Pro tip: You don't need a $200 fountain pen to start journaling.

I see it all over this group. People post their fancy gear and say you need it to get into the hobby. Started with a $2 ballpoint from the corner store. Filled three notebooks with it. The point is to write, not to shop. What's the cheapest tool you actually use every day?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_anthony13d ago

My first journal was just a stack of printer paper stapled together. The real cost for me was finding ten quiet minutes a day, not the pen. Fancy gear can make it feel like a performance instead of a private habit. Does spending more money on supplies ever make you less likely to actually use them?

clark.alex12d ago

Okay but "the tool doesn't make the habit" feels a bit off. For some people, a nice tool is the whole reason the habit sticks. I have a cheap pen I love, but my friend only writes because she bought a special notebook that makes her want to open it. If a fancy pen gets you to put words on the page, then it did its job. The risk is buying stuff instead of writing, but the right gear can actually help you start.

wendyg4313d ago

The point is to write, not to shop" is exactly right. My daily driver is a basic pencil I stole from a bank, and it works fine. The tool doesn't make the habit.