Sometimes when you want to get your ideas flowing, what you need is to change the media you are using to capture your thoughts.
Your phone, computer, tablet and audio recorder are wonderful, however, I’d like to suggest you add something else to your mix.
A fountain pen!
Getting in the flow
There’s something very different about writing with a fountain pen, which subtly changes how you feel and think. For example, it requires more thought than using a regular ballpoint pen. As a result, you tend to write slower. There’s also something about the feedback you get, as the ink flows from the pen into the paper, which is extremely relaxing.
These small nuances combine to create a different experience and a shift in your thinking. This can be just what you need, when you’re looking to get your creativity flowing again!
You don’t need expensive equipment
I do most of my creative work using a Lamy Safari, which cost peanuts (see image above). Other manufacturers, such as Parker, also make amazingly good, low cost fountain pens. I have one very inexpensive Parker pen, which works great today… just as it did when I bought it 20 years ago!
Similarly, you don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive paper or notebooks. I use a combination of scraps of paper, Moleskine books and cheap notebooks.
Some of my best ideas were jotted down on the back of a recycled scrap of paper. It’s just a matter of what you have in front of you at the time. There’s really no need to start off by investing in expensive paper, pads or notebooks.
Obviously, if you find yourself using a fountain pen as part of your daily work flow, you may want to use better quality notebooks. With a good quality notebook, the paper doesn’t weaken or discolour and you can keep your old books and refer back to them. I have notebooks that are filled with ideas and drawings from the past 20 years, which are an invaluable source of inspiration.
In short: Fountain pens cost very little, so the barrier to entry is low. If you are interested in improving your creative output, I recommend you give them a try. You may, just may, find them as useful as I do.