A Few Unpolished Thoughts on the Growth of the Vietnamese Pen Spinning Community


First of all, I’d like to say that this is not a carefully polished piece of writing. These are simply thoughts that needed to come out - so that I can allow myself to look back at what I’ve done, and why I’m still here.

On the factors that I believe have helped the Vietnamese pen spinning community grow

As I grow older, I find myself having more and more things to worry about. And because of that, pen spinning sometimes lingers in my mind as a quiet question:
Should I continue to enjoy it carelessly, the way I used to?
Or should I let go of this small joy that has followed me since my school days, all the way into adulthood and working life?

I think this story is similar to that of many generations before me. A small number still spin. A small number still follow the community. But the majority have completely walked away.
Is this hobby really that easy to abandon?

For me personally, although there will certainly be many moments where I reconsider how I should maintain this hobby, one thing probably won’t change: I still genuinely like it. Unlike those who quit simply because their pen fell under the bed and got lost.
So of course, if there is anything I can do to make pen spinning better, I want to be part of that effort.

External pressures come from personal life, work, and studies. Internal motivation comes from the reason you spin every day.
Mine is quite simple: pens are always lying around my room, so the habit is easy to maintain. I still enjoy watching the beautiful motion of a pen spinning. And more than that, I can create those motion myself (but not beautiful).

(I once quoted this message at A story of Vietnam Pen Spinning | VNPS Spinfest 25: “the urge to create something meaningful, something that is entirely yours—something that can’t be replaced.”)

I’m fairly certain that my reason for spinning isn’t that different from everyone else’s. But at the same time, each person probably has their own inner motivations-ones that belong only to them.

So as a community administrator, how can I influence the external factors to encourage people to keep this hobby alive?
Below are the things I believe have helped the Vietnamese pen spinning community grow over the past few years.

1. Shelter

Or simply put: a place to exist. One of the most basic human needs.

Spinners cannot function without a stable platform where they can exchange ideas and connect. To build a truly sustainable community, having a suitable social media platform is essential. For example:

  • Twitter is dominant in Japan

  • Facebook is dominant in Vietnam

  • Bilibili and Douyin are dominant in China

When casually scrolling through social media, it becomes easy to encounter pen spinning content from people within the same community. This, in some way, reminds you that the spinning culture still exists - or even gives you that small push to pick up a pen again.

That said, this is only the beginning. The real challenge comes next.

2. Information

I’ve read an article by RPD that influenced these thoughts quite heavily, and my certainty only grew after witnessing the changes firsthand.

Pen spinning needs more information to compete with the overwhelming amount of content on social media. Having a place to gather is just the starting point - but if you don’t maintain it, repair it, or “pay the rent,” no one will want to stay. Right?

Tutorials are fine. CVs are fine. Tips and tricks are fine. Even nonsense is fine - as long as it’s related to pen spinning. If it’s fun, the community becomes livelier.

A dedicated forum or website would be an ideal environment, but they no longer have enough power to compete with social media. So what we can do is increase pen spinning’s visibility by distributing information on the most suitable platforms.

At a basic level, we already share CVs, YouTube links, and so on - but often without leaving any thoughts at all. Why not try adding a few comments, opinions, praise, or criticism when sharing? That alone can spark discussion and make things more engaging.

This is just one small example of content creation. It certainly doesn’t - and shouldn’t stop there.

3. Tournaments

Nothing is more exciting than finding out who is the strongest.

Without a doubt, this is the highest-quality type of content pen spinning can offer. I don’t have much more to say here - competition creates pressure, and pressure refines the craft.

4. CVs

This is a unique pen spinning culture that I personally love.

DrakeS once said that CV culture is something truly distinctive - something that doesn’t appear in other hobbies. Because of that, maintaining and promoting it is essential to the growth of the community.

Projects like TWPS, JAPEN, and the UPSB series are not just CVs; they are symbols. They allow spinners from other countries to easily stay updated on your community through these works.
A project like JAPEN, continuously developing for over 21 years, is almost unimaginable.

The number of CVs being produced is decreasing, largely because they require a massive investment of time and effort, while many people are shifting toward more individual-focused play.

That’s why it’s important to ensure that the community actively continues to organize large CVs through staff teams, or at least hosts CV competitions. Do everything possible to encourage participation—and then hope that people respond and help preserve this tradition.

5. Gatherings

Of course, most people want to meet others who share the same passion (and if you’re one of the few who don’t, feel free to skip this part).

Large-scale events like Japan’s NPF may be unrealistic for now, but there always needs to be a starting point that leads toward something bigger.

Thanks to pen spinning as a catalyst, I’ve formed friendships that I still maintain to this day. I won’t ramble on about the power of friendship here - but it matters.

6. Influencers

This is the model I believe can help pen spinning grow at an incredible speed.

If it’s difficult to achieve the things mentioned above, then focusing on this area might be the best option. Even though I haven’t done it myself, I’ve witnessed countless examples: Oleg, Tilt, Ninetales, Neko Oken Akachan…

They are all influencers who regularly gain hundreds of thousands of views per video. Because of that, it’s fair to say that they are among those who have power to able to shape a community most effectively.

With just one video, viewers can absorb tutorials, tournament news, offline events, and more. That’s why every community needs a role model or leader at the initial stage- someone who expands the community’s reach, then guides newcomers into groups where they can learn and exchange ideas further.

TikTok and YouTube are optimal platforms for this approach.

7. Experimentation

Expand every possibility related to pen spinning. Do things you’ve never done before.

Open a pen shop. Sell merchandise. Set up a booth at a fair. Run advertisements. Appear in music videos. Join game shows. Sell courses. Teach classes. Create a bizarre CV.

These things may not all work - but they give pen spinning new opportunities to reach wider audiences.

8. Human Resources and Finance

In recent years, the Vietnamese pen spinning community has received financial support- but inconsistently. Most initiatives still rely on staff members’ personal funds.

Because of that, it’s crucial to focus on training and recruiting people who are passionate about spreading pen spinning. Organize regular fundraisers for major events. Create rewards or recognition for members who actively contribute to the community.

Surely, you don’t want to think of this as meaningless busywork that only wastes time, effort, and money - right?
(Though honestly, I think that all the time.)

Perhaps the only thing keeping me in this role is the desire to see the community genuinely grow.
(Sounds noble—and pretty cringe, doesn’t it? lol)

If I have the time, I’d like to go deeper into each topic - such as what kind of information should be posted, how to organize CVs, or how to run smaller events.

This piece is only an overview of the methods I’ve been using to support the Vietnamese pen spinning community. Please note that these are external factors. Whether someone still finds this hobby interesting, whether they still feel the urge to spin - that should be left to each individual to experience in their own way. I did use Chatgpt to help translate and refine my words, seems good to me but what do you think?

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