Bob,
Here are my basics:
Use a tripod AND either the camera's timer or a remote. 99.99% of blurry photos are from shaking.
Close ups can be tough with auto focus. Don't be afraid to shut it off and manually focus. If your camera does not have manual settings read the instructions for the optimal distance. Remember that high res photos can be cropped close without losing too much resolution.
Use natural lighting if at all possible. An overcast day is ideal since you get plenty of light without shadows.
For small objects like pens I bought a portable photo booth from Amazon. It is great!
Like this, Less than $40.00 It comes with fill lights and backdrops. I usually put a small block under the cloth and set the pen on that. The fill lights are aimed at the translucent sides that act as diffusers.
In my shop I use cheap clamp lights as fill lights. I hang them from rafters, on stands, ladders, and anything else that can hold them where wanted. I bought some LED bulbs that do not get hot and won't break if dropped. I use plastic grocery bags as diffusers. DO NOT try that with incandesant bulbs! CFLs are poor for lighting unless you have proper filters or a setting on your camera.
This photo was used for a review of FastCap's Folding Chisels:
Here is the set up used!
The background is a bed sheet bought for this purpose, and you can see the mess around, but the photo came out pretty well.
Please feel free to PM me if you want more advice. I have been taking photos that get used in my magazine articles for more than 10 years, and have not spent a lot of money.
Ralph