Back in September, on my Booktrib blog, I posted about the reissue of the famous Blackwing 602 pencil:

Rumor has it that Stephen King wrote all his early novels with Blackwing pencils. I know he wrote Dreamcatcher that way. At least that’s one story. Another story I’ve heard is that thriller writer Lee Child wrote the first of the Jack Reacher series, Killing Floor, in pencil. Elmore Leonard supposedly writes in pencil. And Joe Finder does as well. Some scenes, anyway. Hemmingway, Steinbeck and Truman Capote (a Blackwing user) were pencil writers all at some point in their careers.

So why pencils in this day and age of sophisticated computers and writing software? I can think of a few reasons:

1. There is something satisfying about the feel of paper, about working with the hands and simple tools.

2. Writing long hand, whether with pencil or pen, forces a writer to think about words more carefully before committing them to paper. Word processing software is wonderful, but it does have a tendency to produce word-vomit without good self-discipline. I’ve often thought that the number of unpublished novelists would drop drastically if agents and publishers forced hopeful writers to submit good old fashioned typed manuscripts.

3. We’ve all had the experience of meaning to sit down and “get some work done,” only to find that our wireless connection has gone down, our disk has crashed, or some other thing has gone wrong out of the half-a-billion things that can go wrong with our computers. One work day later, we haven’t accomplished anything except waiting to speak with tech support. This doesn’t happen with a pad of paper and pencil, although I suppose spilled coffee could derail the process for a few minutes.

4. Less distractions. Doodling is probably the writer’s biggest enemy using a paper and pencil. Or the fridge.

5. Writers are forced to retype their entire manuscript after committing it to paper via pencil. That’s a great way to catch awkward language and typos.

Well, I’ve obviously since received the pack I ordered and, no surprises here, I love ‘em! So does my father, a semi-retired woodworker who uses them for drafting duties. He’s a sucker for a quality pencil.

The Blackwing writes as smoothly as a good ballpoint pen and maintains its tip much longer than other pencils. The “lead” in those others is brittle. The Blackwing’s lasts and can withstand normal writing pressure. I sharpen mine with a hand-held sharpener from Staples. Just a cheapie thing, but it works well. Blackwings are not cheap, but I guarantee they’ll last longer than less-expensive brands.

One of the things that got me interested in the Blackwing (or maybe obsessed) is the staggering amount of creative output produced over the years by this pencil brand. I was hoping that having one in my hands and set on a blank page might inspire something amazing. That has yet to happen, but I love the thought if it.

And so does Cal Cedar, the company who makes them. Sure, they want to sell pencils, but they really seem to get it. Check this out: Blackwing Experience. Remember, we’re talking about a pencil, for God’s sake. I love it. They’re also offering a limited edition 6-pack: 3 602s (for writers) and 3 Palominos (for artists) for $10. The link is on the Blackwing Experience page.

Long live the Blackwing!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to fantasizing about writing an entire novel with these things. On legal pads.