Compact writing instrument

A writing instrument, including:

• a barrel with:
• a writing element;
• and
• a body carrying the writing element;
• a cap with:
• a body including a side surface, a first end, an interior, and a second end, the first end opening to the interior, the first end and the interior capable of receiving the writing element and the body of the barrel to place the cap and the barrel in a stored arrangement;
• and
• a clip including an end secured in place over the side surface of the body of the cap, extending over a portion of the side surface of the body of the cap toward and beyond the second end of the body of the cap, bending back over itself to define a closed end, and extending from the closed end toward the first end of the body of the cap to define an elongated element that terminates at a free end, the closed end including a protruding portion defining an enlarged receptacle that is positioned at least partially beyond the second end of the cap.

A writing instrument, including:

• a barrel with:
• a writing element;
• a body including:
• a first portion from which the writing element protrudes, an exterior surface of the first portion including a cap engagement feature;
• and
• a second portion opposite from the first portion, an exterior surface of the second portion including another cap engagement feature;
• and
• a cap with:
• a body including a first end, an interior, and a second end, the first end opening to the interior, the first end and the interior capable of receiving the writing element and the first portion of the body of the barrel to place the cap and the barrel in an assembled relationship, an interior surface of the body of the cap including a barrel engagement feature that engages the cap engagement feature and the another cap engagement feature of the body of the barrel, the cap engagement feature, the another cap engagement feature, and the barrel engagement feature comprise complementary threads oriented at an angle of about 45° or less to an axis through the center of the length of the barrel or the cap.