Writers’ Routines

Vladimir Nabokov wrote most of his novels, including Lolita and Pale Fire, on index cards. His novel Ada, for example, wound up taking over 2000 cards.  

In a 1967 Paris Review interview, Nabokov says, “The pattern of the thing precedes the thing. I fill in the gaps of the crossword at any spot I happen to choose. These bits I write on index cards until the novel is done. My schedule is flexible, but I am rather particular about my instruments: lined Bristol cards and well sharpened, not too hard, pencils capped with erasers.”  

Index cards were like his laptop and text editor: portable, in that he could write in the car while his wife drove him across the Western US on butterfly expeditions, and easily editable, because their order could be reshuffled. They also allowed him to write his novels non-linearly, middle last. Nabokov also preferred to write standing up. -wikipedia

(Source: piecesofreiss)

Image Source :  pantagrapher / Mike Innocenzi