Soundzine + the Martini Method

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Not much new to report right now. Well, not much new on the editing front. It’s still moving along at the same pace. I’m about 50 pages in (out of 410), and the more I go, the more I realize how much work I really have for myself. Characters being moved around, whole sections of chapters appearing and disappearing—thank Cthulhu for computers. If I had to do this with an old word processor or even a typewriter, I think I’d lose my mind.

But that’s beside the point. This entry isn’t about me as much as it’s about others, so skip on down to the next paragraph to see what it’s really about.

The fourth edition of literary-audio e-zine Soundzine is currently live and tearing up the web with its latest heap of vocal goodness. A lot of hard work went into this one, as it includes a special section focusing on metrical poetry, the results of their one-act playwriting contest (with the winning entry performed by the Soundzine staff), fiction (including a piece by Jon August McRae, author of Io: First Book of Lost and Found Souls, which I highly recommend), music, visual art and photography. It’s their biggest issue yet. Honestly, why are you even reading this? Go check it out. And if you’re up to, digg it, too.

They’re also accepting submissions for their next release, so what are you waiting for?

(This following bit I’m stealing borrowing from Lifehacker because it’s simply too good to pass up.)

I know a few people who are either a) working on their thesis; b) thinking about working on their thesis; or c) trying to finish a novel, short story or poem. Things like that are overwhelming (trust me, I know—like I said before, I’m staring down the barrel at 410 pages), and so when I came across this article today (via the lovely Lifehacker), I couldn’t help but pass it along here. I give you the “Martini Method,” courtesy of Anthony Burgess:

  • What I call the Martini Method is named after an anecdote I once read about the novelist Anthony Burgess (of A Clockwork Orange fame). Burgess was a very productive writer, which is attributed to a system where he would force himself to write a 1000 words a day, 365 days a year. When he had completed his word count, he would relax with a dry martini, and enjoy the rest of the day with an easy conscience, and normally in bar. A friend of mine’s version of the Martini Method was to come into the office everyday, and not allow herself to leave until her word target had been reached. Most days she left before 5pm, though on occasion she would stay as late as 6 or 7. She would also set herself mini Martinis, such as allowing herself an ice cream in the summer once she had hit half her daily word count. Though we started at the same time, she finished her PhD a lot earlier than me!

    • It’s an interesting article and should really come as no surprise to anyone who’s trained a dog, but it might help especially if you’re one of those folks in a crunch right about now. Go read the rest of it here.

    Personally I don’t think I could stick with the true Burgess process of a dry martini after a thousand words. I’d be an alcoholic before the end of the month, and I can’t accomplish anything (even regular speech) while heavily intoxicated. And they say all great writers are alcoholics. Ha!

    I should also mention, before bringing this entry to a close, that it’s now the 16th of January, and the last day to order a signed copy of A Life Transparent is the 31st. Details on ordering can be found here.

    DSCF1255And with that, I will leave you folks with this photo Erica took on Christmas day after we left her parents’ house. I’d forgotten all about it until she mentioned something this evening. I’m just glad the photo came out as clear as it did, considering we were driving at the time (and our windshield is hideously dirty). But seriously, how awesome is this? Even better is the fact that someone actually wanted this for a license plate. It made my day.

    Okay. Until next blog,

    TK

    tags: Cthulhu   edits   imagiNATION   Io   Jon August McRae   Lifehacker   Soundzine   the Martini Method   the TS Eliot license plate  

    January 16, 2008 | Filed Under Blog 

    Comments

    One Response to “Soundzine + the Martini Method”

    1. Ric on January 17th, 2008 6:44 pm

      I have just finished chapter five, myself. I really like the part where they’re fleeing the crazy fishbowl man (maybe because I picture him in my head looking like a cross between Snoop Dogg, Disco Stu, and Willy Wonka), and all the commotion in the Mind Fuck. So is Stanley the “writer’s” dream to write his masterpiece? Or maybe something to do with the angry bitch he’s pining for?

      I doubt you’re familiar with the Coheed & Cambria story, but I can see at least one major parallel between it and imagiNATION: the idea of the main character being imaginary/fictitious as an extention of the “real” main character.. I like it.

      Also are you aware when people write comments here it is white text on a white background, probably the most annoying thing ever? Just mentioning so in case you weren’t aware of this.

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