Noteworthy:

Remember learning how to organize research papers on index cards?  3×5 cards and file boxes were an integral part of my lower and middle school academic career–and of Vladimir Nabokov’s nearly as illustrious literary career. Nabokov wrote most of his novels on index cards, which he would later dictate to his wife Vera.  He kept spare index cards under his pillow for slumber-interrupting inspirations.

On a related note (last pun. For now.) Philip Pullman organizes his stories on yellow Post-It Notes.  I open a new TextEdit document for each burgeoning thought, only to lose the strand mid-sentence.  And you?

Author’s Note (April 2016): the original photograph of Nabokov’s index cards has disappeared from both this post and Life magazine’s website. Odd!  Apologies. 

http://www.life.com/image/ugc1018062/in-gallery/36702/rare-photos-the-author-of-lolita