Book Review: Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity
Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com began drawing on the back of business cards while working full time in the advertising world. The small size made it a convenient canvas for his ideas and artwork allowing him to sketch his ideas anywhere, anytime. He purposely kept it fun and kept it separate from his day job as a copywriter.
This is actually one of his keys, #8 Keep Your Day Job. This is his ‘cash and sex theory’. Basically, somethings you do for the money, somethings you do for fun. He uses John Travolta as one example who does one movie for the ‘money’, BROKEN ARROW, and another for the ‘sex’ and fun, PULP FICTION.
Hugh’s ideas and keys, are short, funny, and right to the point. Each one is an engaging read and invites conversation. There were many times I found myself talking to an imaginary Hugh, who took the form of my best friend since their ideas about life are so similar. I could imagine myself, like Hugh, sitting on a bar stool, bantering around ideas, agreeing and disagreeing. There were many times I found myself laughing out loud at the many cartoons and the chord they struck.
Overall this is a entertaining book filled with ideas and new ways of looking at every day situations. It will engage you from beginning to end, give you plenty to think about and it will make you laugh at yourself and the world around you. It may only be 39 keys and 156 pages, but it packs a whollop in terms of conversation and idea generators and some outrageously funny cartoons.
