Steinbeck’s 24 Pencil Writing Ritual

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Wood & Graphite
© Explosivo Ltd 2019

[@aaronbarber8399]

Been waiting for this one!!! Loved the teaser on your instagram keep it up!!

[@WoodGraphite]

Thanks Aaron!

[@PhilMakesThings]

"Repeat this process until you've written Grapes of Wrath" 🤣😂 Splendid.

[@danieljrossofficialmusic]

Hahaha

[@aaronying4989]

Sounds simple and easy enough lol.

[@ReticentSparrow]

I'm a fountain pen user, but I appreciate this video. It addresses a reason I don't use wooden pencils, and I could get behind this ritual.

[@scottjones8100]

What a delightfully obsessive ritual--I just LOVE info like this! And what's really funny is that I admit to myself how low-grade irritating it is when I'm rummaging through my pencil cup in search of one that I KNOW has a fresh point, but 3/4 of them are slightly dulled. I waste a lot of time like that. As you explained Steinbeck's ritual I laughed at myself as I said, "Hmm...that might just be a good idea."

[@WoodGraphite]

Obsessive, but not odd! It's a really interesting approach. I'm glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching

[@Solitaire001]

I agree that it is a good idea if you are going to do a lot of writing at one time with wooden pencils. Although mechanical pencils might have be an alternative now, I don't know if they were available then.

[@JHParee]

I’ve been using this ritual since I learned about it from Thomas Steinbeck. It works. No time is wasted on sharpening, and you don’t lose momentum.

[@WoodGraphite]

Glad some folks have a ritual for writing too!

[@Old52Guy]

I came across this video by chance, was intrigued and watched it. It was as informative as it was entertaining. Thank you for producing this. You have a new fan and subscriber! I love Steinbeck's work. He was definitely THE American writer. My favorite book is one of his lesser known ones. "Travels with Charley"gets re-read about every 2 years. The thought and care he put into planning his travels is similar to his planning and specificity about pencils. Thank you again. I needed the laugh. Now, where did I put my copy of "Grapes of Wrath"?

[@LeetaNocha]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video ! Thank you !

[@sadmanislam5111]

Great video TJ. Very informative.

[@thamrew676]

That's a lot meanwhile I'm enjoying myself with my Steadler lead holder.

[@WoodGraphite]

Yep.

[@ericmuschlitz7619]

One of Steinbeck’s rules, never think the project will get finished. Just write one page at a time.

[@gatriemacleinn1976]

Awesome video! As always, great work sir

[@WoodGraphite]

Thank you!

[@glava14]

The Grapes of Wrath was written with a pen. Steinbeck mentioned it several times in his diaries.

[@musicandcoffee2853]

Excellent work👍🏼

[@WoodGraphite]

Thank you!

[@Noejjkkkj]

Imagine if Steinie lived in the time of the mechanical pencil

[@Kevin_Street]

Thank you for this video! I came here through a Google search, and your video was very instructive.

[@WoodGraphite]

You are very welcome!

[@gaelhillyardcreative]

Brilliant!

[@collecter3456]

Amazingly, I actually don't like black wings too much, even for drawing! But Japanese pencils are my favorite for modern pencils. I'm a vintage guy though.

[@WoodGraphite]

Me too, old stationery makes me swoon!

[@westernrider100]

Jet Pens.

[@ericmuschlitz7619]

Interesting that the tactile feel is so crucial to the process, just like in music. The instrument is as much part of the act of creation as the idea itself. The synaptic responses involved either induce or distract from the internal thought space. The connection to the material world must not generate friction to the mind, and all the better if when a source soothing is discovered, as this is to be conduit that the abstraction of idea becomes tangible. Just as a mother must be made comfortable as possible during labor of the provision of life, any other deliverer of being from nonbeing must entertain conduciveness, relative to their labor.

[@JadeSchafer]

That's an interesting way to go about it.

[@GrooDWanderer]

Loved the tally at the end with the amounts. Awesome. Maybe someone will "executive produce" a revision of this video with EF Blackwing 602s.

[@WoodGraphite]

Haha, I can dream!

[@mpproductions1385]

So time consuming but cool!

[@endezeichengrimm]

Quality content

[@HHSTT]

Today with mechanical pencil Steinbeck could write all day. 📝✏️📝✏️📝✏️📝✏️📝✏️📝

[@thaweezl8852]

How does this vid have only 325 likes ? Had to come back and watch again after it appeared in the fb group.

[@windosil]

"three times as much" I wish

[@Hiro-yr9qt]

For some reason I thought “Cheapo” was the brand of pencil 😅😂

[@j.-adanes3853]

Please do more videos about writers habits

[@WoodGraphite]

Great idea!

[@MerkabaZA]

Any idea what those wooden boxes are? I’d love to buy something similar for my pencil collection. Might help me use more pencils.

[@WoodGraphite]

They were cheap wooden boxes from the craft store. Supposed to be painted or decoupaged

[@Betty_Virago]

I feel really lucky now... my local art shop sells the palomino blackwings for just under £2 each, I’ve got quite a collection.

[@giecoijegoperypetie5325]

I want to try this, but i don't know what should i write... can you give my any example? Aaaand by the way. Your channel is the only one in whole youtube, that i recommend to my friends...

[@WoodGraphite]

Thanks! It's NaNoWriMo as of today, perhaps try writing a story?

[@MayDay14000]

“So yeah… I cheaped out, but uh… if you wanna send me… 24… Blackwing 24’s, then uh… be my guest.” ~TJ, 2019 That’s me when I’m literally waiting for someone to give me ANY Extra Firm Blackwings for free.😅😂✏️

[@ZXPhazze]

I like using only one pencil until I finish it, then moving to the next one, I don't really mind wasting time sharpening it every time the tip wears off. I think John Steinbeck did this whole ritual cause blackwings are soft pencils so I guess the tip wears off very quickly, so it's not convenient when you are inmersed writting a novel to stop every time. Roald Dahl had a similar process, except he used 6 Dixon Ticonderoga pencils.

[@steveshepherd333]

But what did you think to the pencils that ‘you’ chose to use 😊👍🏻🙏

[@JoeBrandimarte]

I write with pilot G-2 07 pens. It’s bad when you write a typo or want to go back on a few words, but makes me more thoughtful in my writing process.

[@sherrycohen1824]

I usually write with fountain pens, but I always, always, always keep the tips of pencils and stick pens up so they don't dirty the bottom of the pencil cup, or worse, leave a blot of ink.

[@LucasPreti]

a lot of money went into this video

[@vigilum]

define 'dull'...... great video

[@memeoid1]

What's that dust brush you're using?

[@WoodGraphite]

It was a gift, take a look for typewriter brushes!

[@HonzaPokorny]

3-4 lines only? That's crazy.

[@TheStewieOne]

What Pencil Sharpner is that?

[@WoodGraphite]

Classroom Friendly

[@MarcoSilesio]

cool

[@Sam-gn4xv]

2:59 Woah, wait a sec, where did that pencil go?!

[@WoodGraphite]

🧙‍♂️

[@Michaelschizophernic]

G-2 pilot pen. Thank you God.

[@carmenaureart]

Thanks for the video, though whats the point of this ritual? To not lose time sharpening one pencil, instead have to sharpen 24 at a time and waste a perfectly still usable pencil????

[@Solitaire001]

I think that advantage is that it saves time to sharpen all of the pencils at one time so you can just grab the next one, rather than having to stop to sharpen a pencil when it has become dull.

[@StopFear]

Here is a suggestion for anybody who wants to have another writing ritual. Whenever you start a new notebook use the very first page as a “sacrifice” to a God you believe in, or to a pretend God, or look up the Greek muses which are asked by writers to provide inspiration. Different types of literature genres apparently have their own muses. If you don’t want to pretend to write a sacrificial first page to any deity then just do some kind of note to self as a sort of meditation to talk to your own mind. Tear out that page and either store it somewhere or destroy it (just don’t try burning it since it’s a fire hazard you do NOT need). If you write in a notebook that already was written in, or on a piece of paper then just use a separate peace of paper. What I am suggesting isn’t the same as praying by writing. Prayer is associated with specific belief systems so that is an entirely different thing. I think it helps me to write a note to self or to a pretend reader. Sometimes when I write, whether it is by hand on paper or on computer, I like to address the letter to “whoever you are and whenever you may be reading this,” other times I pretend that maybe some creatures from another dimension or people from the future are reading it, so I directly ask them “If you have the technology and an ability to help me in my time and space, please help me”

[@dellison5742]

Never reply to comments, but this is excellent. Will try this. Just getting into writing for the first time in several years. Thank you.

[@structor125]

I like your Angel 5 hack to prevent getting bite marks. I like to put the Angel 5 burr into the Angel 5 Royal to not get those marks myself. It is an expensive combo however.

[@WoodGraphite]

Yep!

[@WoodGraphite]

Sharpener hacking is so cool though!

[@aky4485]

YOU SOUNDS LIKE COLE SPRUICE OR HOW TO WRITE HIS NAME.. OMGGG IM GONNA DIE..

[@shivanipandey8208]

What do you do other than sharpening pencils? Not a mean behaviour. Just curious. I feel you're into architectural work.

[@WoodGraphite]

Not much

[@aaronying4989]

There’s nothing else to do. Sharpening pencils is very relaxing and gives you time to think ideas and inspiration. Lol

[@aumtheaum3827]

Those don’t look like blackwing pencils?

[@artisanwolf2068]

So I just repeat this until I've written a novel about werewolves that's ACTUALLY good and not some overly complicated love story? Challenge accepted.

[@WoodGraphite]

Pretty much!

[@StopFear]

Of course a lot of it is hype and somewhat inflated the value of Blackwing pencils. You should not even entertain the idea that superior pencils will make you a better writer. That said I have to tell you Blackwing pencils as they are made and sold today in 2022 are still very amazing and superior pencils. They are not unique and aren’t the only pencil that has these qualities, but it does indeed feel smoother and has much darker line than any other pencil. If you want to buy and try other super high quality pencils try the premium Japanese brands line Tombow and Mitsu-Bishi UNI pencils. There are other smaller brands from Japan too but I don’t remember. Also buy the pencils that are softer and darker than the HB/No2. HB/No2 is the most used pencil softness only because you are always told to use that grade when filling out scantron forms for tests and quizzes. But for writing they are too hard in my opinion. Get those that are of any of the softness starting from B(same as sometimes called number 1) then try softer and darker like 2B, 3B. I think 3B may just be too soft and will require too much sharpening. If you want to draw with pencil then definitely get all softness grades available as low as 9B. Even if you aren’t a good artist and only want to casually draw something you’ll still get a lot more benefit doing it with soft dark pencils than with a regular HB

[@StopFear]

Hm…I wonder whether the guy who made this video actually went ahead and bought all those expensive “New Old Stock” Blackwing pencils. Even if he bought them just to make the video it was either entirely unnecessary (since you can buy the new modern Blackwing pencils for $30 for 12 pencils on Amazon and other sites). He could also have just bought a couple. And even if he bought them (which was not a smart thing to do) then he either gets to keep an excellent collectible set of pencils, or he could resell them. Even the ones that were sharpened and used will sell on eBay. IF you like his videos then you should like and subscribe regardless of whether he stupidly spent money on the pencils. Don’t let the fact that he spent a lot on pencils he gets to keep be the reason to like and subscribe. He deserves that even without spending money on pencils.

[@dragonchr15]

I got something dark and hard for you right 'ere.... j/k ha I am going to try this with my golf pencils...I have so many of them.