I might have a problem. Maybe I collect a few pens, pencils, and notebooks. Or maybe I collect … a lot. But you can benefit from my stationery addiction. I’ll share a few of my favorites for writers (or the writers in your life, if you’re looking for some gift ideas).

NOTEBOOKS

1. Leuchtturm 1917: When I’m looking for a small, easy-to-carry notebook (5.75 x 8.25 inches), I reach for these. My favorites are the metallics, but I’m not picky; I’ve bought them in a range of colors. I love these notebooks because they come with an index (where you can keep track of what you’ve written), 249 numbered pages, a dot grid (which I’ve come to love more than blank or graph pages), AND stickers so you can label your notebooks. This is one of my all-time faves, and it’s popular in the Bullet Journal community. (Here’s a Michael’s version that currently costs $5.)
2. Zequenz: My go-to size for notebooks is the composition (7.5 x 10 inches). If Leuchtturm made a better composition size (their version has only 121 pages, and I prefer 200 or so), they would have a customer for life. Alas, they don’t, so I’ve started using Zequenz, and I buy the version with blank pages.The downsides: The pages aren’t numbered, there’s no index, and the paper … the quality varies. Sometimes the paper is amazing. And sometimes it’s weirdly slick, and some of my pens will slide across the surface and the ink won’t take. It’s like trying to write on plastic. It’s very odd. AND I’ve ordered three or four of these notebooks, and each time the page number has been slightly different — 202, 198, 196. Weird, but still a decent notebook.
3. These are the only composition notebooks I’ve found that are blank. You can buy comp notebooks at most grocery stores for less than $1, but they are either ruled or graph. The paper is okay, but on the thinnish side (you will likely get some ghosting). Pro tip: Go to the School Specialty site and you can get them each for about two bucks, but the shipping is more than the notebook. I usually buy them in groups of ten.
4. Stalogy: This is my next notebook, so I haven’t developed a firm opinion of it yet. Cool features: It has the day, week, and month at the top so you can keep track of what day you take notes or write. Each page has a timeline from 0 to 24 along the side so you can create a daily schedule. It has 368 pages (yay), but they aren’t numbered (boo). It also has a faint gray grid. We’ll see how I like it compared to the dot grid or blank pages.
5. Runner-up: Moleskine Classic Notebook. It’s fine.

PENS

1. Pilot Frixion retractable gel pens: These pens blew my mind this year. I think I first heard about another type (the Color Sticks), but I prefer the way the retractable gel pens flow. Smooth ink and they are erasable. It has completely changed my revision experience. Navy is my favorite color.
2. Paper Mate Ink Joy gel pens: Another discovery this year. Super smooth, great colors. Love, love, love.
3. Pentel EnergelX: Another smooth pen. I’m currently obsessed with the purple.

FOUNTAIN PENS

It should tell you I have a problem when I have two pen sections, one for regular and another for fountain. But I won’t go too crazy. I’ll just tell you about my two favorites.

1. TWSBI: The fountain pen I reach for most often.
2. A.G. Spalding & Bros.: Another wonderful pen.

I should point out that I prefer a bolder line. Before, I used to really like fine and sometimes extra-fine. But lately I love more of a medium-to-bold nib, and both of these pens reflect that.

Want to try out a fountain pen to see if it’s for you? Pilot Varsity pens are disposable and come with pre-loaded ink. The Pilot Metropolitan is a great starter pen (but you will need to buy bottled ink or cartridges).

PENCILS/SHARPENER/HIGHLIGHTERS

1. Blackwing: I started with a sample pack a couple of years ago, and mine included a couple of Blackwings. I’ve never looked back. I love the Blackwings and 602s. I haven’t tried the Pearl yet.
2. Sharpener: Yeah, I got the Blackwing Sharpener too. What?YOU’RE THE ONE WITH THE PROBLEM.
3. Frixion highlighters: They make erasable highlighters too. I KNOW, right?
4. Zebra midliners: The colors are purty.

Well, there you have it. Shop, give, enjoy. Just don’t judge.