This page last updated July 2020.

I’m not a full-time blogger. I’ve got a well-paying job (which I’m very grateful for). This is a hobby for me: I’m a stationery addict. I like discovering new products, and I like sharing them with the rest of the stationery community.

A lot of the time, the products I review come from my personal collection, purchased with my own money. I’ve worked my way through more than 200 pens, at least as many inks, and I have a stack of notebooks that will probably last me more than a decade. If I told my partner how much I spend on stationery, she’d certainly leave me (I wonder what pen/ink combo she’d use to write the note?).

I know that ethics and transparency are a big deal. Some bloggers get stuff for free and say nice things about the companies that sent the package. They put affiliate links in their posts and make money from sales of the products they review. Their commercial interests affect their editorial independence.

I do get products for free — including smaller items like ink and notebooks, but also plenty of pens too.

I don’t think getting products for free is inherently an ethical problem: I can’t possibly buy even a fraction of the products that I want to review, and when a product is loaned to you for just a week or two, you can’t always give it the thorough review it deserves.

I have tried to be open about where I get products when writing reviews so far, and I’ll continue to do so. I hope it’s clear from the words I write, and the photos I include, that I’ve actually tested the products I’m reviewing and that I have a thorough appreciation for their performance, and that I’m not afraid to point out faults or indeed write a negative review.

If you, dear reader, have any concerns about the quality of my work or are worried about bias, get in touch and I’ll be happy to answer you.