WordPress.com Favorites: The Pelikan’s Perch

Welcome again to our “WordPress.com Favorites” collection! In these interviews, we’ll be highlighting bloggers about their ardour challenge. Warning: contents assured to be inspiring.  

Immediately’s featured weblog, The Pelikan’s Perch, dives deeply into a distinct segment of a distinct segment: proprietor Joshua Danley writes solely about Pelikan-brand fountain pens. 

Even in the event you’ve by no means written with a fountain pen and know nothing about this graphological interest, you’ll be captivated by Joshua’s interview under. 

1. Inform us a bit of bit about your self. What do you do for a dwelling? What do you write about? How lengthy have you ever been running a blog?

Initially, I’m a father to 2 candy and rambunctious little boys and a husband to an incredible spouse. More often than not, you will discover me working at a group hospital within the Philadelphia suburbs. I’m a pulmonary and significant care doctor by commerce, working in each in-patient and out-patient settings in addition to serving because the medical director of my hospital’s ICU. As you may think about, my days will be lengthy and intense, by no means extra so than since COVID-19 landed on our doorstep. 

It’d shock some, then, to study that my weblog has nothing to do with drugs or household. As an alternative, I write completely in regards to the Pelikan model of fountain pens, a model that’s practically 184 years outdated. 

I launched my weblog, The Pelikan’s Perch, on September 1, 2014, however I’ve been accumulating fountain pens since 2012. Whereas learning for my inner drugs boards, I might take breaks from learning by researching my small however rising assortment of pens. It was a good way to decompress. I discovered a whole lot of nice info, however it was fragmented and broadly distributed throughout the various corners of the web. I spent a whole lot of time piecing all of it collectively, actually for nothing greater than my very own edification. 

In some unspecified time in the future, it struck me that others would possibly take pleasure in and profit from the data that I used to be gathering for myself. That was the catalyst for the weblog. I’ve no formal writing expertise, although I at all times excelled in my English lessons. I sought to mix a colloquial, conversational language that was simple to entry whereas nonetheless making use of a extra rigorous scientific method to the analysis behind every bit.

2. Why Pelikan particularly? What makes the model so particular? Why not write about fountain pens extra broadly?

I acquired my first fountain pen in 2009 however have solely been accumulating them in earnest since 2012. I first collected a broad swath of manufacturers and skilled many distinctive filling programs, dabbling in something that caught my eye. It was a terrific schooling within the historical past and design of fountain pens. 

It wasn’t till 2013 that I acquired my first Pelikan, a calmly used white M205. It was love at first sight. The M205 was my first higher-end, piston-filled fountain pen and it stood out for its clear design and ideal stability when posted. It was sufficient to make me begin looking for out different Pelikans. Don’t get me fallacious, it wasn’t like I made a snap resolution on the spot to dedicate myself solely to 1 model, however as I started to gravitate increasingly in the direction of Pelikan, I began to forsake all the others. 

My assortment of Pelikans would develop with the addition of an old-style Black/Inexperienced M600 after which an M400 Tortoiseshell White. A medical resident’s wage isn’t a lot to talk about, so I began promoting off my earlier non-Pelikan acquisitions to fund my new habit, a choice that I’ve but to remorse all these years later. 

What makes the model so particular is that Pelikan pens have an indescribable high quality, a personality and a self-discipline, that makes proudly owning and utilizing them a pleasure that transcends the sum of their elements. There’s a wealthy historical past and heritage behind the model that basically captivates the creativeness if you begin digging into it. I don’t write about fountain pens extra broadly just because there are a whole lot of superb folks already working in that area and placing out nice content material. I wished my voice to be distinctive, so I sought out a distinct segment inside a distinct segment. I feel that laser focus has allowed me to convey high-quality content material to the weblog which may not in any other case be doable if I used to be extra broadly centered.

3. You write inside a distinct segment of a distinct segment. Do you ever really feel constrained or such as you would possibly run out of concepts? Is it simple to give you new content material concepts?

Time. Time is what I’m constrained by, particularly the woeful lack of it. My day job retains me very busy, so my running a blog is shoehorned into the odd hours of the night time, at the least once I’m in a position to keep awake. A whole lot of analysis goes into a lot of my items, and it’s time-consuming to try to get issues proper. It’s not the subject material that constrains, at the least not but. The Pelikan model traces its roots again to 1838 they usually have been making fountain pens since 1929. That’s 184 years of firm heritage and 93 years of pen making, which implies that there’s loads of fodder there to put in writing about — if solely my time and creativeness have been equally expansive. It has been an actual blast having the ability to convey a few of the extra esoteric and buried details about the model and its pens to the floor. I’ve much more concepts that I’m simply ready to have the ability to discover.

4. What are the advantages of writing with a fountain pen? What would you say to somebody who’s by no means written with one with a purpose to get them to attempt?

First, I discover the act of utilizing a fountain pen considerably cathartic. We’re so related and device-oriented as of late. There’s something particular about unplugging and placing pen to paper. That tactile suggestions, the nib gliding on a easy line of ink, seeing your phrases come to life, that’s one thing very rewarding. It will possibly actually unlock your creativity in a method our digital gadgets can’t. 

It additionally connects us to the previous. Whereas there are many new, trendy pens available, there are simply as many classic fashions on the market. Choosing one up can’t assist however evoke photos of who might need owned it and what would possibly they’ve written with it. It’s a enjoyable train of the creativeness. 

The summary apart, I feel utilizing a fountain pen helps enhance retention and is usually a stress reliever. Additionally, it may be very rewarding for those who like to put in writing and ship letters. When a lot of our mail is junk, receiving a handwritten letter from somebody is a uncommon deal with and a particular present that anybody can provide. That’s not a fountain pen–particular exercise, however the train is extra satisfying than when utilizing a ballpoint.

5. There’s a strong group of fountain pen lovers on the market. What are a few of your favourite sources, for people who may be considering exploring this huge world?

Once I was given my first fountain pen in 2009, I crashed and burned. I had no thought what I used to be doing, and I didn’t know the place to look. That lesson in frustration turned me off to the idea and it took three years earlier than I’d discover my method again. The second go-round was way more profitable, largely due to websites like The Fountain Pen Community and Fountain Pen Geeks which have been very influential for me in my early days. I feel they’re nonetheless nice repositories of data and there’s a lot there for a novice to discover and unpack. 

Different websites are nice too, reminiscent of r/fountainpens over on Reddit. These are simply a few of the greater boards and dialogue boards. It might take method an excessive amount of area to listing all the different nice bloggers and different sources on the market that even have nice info. The boards make for a great start line although.

6. Do you have got any suggestions for aspiring bloggers, writers, and/or hobbyists? What has stored you going all these years?

Discover your individual area of interest inside a distinct segment. Write about one thing you’re keen on, one thing near the guts. That may hold you going. 

Preserve at it however don’t sweat posting every single day or each week. Do what you may, when you may. When it begins to really feel like work and you start to wrestle, step away from it. It shouldn’t be a chore. 

For me, the weblog has been a remedy of types. It’s a refuge the place I can go to unplug from the stress of my day job and get misplaced in a world that has nothing to do with drugs. That stress reliever has been invaluable to my psychological well being.

For those who suppose you’ve found your individual area of interest inside a distinct segment, however are a bit of caught in getting your web site off the bottom, take a look at our free, self-paced Intro to Running a blog course.

Additionally you should definitely learn the primary two options on this WordPress.com Favorites collection: The Journey Architect writes all about touring and doesn’t slim in on a single geographic space or journey matter; Empish Thomas writes about all types of issues, from incapacity advocacy, to e book/podcast critiques, to why she loves writing. 

Editor’s word: This interview has been calmly edited for readability.