Writing with a fountain pen can be different at times, but as you become more used to the pen (and the pen to you) you will notice that maybe your handwrighting could use a little improvement. No worries, there is no need to buy expansive books or products. A little self-discipline and training is all you need.

The good people at The Fountain Pen Network have a really great forum post about just this. It’s short, it’s simple, it’s easy and it doesn’t take much effort only a bit of time. The training is simple as I said. All you do is write sentinces using the whole alphabet. And yes, that’s it. Nothing more. Just do it over and over. Eventually you’ll get the hang of how your hand moves and how it should move along with the pen.

So check out the post “Handwriting Aids and LINKS to lesson sites & other helpful sites, various helpful topics including manuscripts to view” for a plethora of information about hand writing with your handy dandy fountain pen.

If you have any tips for writing better drop them in the comments.

Have you taken the first steps to learning to write better and bought a fountain pen? You started off with something cheap, but now you’ve moved up to a serious pen. And you come to one of the most puzzling pieces for a new user of fountain pens: how do you fill the darn thing?!

Maybe your pen came with instructions, mine did. But they were poor and useless at best. Do I put it into the ink bottle only a little bit? Do I cover only part of the nib? The whole nib?! Do I turn it slowly? So many questions can possibly go through your mind. For me it was a fear of ruining a damn good pen before I even used it! If you bought, for example, a Mont Blanc fountain pen worth $300 for your first real pen, you better well make sure you know how to fill it properly.

Not only so you actually fill it, but so that you don’t ruin it. Filling it properly will also ensure that it writes the way it is supposed to, though that is not to say that you are using it correctly which is a whole ‘nother story.

So, how do you fill it? Simple, follow this [1] very well made instructional guide I found after hours of web browsing. Use it and you are bound to get it right. Levenger did the great article on How To Fill A Fountain Pen, but I want to addon/mention one thing.

Cover the whole nib before filling.

Yes that is true by all means. Depending on your pens design you might have to cover just a little bit more of it. By that I mean you ‘might’ have to cover part of the actual pen for it be able to be filled correctly. On my pen, I put it in less than a centimeter deeper just to make sure I cover it properly.

Of course, after fill it make sure you dap off extra ink and clean the ‘pen’ part. I let the ink run off the nib by tapping it lightly against the bottle opening. Also don’t forget to prime is just a bit (up to three drops should be a good enough ‘prime’).

Happy writing and if any of you know any proper way to clean up a fountain pen after filling let us know. Because I, and anyone I know, have yet to figure out a ‘propery’ way other than what I described above.