Our thanks to NinjaEssays for this amusing infographic.

We all love picturing our favorite authors toiling away at their craft. What’s the first scene that comes to mind when we imagine it? A powerful laptop and a peaceful coffee shop?

Not always. Many of “the greats” like the physical interaction of pen to paper, or pounding on those familiar old typewriter keys. Though awkward in today’s day and age, alternative methods of getting those words out of our heads can be a useful tool. Maybe even just to clarify a scene or a particularly difficult plot point?

Many authors start with handwritten notes, move to the computer, then print scenes on cards and shuffle ’em around at the kitchen table. Others wait and print the entire manuscript, then edit their way through the printed version. Still others insist on handwriting it all out before moving to the less tactile keyboard. And then there’s a whole new generation hooked on Scrivener.

Would Mark Twain have benefitted from today’s technology? Would he have been more or less prolific? We’ll never know. But from Mark Twain to Stephen King, here’s an amusing look what some of the most famous literary icons used to produce their work…

After you get a look, tell us how you write your own magic. As you can see, there is no one right answer!