See those cartoons to the right of this column (if you’re reading via an RSS reader, click to go to 21 Dragons)? They’re all drawn by Hugh MacLeod of Gaping Void, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes wise, Hugh’s work is always original. And if you haven’t already guessed, I’m a fan.
So I was really excited when Hugh announced that the most popular series on his blog, Ignore Everybody – on how to be creative – was going to be published as a book. So excited that I pre-ordered two copies, one for me, and the other as a birthday gift for a friend who works in the creative industry.
Having read my copy of Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity twice over already, I love the book. (My aforementioned friend who works in the creative industry as a 3D artist called me to tell me how he loves the book, and called it ‘life-changing’. Real story.) Here’s why.
5 Reasons Why I Love Ignore Everybody
1. Ignore Everybody is Real
Ignore Everybody isn’t full of politically correct quotes. In fact, some of the cartoons are down-right cynical. But they’re honest. And honesty connects.
You’ll never see a cartoon like the one below in any motivational book. But it is oh so true. Hugh isn’t a motivational speaker, he’s an artist. There is a difference.
2. Ignore Everybody is Useful
But Ignore Everybody isn’t just full of snark. Like how only a war veteran can write about the experience of war credibly, Hugh’s 40 keys to creativity in Ignore Everybody have been won and paid for through the process of doing creative work. If you want to be more creative, you’ll find useful advice in here.
3. Ignore Everybody is Original
I’m sick of experts whose only real expertise is to paraphrase other experts, which is why it’s a real treat to read something like Ignore Everybody, a book that doesn’t read like everything else. Good ideas have lonely childhoods? The hardest part of being creative is getting used to it? Meaning scales, people don’t? Hell yes.
4. Ignore Everybody is Funny
Real, useful, original and funny all at the same time? Now that’s a bargain.
5. Ignore Everybody is Inspirational
I don’t remember when exactly I started following Hugh’s blog, but I think it was circa 2005. Back then, he was just this dude who drew these gnarly cartoons, had some weird ideas about marketing like the personal microbrand and inspirational posts like The Hughtrain. (“We are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everything else is secondary.” Hell yes!) It’s been a real pleasure to follow Hugh’s journey from drawing his cartoons for pleasure to finding a way to draw them for profit.
And you know what? It’s highly inspirational too. It makes me think and secretly hope, if Hugh can do it – making something he loves and doing it for a living – maybe I can too. Like he puts it in Ignore Everybody; “the sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will.”
In short, Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity is highly recommended for anyone who wants to do kick-ass creative work. Buy the book and subscribe to Hugh’s blog already. Rock on.
