The pen, a source of knowledge and wisdom

The great Vladimir Nabokov (“Lolita“) in his 1962 novel “Pale Fire“ analyzed two methods of creation. One takes place exclusively in the mind, while the other involves writing with pen on paper. Nabokov calls the first method agony, in which “the brain is soon enclosed in a steel cap of pain.” And he explains the second method as his method of choice, writing that then “the hand supports the thought, the abstract battle is concretely fought, and thus it physically guides the phrase toward the light through the inky maze”

What he masterfully encompassed in describing his experience accurately predicts the scientific research of the future, which also relates to the comparison between keyboarding and writing by hand.

“Handwriting is a much more complex cognitive process than writing because it combines neurosensory experiences with fine motor skills, in an inseparable choreography of movements and thoughts,” says Science. It’s linked to creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

It’s not the same that our minds are much more engaged when directing the precise movements involved in writing on paper. This process helps memory, learning, and recall in an extraordinary way. That is, it helps the greatest human power, knowledge.

What is the relationship between writing with pen on paper and knowledge?

Writing on a keyboard is fast, writing by hand is slower; and this is why the latter, paradoxically at first sight, accelerates learning.

Using pen and paper gives the brain more “hooks” on which to hook its memory. Many senses are activated by the pressure of the pen on the paper, by feeling the surface, by holding the writing instrument in the hand, by seeing the letters we write, by listening to the sound produced by writing, and even by the smell of the paper itself. These sensory experiences create connections between different parts of the brain and open it up to learning, numerous scientific studies have shown.

The brain summarizes and penetrates meanings better when we write them down on paper. Research also shows that people who write with a pen are more likely to think “outside the box,” that is, they are more able to connect seemingly unrelated things, providing unconventional solutions to complex problems.

The best creative minds provide practical confirmation of the cited research.

We will mention, for example, the ingenious J. Р. Р. Tolkien; the polymath who invented several languages; and an entire world down to the smallest detail, as the setting of his capital works “The Lord of the Rings“ and “The Hobbit“.

Tolkien, putting it all into context with just a few words, declared, “A pen is to me as a beak is to a hen.”

And the great French writer Gustave Flaubert (“Madame Bovary”) said, “I am a man-pen. I feel through the pen, because of the pen.”

It is no accident that we mentioned these two examples, wanting to cover the broadest spectrum of the creative world: Flaubert is the leading realist of French literature, and Tolkien is the father of modern epic fiction.

When is it worth investing in a premium writing instrument?

Before making any investment, material or emotional, it’s wise to measure it against its purpose.

The world of premium writing instruments can easily seduce, but a personal pen should be chosen carefully, according to style and need. When we say style, we certainly don’t mean it to be confined to the category of image; but the pen with its appearance and ability to exude intangible beauty to satisfy metaphysical, emotional needs; has to motivate, to aid creation in the sense advocated above in the text; which relates to personal development, to creating competitive advantages.

Choosing the right pen should certainly also be considered in terms of needs. We will only point out here that the way we stylize what we write by hand enables us to take further analysis and organization of thoughts and ideas to a higher level; to make our note-taking more personalized, that is, more effective.

We will conclude this text with the attitude of the initiated into the world of sophisticated writing instruments, according to whom the pen is the equivalent of the inner world we bring outside ourselves.

Whether it’s creative ideas, business plans, thoughts, personal goals…