The Best Pens for Writers Who Still Love Writing by Hand

And when you write a lot by hand, the pen matters. Some glide across the page. Some dry quickly enough that you don’t end up dragging ink across everything you’ve just written. Others simply feel good enough in your hand that you want to keep writing.

Here are some great pens that are worth trying if putting pen to paper is still an important part of your writing life.

1. Pilot G2 — Best Everyday Gel Pen

I love a good gel pen, it’s my favorite to journal with! In general, the Pilot G2 would be an obvious starting point for writers who want to enjoy the feel of the paper because it is the kind of pen you can keep everywhere: beside your journal, in your purse, on your desk, or tucked into a notebook.

It uses gel ink and has a cushioned grip, and Pilot offers the G2 in several point sizes and a large assortment of ink colors. The standard 0.7 mm version is a particularly easy choice if you like a smooth, substantial line without venturing into an especially bold pen. My favorite color in this line is purple, but I have some of just about every color they offer.

Best for: Everyday writing, brainstorming, journaling and first drafts.

2. Pentel EnerGel — Best for Long Writing Sessions

If you tend to fill several notebook pages at a time, the Pentel EnerGel deserves a place on the list. It’s a great pen that has longevity. I love how these pens glide on the page and they are so comfortable to write with!

Its liquid gel ink is designed to flow smoothly while drying quickly, which makes it especially appealing when you’re writing page after page and don’t want your hand smearing what you just wrote. I would position this as the pen for the writer who sits down intending to write one page and suddenly realizes they’ve filled ten. They’re great in any color, and if you are new to these pens, you might want to try the variety pack.

Best for: Morning pages, long journal entries and handwritten drafts.

3. Uni-ball Jetstream — Best for Writers Who Prefer Ballpoint Pens

Not everyone loves gel ink. In fact, as much as I love it, I don’t always want to use it. If you prefer the practicality of a ballpoint but don’t want the scratchier feeling that inexpensive ballpoints can sometimes have, the Uni-ball Jetstream is an interesting middle ground. It glides like a gel ink, but it isn’t quite the same.

The hybrid ink is designed to combine a smoother writing experience with the quick-drying properties associated with ballpoint ink. Uni also offers the Jetstream in numerous styles and configurations.

Best for: Everyday notes, planners, outlining and writers who prefer ballpoint ink.

4. Zebra Sarasa Clip — Best for Color-Coding Your Ideas

For writers who like using different colors for different ideas, the Zebra Sarasa Clip is especially fun. Sometimes, mixing up the colors can stimulate creativity. When I need to do that, this is the pen I reach for, especially since it comes in so many colors.

Zebra has expanded the Sarasa Clip line into a large range of colors, and the pen combines gel ink with a retractable design and substantial clip that makes it easy to attach to a notebook.

This could be particularly useful if you color-code research, edit drafts by hand, keep a commonplace book or simply enjoy making your notebooks visually interesting.

Best for: Journaling, editing, annotations and color-coded notes.

5. Uni-ball 207 — Best for Notes You Want to Keep

Sometimes what you’re writing isn’t disposable. You need something that lasts. When I need my notes to be a bit more permanent, I’ve had luck with this particular pen. As an extra bonus, I like the way this pen feels when it’s writing. The ink is smooth, and the .7 mm tip is robust and easy to maneuver.

The Uni-ball 207  uses Uni’s water- and fade-resistant Super Ink, making it an appealing choice for journals, notebooks and other writing you intend to hang onto.

This is the pen I’d reach for when the notebook itself matters—not just a grocery list you’ll throw away tomorrow, but thoughts, observations and pieces of your life you might want to reread years from now.

Best for: Journals, keepsake notebooks and permanent notes.

6. Paper Mate Flair — Best for Writers Who Like a Bold, Expressive Pen

I’d round out the list with something that feels noticeably different from the other choices: a felt-tip pen. This pen is really fun to write with, but if I am being totally honest, my favorite use for it is to doodle! I love to make colorful shapes with this pen. Doodling helps me brainstorm.

The Paper Mate Flair isn’t necessarily the pen I’d use to handwrite an entire manuscript, but that’s not really its role (nor would I ever handwrite a manuscript). It’s wonderful for headings, brainstorming, margin notes, lists, creative notebooks and those moments when using a more expressive writing tool makes the page feel a little more inviting.

Best for: Brainstorming, creative notebooks, headings and colorful journaling.

How to Choose a Pen for Writing

The “best” writing pen is personal. As you can see, I have luck with different pens for different purposes. As you embark on your journey of writing, drawing, even doodling by hand, you’ll notice that you favor certain pens over others. My advice would be to get a bunch of different pens and stick with what you like when you find it!

Think about whether you prefer a fine or bold line, gel or ballpoint ink, a substantial grip or a slimmer barrel. Also consider what you’re actually writing. The pen you love for quick notes might not be the one you want in your hand while filling six pages of a journal.

You may even discover that you don’t have one favorite pen. You have a favorite pen for journaling, another for outlining and another that permanently lives beside your computer. That’s part of the pleasure of writing by hand.

As writers, we don’t need elaborate tools. Ultimately, the words matter much more than what you use to put them on the page. However, a tool can make you want to return to the work.