The writer behind the popular blog GapingVoid, and the e-book that has been downloaded over a million times, How To Be Creative, delivers edgy and humorous advice on maximizing creativity in a world that often thwarts it.

When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter, living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular blog – gapingvoid.com – and a reputation for pithy insight and humor, in both words and pictures.

MacLeod has opinions on everything from marketing to the meaning of life, but one of his main subjects is creativity. How do new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world? Where does inspiration come from? What does it take to make a living as a creative person?

Now his first book, Ignore Everyone, expands on his sharpest insights, wittiest cartoons, and most useful advice. A sample:

* Selling out is harder than it looks. Diluting your product to make it more commercial will just make people like it less.
* If your plan depends on you suddenly being “discovered” by some big shot, your plan will probably fail. Nobody suddenly discovers anything. Things are made slowly and in pain.
* Don’t try to stand out from the crowd; avoid crowds altogether. There’s no point trying to do the same thing as 250,000 other young hopefuls, waiting for a miracle. All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one.
* The idea doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours. The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will.

After learning MacLeod’s 40 keys to creativity, you will be ready to unlock your own brilliance and unleash it on the world.

Reviews

I really enjoyed this book–it’s sectioned so you can read it cover to cover, or just pick it up and read a small, short section (which is how I do it now that I’ve read it cover to cover. It lives on my coffee table, and I pick it up a few moments before heading off to bed.

The author is self-deprecating, honest, and really made good points. He kept his day job, and continued to sell his small cards and ideas, which is sort of how I’m doing it–I haven’t sold anything over $20, but I sell consistently, (on an internet auction site) and have a career and day job (usually, if not currently.) I would LOVE to be making a million dollars a year, but I’m happy making anywhere from $200 to $2000, and maybe someday–in the mean time, I have a day job. This is the advice the author gives–whatever it is you do, do it, but don’t stop doing the thing you do for money.

The myth of leap and the net appears seems to leave lots of people flattened on the pavement (that was me, a few decades ago.)

I found it well-written, and I started sharing bits of it with my hubby (who’s a day to day office guy, but also plays guitar, so he’s creative in his own time, but earns a paycheck.)

personally, I think the world needs more of this realistic advice–there’s enough Steve Jobs/Ted talk type folks telling you to leap and believe, but sometimes, despite believing and making a commitment, the world just isn’t willing or ready to hand you a suitcase full of money–in the meantime, hone your craft, and enjoy doing what you do, without the stress of needing to sell, needing to make a big splash, because that stress is a creativity killer.

Loaded with great doodles, and funny cartoons, but a treat to read, also.

About the Author

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