It’s NaNoWriMo time. It’s OKB48 time. It’s me trying to figure out what is special about a special edition pen time. In short, it’s a perfect podcast episode.
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
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Esterbrook x Accutron: Introducing the collaboration between Accutron and Esterbrook, the new Estie Accutron.
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
It's that magical time of year again, when writers around the world dive into their projects and new stories are born. And for Pen Addicts, that means we get some extra committed pen and paper time. Every year I get excited to pick my kit for NaNoWriMo. It's a little less exciting for me this year, though. Why? Because it's mostly the same kit as my 2019 kit, which you can see in this 2019 post.
While my Field Notes Dime Novel planning notebook and my Barnes & Noble Italian Leather notebook are the same, my pens and pen case are different. The case is a Rickshaw/Carolina Pen Co collaboration called Unicorn Autopsy. The starting lineup of pens is my Spoke Pens Icon, Gravitas Skittles and Gravitas Skulls, an Esterbrook JR that I am currently reviewing, a Leonardo Momento Zero in Blue Hawaii, and the Esterbrook Estie in Sea Glass. My Schon DSGN Ultem Peek-a-boo arrives this week, so that will definitely join the crew. Most of these are nearly empty as I've been writing with them for a few weeks, so they'll be switched out for a new list fairly soon. The project I'm diving back into is a novel called The Wards of Dunleigh Abbey, the prequel novel to my book The Bone Weaver's Orchard. The plan, when I started this book back in November 2019, was to turn it in this very month of October 2021. Obviously that is not happening...but the least I can do is honor the missed deadline by picking it up again.
While I often write 50,000 words in a month (that's a pretty normal month for a working writer, but it's spread across a number of projects), books are generally longer than 50,000 words. Often closer to double that. This book I started writing for NaNoWriMo in 2019 isn't finished (it's only about 15,000 words in--I did not hit the goal in 2019). I think we can all agree that last year was a hot mess, and between Covid, my kids schooling at home, and the start of my grad school program, I didn't even try NaNoWriMo in 2020. I set my own goal that month of trying to write a short story per week, and I did do that, but it was several projects and only added up to about 20,000 words. Plus, they were already deadlines that I was going to have to do anyway.
I say "only," but there's nothing bad about writing 20,000 words of new stories in a month, and there was nothing wrong with my 15,000 words for NaNo in 2019! That's the beauty of NaNoWriMo. If you write anything at all, you've won. Progress is progress. I've got a messy but effective (and optimistic) tracker in my BuJo.
I go into this NaNoWriMo knowing that I likely won't hit that 50K words on this single project. I'm still in grad school, we're still in a pandemic, my kids still need all my attention, I still have to work at the library, and I'm currently ghostwriting someone else's novel. This book won't be done on November 30th even if I do hit the goal! But anything I add to it, any progress I make on the project, is a step closer to the bigger goal, which it to finish the book eventually. Books are long. NaNoWriMo isn't a magical formula for writing books, but it is a great community-driven way to support each other in the process of writing. And that's what I love about it.
There are some friends I only see during NaNoWriMo. Writers are reclusive creatures, and much like there are "pen show friends" that you only see at pen shows, there are writer friends who only come out for NaNo events. Most events are virtual again this year, which, when it comes to writers, means they will probably be better attended than in-person events. I think I'm most excited to have new NaNoWriMo friends this year--especially Brad, the Pen Addict himself, who has committed to participating. When my pen buddies are also my writing buddies, it's buddies squared. If you want to be my writing buddy, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and the NaNoWriMo site all as Inkwellmonster. Hit me up for inspiration or motivation anytime! Happy writing and good luck!
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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
As far as notebooks go, my expectations are pretty simple. My needs can vary a great deal when it comes to size, legend (lined, grid, etc.), thickness, cover, and writing purpose, but a notebook is still a notebook at the end of the day. If I find a good notebook that I enjoy using, I don't really care what brand it is.
It seems that Faber-Castell is dipping their toes into the Moleskine / Leuchtturm waters by offering a new hardcover notebook that mimics the style of other popular brands. Seemingly every paper brand has a version of the hardcover notebook with an elastic closure and little pockets on the inside cover, but that doesn't mean they all perform well. If you're going to throw yet another notebook with almost identical specs into the pool, it better be good.
Luckily, Faber-Castell seem to have struck a fantastic balance when it comes to the paper quality in their hardcover notebook offering. It's rated as 100gsm, which is a little on the thick side, but it still feels lightweight and pliable. The writing surface is smooth with just the right amount of tactile feedback, giving you a great writing experience. With 194 pages, you also get a few more sheets than other comparable notebooks, but Leuchtturm still has them beat on this metric.
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I opened this notebook because Faber-Castell is an unknown quantity in the notebook realm — at least in the US. I wasn't sure if it would be a serious competitor (like Blackwing's paper line) or just another half-assed copy cat meant to rake in some extra revenue through marketing hype and popular trends. I was pleasantly surprised when I started using this notebook. I found the writing experience quite enjoyable, and I would have no problem recommending this notebook to anyone.
The paper has a darker cream color than I normally prefer, but it's not too bad. The grid ink is also a bit dark for my taste, but this has more to do with the fact that I don't use grid paper very often (because dot grids are superior). I'm just not used to seeing this many lines on blank paper. But, when writing or drawing, the grids still easily get out of my way or help me stay aligned based on what I'm doing. In terms of paper and grids, it's great!
I tested this paper with several different pen and ink types and didn't notice any adverse effects. No bleeding, feathering, or splotchiness, and surprisingly little show-through on the back side. This paper is definitely safe to use on both sides due to how little show-through is there. I'm actually pretty impressed by this. Sure, the paper is rated at 100gsm, but it feels lighter. I was expecting more show-through because of this, but I'm happy to be wrong.
The other areas of the notebook are, frankly, boring. We've all used a hardcover A5 notebook — probably several different types from different brands. It functions great as a notebook. It stays open when in use, it stays shut when not in use. The pockets in the front and back are useful, and it also includes the token stickers for labeling the cover. There's even a couple of table of contents pages at the front of the notebook. The last page has a nice metric ruler, a la Field Notes style for making quick measurements in a pinch. And, of course, you get a bookmark and an elastic band to keep the notebook securely closed. Unlike many other notebooks, the elastic band is round instead of a flat ribbon. I like this change because it makes the band easier to pluck with your fingers when it's time to open the notebook. The flat band is great, but I usually have to slide it to the side to get my finger underneath it. The round band is just easier to use.
Overall, the Faber-Castell A5 hardcover notebook is a great product. I wasn't expecting much, but I'm happy to report that this is a real contender in the notebook space. At $23 MSRP, it's fairly priced.
(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
