Pilot Iroshizuku Fountain Pen Ink, Kon-peki (Deep Azure Blue), 50 ml
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For Him / Her / Kids
642 Things to Write About — a cure for the blank page
642 Things to Write About by the San Francisco Writers' Grotto
Reviewed by the WhyToBuyThis team · Updated September 2026 · How we choose
Perfect for
- Writer's block
- Daily warm-ups
- Journal keepers
- Under $20
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Price: $16.09
Price may change on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This won't cost you anything extra.
- Great gift ideaChosen for real-world gifting
- Hand-pickedCurated, not scraped
- Honest reviewThe catch, not just the hype
Why this gift works
642 Things to Write About is a write-in journal of 642 prompts from The Grotto, a San Francisco workspace for professional writers, published by Chronicle Books. It runs 304 pages at 7.5 x 9 inches, with lined space for each prompt right on the page, per Chronicle; a published review describes the cover as notebook paper with an orange '642' and a small sketch of a fountain pen.
It is a daily warm-up for the writer facing a blank page - short, strange and often funny prompts that get the words moving.
Who is this gift for?
Great for
- Aspiring authors
- Teens who write
- A daily writing habit
Think twice if
- They write long pieces only
- They use a wet fountain pen
The catch
Once the prompts are used it is finished; the space per prompt can be as little as seven lines; and a reviewer saw show-through with broad fountain-pen nibs and saturated inks.
Skip for a writer who never uses prompts, or writes only on screen.
Key specs
| Prompts | 642 |
|---|---|
| Pages | 304 |
| Size | 7.5 x 9 in |
| Format | Write-in journal |
| Authors | The San Francisco Writers' Grotto |
| Publisher | Chronicle Books |
Worth knowing before you buy
- A Young Writers' edition is a separate book.
- Chronicle makes a whole 642 series.
Why we like it
- Breaks writer's block
- Prompts are fun and varied
- Write straight in the book
- Inexpensive
What to look for in a writing prompt book
- Variety. Mixed prompts keep a daily habit fresh.
- Space. Write-in books need enough lines per prompt.
- Paper. Check it suits their pen.
Questions people ask
642.
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