Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to CreativityWhen 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. |
Contents
Ignore everybody | 1 |
The idea doesnt have to be big It just has to be yours | 5 |
Put the hours in | 9 |
Good ideas have lonely childhoods | 14 |
If your business plan depends on suddenly being discovered by some big shot your plan will probably fail | 19 |
You are responsible for your own experience | 23 |
Everyone is born creative everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten | 26 |
Keep your day job | 30 |
Selling out is harder than it looks | 90 |
Nobody cares Do it for yourself | 93 |
Worrying about Commercial vs Artistic is a complete waste of time | 96 |
Dont worry about finding inspiration It comes eventually | 99 |
You have to find your own shtick | 103 |
Write from the heart | 107 |
The best way to get approval is not to need it | 110 |
Power is never given Power is taken | 113 |
Companies that squelch creativity can no longer compete with companies that champion creativity | 35 |
Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb | 39 |
The more talented somebody is the less they need the props | 43 |
Dont try to stand out from the crowd avoid crowds altogether | 48 |
If you accept the pain it cannot hurt you | 52 |
Never compare your inside with somebody elses outside | 55 |
Dying young is overrated | 60 |
The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do from what ... | 64 |
The world is changing | 69 |
Merit can be bought Passion cant | 73 |
Avoid the Watercooler Gang | 77 |
Sing in your own voice | 82 |
The choice of media is irrelevant | 85 |
Whatever choice you make the Devil gets his due eventually | 116 |
The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it | 120 |
Remain frugal | 123 |
Allow your work to age with you | 126 |
Being Poor Sucks | 129 |
Beware of turning hobbies into jobs | 132 |
Savor obscurity while it lasts | 136 |
Start blogging | 140 |
Meaning scales people dont | 145 |
When your dreams become reality they are no longer your dreams | 149 |
None of this is rocket science | 156 |