Abstract: There is disclosed an electron beam lithography method of writing a pattern faithfully although the pattern is divided into elements and these elements are written. The desired pattern to be written is divided into x and y elements by line segments parallel to the x- and y-axes, respectively. Data about the x elements are stored in an x data memory. Data about the y elements are stored in a y data memory. Under control of a writing control unit, an electron beam is shot at a target material according to the data stored in the x data memory at a dose which is half the dose with which a pattern is written in one shot. Then, the beam is then shot at the target material at the same dose according to the data stored in the y data memory.