I see a lot of people asking what pens are best for writing in planners. I’ve played around with a lot so I know what’s best for me.

Keep in mind, you may like a different level of ink flow, or you may not like the way a certain pen makes your handwriting look. These pens are just what I’ve found works best for me on different surfaces.

For my Erin Condren

• Black Sharpie Ultra Fine Point – This pen is great for writing on glossy paper. It’s the only one I’ve used that doesn’t smudge and make a mess. I can’t use it on just the paper though because there’s a little show through, or ghosting, onto the back of the page. I do have it on my planner at all times though because I don’t mind a little ghosting as long as the ink stays where I put it.
• Mechanical Pencil – I like to have a pencil on me so I can write in things that pop up for the upcoming weeks. I don’t decorate until Sunday  so I don’t quite know where my to-do lists are going to go yet. This way, I can just have it noted that it’s happening and then erase and put a sticker down when it comes time to plan.
• Ball Point Pen – I swear by the Paper Mate Profile. It writes the smoothes I’ve found for a ball point and is still comfortable to hold. I use this when I’m writing directly on the paper so that it’s still black, but it won’t bleed through.

For my Moleskine/Bullet Journal

• Staedtler Triplus Fineliner – This is one of those pens that I know you’ve seen around if you look at a lot of planner pictures or follow studyblr’s on tumblr. This pen is smooth and precise while still giving a deep black color. They’re a little weird to write with at first since the barrels are triangular, but that’s easy overlooked once you see how they feel to write with and some people prefer the triangular style. I did try to write with these to take notes with at school and noticed that I went through them fairly quickly, like they didn’t have a lot of ink in them.
• Paper Mate Flair – This is another pen you’ve probably seen around. These are more like markers to me, but the point is still fine enough to write with comfortably. I went through a phase of writing with just these but it just wasn’t the same as the way they felt when I wrote with them in the Moleskine.

Notable Mentions

• Target Dollar Spot – These pens vary so much. I’ve gotten ones that write just like a regular ballpoint and some that are so terrible that I just throw them away. Their redeeming quality? They’re the cutest around and are super cheap. If anything, it’s good to have a few of these for when you’re photographing your spread.
• Pen Gems – This is the only pen that I haven’t personally tried. Many people love these, but I think it’s just one of those things like with the Dollar Spot pens where they’re cute. Overall, it’s just another ball point. Some people really love them so I figure it’s worth a try.

Here‘s Jodi’s, from Mom’s favorite stuff, post on the pens she likes to use.

What pens do you like to use in your planner?