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 humour, 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 Everybody, expands on his sharpest insights, wittiest cartoons and most useful advice. A couple of samples:
* 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.
After learning MacLeod's 40 keys to creativity, you will be ready to unlock your own brilliance and unleash it on the world.
Hugh MacLeod worked as an advertising copywriter for more than a decade before turning to cartooning and blogging. In 2005 he also began consulting on Web 2.0 and its impact on business. He lectures widely in the USA.