Neil Gaiman Fountain Pen Draft

Draft prose longhand using a fountain pen and physical notebook away from screens. Inspired by Neil Gaiman's daily writing practice.

5 time blocks, 60 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Fountain pen ink selection: 5 min
Fill pen with a distinct ink color and write today's date.
Isolate from digital screens: 5 min
Move to a comfortable location far from phones or computers.
Apply the write or do nothing rule: 5 min
Allow only two choices: write prose or sit in complete stillness.
Continuous longhand drafting: 40 min
Write sentences slowly by hand without crossing out or self editing.
Log daily ink boundary: 5 min
Mark where today's ink ends so tomorrow uses a new color.

About this routine

Neil Gaiman's morning routine for first drafts relies on physical paper and fountain pens instead of computers. By stepping away from screens, he slows down his thinking process and removes digital distractions like email and web browsing.

A core part of this method involves changing ink colors each day. When looking back through a physical notebook, the distinct ink shades show exactly how much progress was made in every writing session. Gaiman also uses a simple mental rule: he is allowed to write or do nothing, but he cannot check devices or do other tasks.

This 60 minute session guides you through the process of setting up your analog writing environment, applying the write or do nothing constraint, and drafting prose longhand.

Why this routine works

Eliminates online distractions during early story drafting.
Slows down thought processes to encourage richer prose choices.
Provides visual progress tracking through daily ink color changes.

FAQ

What is Neil Gaiman's writing routine for first drafts?

Neil Gaiman writes first drafts longhand using fountain pens in physical notebooks. He changes ink colors daily to track progress visually.

Why does Neil Gaiman write with a fountain pen?

Writing longhand slows down the thought process and removes digital distractions, while changing ink colors makes daily progress easy to see.

What is Neil Gaiman's write or do nothing rule?

During writing time, Gaiman allows himself only two options: write the story or sit still and do nothing. No phones, books, or internet allowed.

Sources

Neil Gaiman on Writing Longhand with Fountain Pens, The Guardian
Neil Gaiman's Writing Advice and Notebook Habits, Tim Ferriss Show