From Confederacy of Dunces to Absolute Beginners and On The Road, Dan Saladino explores cult novels to find out how writers Jack Kerouac, Colin MacInnes. Im Matt Mc. Cue, 9. U Editor in Chief, and This Is How I Work. As editor in chief of 9. U, Adobes publication for creative professionals, Matt Mc. Cue oversees stories about topics like client work, storytelling, and productivity, and involving creatives from the worlds of art, design, advertising, music, tech, and media. In addition to 9. U, hes written for outlets such as Fortune, Fast Company, GQ, and ESPN. We asked him about his own creative work. Location New York City. Current Gig Editor in Chief of 9. UOne word that best describes how you work Hard. Current mobile device Apple i. Phone 5 I should definitely upgrade, but Im waiting for the i. Phone 8Current computer Mac. Confederacy_of_dunces_cover.jpg' alt='Confederacy Of Dunces First Edition Signed' title='Confederacy Of Dunces First Edition Signed' />Book pro, supplied by my company. First of all, tell me a little about your background and how you got to where you are today. In August 2. 00. 5, I flew on a one way plane ticket from Iowa City to New York City with nothing but two suitcases. I didnt have a job, place to live, or friend in the tri state area. Incidentally, there is very little in common between Iowa City and New York City. I got to where I am like a lot of new arrivals to New York City haveI went out and introduced myself to complete strangers who had no reason to invest in me or even share their time, and I worked to convince them that, yes, I could deliver what theyre looking for. Neuromancer is a 1984 science fiction novel by AmericanCanadian writer William Gibson. It is one of the bestknown works in the cyberpunk genre and the first novel. Only one unbeaten team remains after seasons first unpredictable month. Bernard Malamud April 26, 1914 March 18, 1986 was an American novelist and short story writer. Along with Saul Bellow and Philip Roth, he was one of the best. List of Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Winners. Includes images and points of issue to assist collectors in the identification of first editions. It also provides links. If you do this hundreds of times, you can eventually get somewhere. Today Im the editor of 9. U, an editorial property that is part of Adobe and tells the stories of creative leaders who are mastering their crafts and shaping their industries. In other words, if you want a story about how to design against stereotypes, weve got one on how sophisticated branding is making people rethink the cannabis industry. Or an interview with the worlds font god, a badass 7. German who plans to ply his craft until his dying day. Our pieces are about how people create and build their careers. What apps, software, or tools cant you live without Twitter app, HBO Go app, Delta Messenger app, and Microsoft Word old school. Whats your workspace setup like I have to have everything that Im working on located somewhere on my desk so I can see it, or else its out of my mental orbit. Ive been at 9. 9U for nearly two years and Ive never really used the filing cabinet drawer at my desk. Ive also moved my office phone underneath my desk. The author of mystery novels, most recently Glass Houses, recommends reading her fellow Canadian writer Margaret Atwood And I dont just say. Target/50117762?wid=480&hei=480' alt='Confederacy Of Dunces First Edition Signed' title='Confederacy Of Dunces First Edition Signed' />It took up a lot of space, and if people want to call me they can always get me on my cell. In this age of email and texting, I prefer to talk to people via the phone, because more tends to get accomplished when two people are having an actual conversation. Whats your best time saving shortcut or life hack At 9. U, we have four people who run a brand that has a total of one million social media followers, publishes a 1. Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall in New York City, and produces stories for a vibrant website. Given this workload, we cant afford to waste any time, so we rarely hold meetings. Our team sits next to each other, so were talking throughout the day, working through problems in a handful of minutes, rather than holding 6. If we need to work through something more complicated, we like to go out for lunch, and we multi task and fill that hour with both a good meal and a conversation on whatever topic were discussing. A badly managed meeting can suck away time, energy and money without being productive for anyone. Read more Read. Whats your favorite to do list manager Pen and paper to do items get listed from most to least important. I go down the list and cross out what I accomplish. What everyday thing are you better at than everyone elseWhats your secret I am extremely good at deciding what I am going to have for lunch, a brainstorming task I can usually accomplish by 7 a. My secret is that I start thinking about what Im going to have for lunch when I wake up. What do you listen to while you work I spend the first hour of my day listening to Squawk Box. I am not a banker, but I listen to try and learn more about the world of business, stocks, and the market. When Im writing and editing, Ill listen to John Mayer on repeat. Just kidding. My musical taste is all over the placelive Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concerts on You. Tube, The Highwaymen, Dave Matthews Band, the music of Fleetwood Mac played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. What are you currently reading Or whats something youd recommend The Snowball, a book about Warren Buffett. Its a fascinating human narrative about an amazing investor. The lessons I took from it werent about how to invest in any one stock, but practical advice about life and business. Favorite book ever is A Confederacy of Dunces. Ignatius J. Reilly is my spirit animal. How do you recharge What do you do when you want to forget about workTwo words Whisky beer. Whats your sleep routine likeAre you a night owl or early riser Early riser. Being a new dad, I now consider 7 a. Its so sadI eat breakfast on the weekends at actual breakfast time, not at like 1 p. Generic Sd Card Reader Driver Windows 8 there. Fill in the blank Id love to see answer these same questions. Donald J. TrumpI am sure he has a wickedly awesome life hack. Whats the best advice youve ever receivedNothing but your best, a quote shared by Coach Brown, my high school running coach in Iowa. He taught me that success wasnt measured by wins, but by the effort you put in to reach the finish line. That wisdom has traveled with me all the way to New York City and is just as applicable for working up the career ladder. This interview has been lightly edited.