custom needlepoint nib (which in my experience is like a Japanese extra fine or fine depending on the nib size you start with).

Common pens you'll see me using include the TWSBI Eco, the TWSBI 580ALR, the TWSBI Vac Mini, the Lamy 2000, or the Pilot Custom 823. All of these pens have a large ink capacity, which means I don't have to fill it as frequently (or clean it as frequently).

If you're curious about getting yourself a custom needlepoint nib, are in the USA, and don't have the means to go to a pen show, I highly recommend Pen Realm! His website is fairly easy to navigate, and if you purchase a pen with a custom nib grind from his website, his turnaround time is relatively quick. All of the pens I've ordered from Pen Realm have shipped within 1 to 2 weeks. The one time I ordered elsewhere, it took several months.

fountain pen ink for general writing

I use De Atramentis Document Black, and that's basically it. De Atramentis Document Black is a water resistant ink, which is something I like to use for planning. (I have yet to spill water on my planner, but it's always best to be prepared, right?)

The only other black water resistant ink that I've tried was Platinum Carbon Black. It's a very popular ink, but I wasn't a fan. It was too wet of an ink for my taste, and particularly during the hotter months, I found it gushed out of my pens. My extra fine was not extra fine anymore...

If I'm not using a water resistant ink, my go to inks are Diamine Earl Grey, Waterman Intense Black, or Herbin Perle Niore.

If you have any recommendations for black, water resistant fountain pen inks, please let me know! Respond to this email or send me a DM on Instagram. I'm always looking for new inks to try.

fountain pens and inks for headers

When it comes to my date headers, it's a free for all. I simply use whatever fountain pen I have inked that suits my fancy. There's no rules about nib size, ink capacity, or ink color. This is where I allow myself to have some fun. Using colored date headers also allow them to sick out on the page.

For August, I've been using the Tom's Studio Fountain Pen with a medium nib and Laban Poseidon Green ink.

zebra mildliners for color coding

If you've been following me for a bit, you probably already know that I love to use Zebra Mildliners for color coding. I have them in multiple colors, and they work well on all the papers I use.

Well, those are all the pens and inks that I use in my planner. I hope you got some pen suggestions from this email, and if not, that's okay too. I know my style of planning isn't for everyone.

I hope you're able to get your hands on all the planners and notebooks on your wishlist! If you'd like to share your picks with me, please respond to this email or send me a DM over on Instagram.

I'lll catch you again next week!

<3, Amy

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