For many writers, finding the right pen is a matter of necessity rather than preference. There are hundreds of different types of pens on the market. Each brand offers different features, some are designed to write more easily than others, and there are even some that are waterproof and can be used when a “drip” is involved. Whatever the purpose, there are hundreds of different types of pens on the market for just about any need that a writer may have.

There are three main categories of pens: ballpoint pens, gel pens and soft-grip pens. For many writers, there is a fine line between a ballpoint pen and a gel pen or a fountain pen. Ballpoint pens are generally considered the “normal” pen because of their ability to be used on just about anything. Most ballpoint pens have a medium or broad nib. Although these pens can be used on all surfaces, their biggest advantage is that they are well-suited for writing.

  • Writing with a ballpoint pen requires the user to press down on the button or the part in the center that is referred to as the “ball”, until the nib catches ink. This process requires practice and therefore many ballpoint pen users take up their hobby by purchasing ink-pot pre-measured for different types of pens. When shopping for ink-pots for your various types of pens, you should consider purchasing one with a larger hole for the ink or tip of each different type of pen you plan to own. You also want to buy a pot that has a larger hole in the bottom of it to allow for easy filling of your input with bottled water or other liquid.
  • There are also three different kinds of nibs for technical drawing pens: plastic, wood, and dip pens. Unlike ballpoint and rollerball pens which only accept a single type of ink, these three different types of nibs can accept a variety of different types of ink. If you’re a hobbyist who likes to do a lot of drawings or if you prefer to do your work with large, detailed paintings, you will probably prefer plastic nibs over wood or dip pens.
  • For a ballpoint pen user, the most common variety is the ballpoint pen holder. These holders come in both plastic and metal varieties. Plastic holders often come with their own ink cartridges that have a generic ink cartridge base. On the other hand, metal holders often feature a rubber or plastic tip that will attach to the end of your favorite ballpoint pen.
  • The fourth kind of pen is the felt-tip pen. Though many people are unfamiliar with felt-tip pens, they are actually some of the oldest pens on the market. In addition, felt-tip pens come in many different designs. Some of these designs include gel pens, which are like ballpoint pens, but they have an internal reservoir that holds their water-based ink. These pens also have nibs that are similar to ballpoint pens, but they have a fine tip that allows you to write with more precision than you would expect from a ballpoint pen.
  • The fifth most common type of pen is the rollerball pen. These pens were actually designed as an alternative to fountain-pens. While they still have some uses for them today, they were initially designed to replace fountain pens because of their convenience. These types of pens have an internal reservoir that holds a small amount of ink. They usually have some sort of nib adaptor so that you can change your tip size without having to purchase a whole new ink cartridge.
  • The sixth most common type of pen is the ballpoint pen. Unlike felt-tip pens or rollerball pens, a ballpoint pen actually has a tip. This is different from the typical ballpoint pen, which has a flat tip. It’s function is to provide a smooth flowing line of text. These types of pens have a rubber eraser at the bottom of the barrel to help keep the ball pointed where you want it to go.