The Best Pens (And Other Accessories!) For Your Best Journaling Experience Ever

Whether it’s fountain pens, colored gel pens, or felt-tip pens, everyone has their own preference when it comes to journaling. And if you journal regularly, you probably have a variety of pens and accessories in your journaling toolkit.

There’s a lot to take into consideration when you’re looking for pens: Smooth lines, nib size, no smear, good grip, and the list goes on.

With so many options, it can be overwhelming to sort through them all. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best pens and accessories to make your journaling experience more creative and fulfilling than it already is. 

Best pens for journaling

Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set

Price: $10.69

Many writers and illustrators will attest to the high quality of Sakura Micron pens. The smooth, rich black ink is waterproof, chemical resistant, fade resistant and quick drying—which means no smears!

The Micron pens create clean, precise lines making them perfect for journaling. This set includes one of the following sizes: 005 (0.20mm), 01 (0.25mm), 02 (0.30mm), 03 (0.35mm), 05 (0.45mm), 08 (0.50mm).

Buy the Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set here. 

Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens

Price: $14.08

If you’re looking to add a pop of color to your pages, these fineliner journaling pens are a great option. Each set comes with 20 pens and ink colors including aqua, black, blue, green, orange, red, purple, yellow and more. With a 0.3mm tip, you can create thin, smooth lines. Also, the ink is quick dry so you won’t have to worry about the hassle of smearing. 

Whether you want to write or draw (yes, if you love to doodle while you write the fineliner pens are a must-have in your journaling toolkit!)

Buy the Staedtler Triplus Fineliner Pens here.

Sharpie S-Gel, Gel Pens Medium Point 

Price: $13.99

Sharpie is a go-to brand that many of us are familiar with for back-to-school supplies. From markers to pens, Sharpie is well-known for their high-quality products. These gel pens are incredibly versatile so even when you’re not journaling, you’ll enjoy having these pens on hand, whether it’s writing grocery and to-do lists, notes in your kids’ lunch, or adding to your event calendar. 

These pens are also medium point if you prefer that style. This set includes 12 pens with assorted colors. Buy the Sharpie S-Gel, Gel Pens Medium Point here.

Uni-ball ONYX Rollerball Pen, Micro Point

Price: $5.71

This list wouldn’t be complete without a rollerball pen. This blue pen 12-set from uni-ball is water resistant, fade resistant and has a 0.5 mm metal tip, creating very smooth and precise lines.

Aside from being cost-conscious, this pen is also environmentally-conscious—it's made from 80% post-consumer recycled electronics!

Buy the uni-ball ONYX Rollerball Pen, Micro Point here.

Dryden Designs Fountain Pen Medium Nib

Price: $36.95

This fountain pen is on the more luxurious end, and while it’s higher in price, it comes with many impressive features. First, the ink flows smoothly as soon as you press the pen to paper, so you only need a light touch.

The design is elegant, made from stainless steel and is extremely versatile. So while you may be paying a bit more, each pen is compatible with both a standard cartridge and bottled ink. As an added bonus, you'll also receive a piston converter which allows you to refill the pen with ink. 

Buy the Dryden Designs Fountain Pen Medium Nib here.

Additional accessories for journaling

Zebra Pen Midliner, Double Ended Highlighter

Price: $11.45

Having a highlighter on hand is helpful when you want to bring attention to a thought or idea that you want to refer back to in the future. This 8-pack of assorted color highlighters includes broad and fine point tips, so you have the option of highlighting or underlining.

The pigment ink is water resistant so you won’t have to stress about smudging. To make finding the color you want easier, the ends have caps.

Buy the Zebra Pen Midliner, Double Ended Highlighter here.

Better Office Products Journaling Stencil Set

Price: $8.49

A 24-pack of 4” x 7” stencils, this journaling stencil set contains a numbered index and various designs. The index contains categories so you can easily find the shapes you want. The template of designs is unique to each set.

Also, this journaling stencil set is reusable and washable so no need to worry about making a mess. Have fun with it! 

Buy the Better Office Products Journaling Stencil Set here.

Hwook 30 Rolls Gold Foil Washi Tape

Price: $13.99

A beautiful finishing touch to any journal, you’ve likely heard journal enthusiasts rave about washi tape. Hwook’s washi tape comes in many different, fun designs. Every pattern has a gold foil and each roll is 15mm (0.6 inch) wide and 4 meters long (13 feet). 

The washi tape is removeable so if you change your mind, you can take it off and swap it for another design. These rolls are also very easy to clean without leaving unwanted stickiness behind. 

Buy the Hwook 30 Rolls Gold Foil Washi Tape here.

What are your favorite journaling accessories? Let us know if we missed any in the comments. And while you're at it, make sure to subscribe to Silk + Sonder today.