gapingvoid » how to be creative

“How To Be Creative” downloaded 4.5 million times!

Hugh MacLeod — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:12:24 +0000

My manifesto, “How To Be Creative”, is still the most downloaded manifesto on ChangeThis.com. The editors there recently told me that at last count, it’s been downloaded 4.5 million times.

If you want the more deluxe version, HTBC eventually was reworked, extended and turned into a hardback book, “Ignore Everybody”, which went on to become a Wall St. Journal Bestseller.

Four point five million. Wow. That’s a lot.

Thanks to everybody who took the time to read it over the years. It means a lot, Seriously.

[PS: I also have a second manifesto on ChangeThis, called “The Hughtrain”. Check it out.…]

what does it all mean, alfie?

Hugh MacLeod — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:11:54 +0000

A milestone of sorts was reached, I suppose, at least for me…
Earlier today, my book became the NUMBER ONE Top Seller on Amazon in the “Creativity” category.
I don’t expect it to stay up there forever, of course– it’s probably already fallen a few points since then [Amazon rankings are updated hourly, and tend to fluctuate wildly]. But to see the photographic evidence, I made a little screen shot here.
What does this mean? Not much, in all likelihood. But I think I will go take the rest of the day off…
Thanks for all your support over the years. Seriously.

“ignore everybody” video

Hugh MacLeod — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:07:42 +0000

I don’t know who these kids are, but they made an awesome animation video based on my book, IGNORE EVERYBODY.
Wow. What an honor! Thanks!

the “ignore everybody” prints, pre-order at $275.00, with a $50.00 deposit.

Hugh MacLeod — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:39:54 +0000

[Click on image to enlarge etc.]
[UPDATE: This offer is only valid until 5 PM EST Monday, August 3rd, Thanks!]
I am delighted to report that the “IGNORE EVERYBODY” cartoon, a fond favorite of computer desktops everywhere, is now on offer as a limited edition print. It will sell on the gallery site for $ 495.00 after it is published [mid-August], but is now available as a pre-order offer of $275.00, with just a $50.00 deposit. To make the deposit, click on the PayPal button below. As always, we’ll send you an invoice for the remainder once the print is signed, numbered and ready to ship.

[$50 Payal Deposit Button etc.]
Earlier this year, Patrick Brennan was stuck in an airport lounge for several hours, waiting for his connecting flight. To kill time, he started messing around visually on his computer with the forty chapter titles of my book “Ignore Everybody”. He came up with this, then emailed it to me.
I liked it so much, I went ahead and re-worked it, in my own handwriting. Very cool.
The book began life as a blog post, back in 2004. It had a very simple premise: “So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years.“
Then I made a list, and kept adding to it…
I never expected it to resonate with so many people, but it did, somehow.
The fact is, there are millions of people out there who want to do something more creative with their lives. Of course there are. “Creativity” is NOT an exclusive domain for those goofy, trendy hipster types. “Creativity” is a basic human need.
And I don’t think a life spent fighting like hell, to get that basic human need expressed and fulfilled, is a bad thing.
So I decided to make these prints, in order to have something on the wall to remind us of this, every day. Rock on.
[Backstory: About Hugh. Twitter. Newsletter. Book. Interview One. Interview Two. Limited Edition Prints. Private Commissions. Cube Grenades.“EVIL PLANS”.]

“probably never”

Hugh MacLeod — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:28:04 +0000

I’ve been in the “creativity” business for over two decades. I first started publishing my cartoons in The Austin Chronicle back in college, before landing my first “real job” as an advertising copywriter with a large agency in Chicago.
Ever since then, for the most part, yeah, I’ve worked my ass off. With MASSIVELY varying levels of success.
Twenty-odd years later, I can totally see why most sane people opt out of the “creative” career option– I can totally see why they stick to something more conventional, even if it isn’t really all that interesting to them. It’s NOT because they’re stupid, lazy or unimaginative.
It’s because the alternative is really, really hard.
All throughout these past two decades– this long, painful, wonderful adventure– I kept on asking myself the same question: “When will this stuff start getting easier?“
And the closest thing I’ve ever gotten to an answer is, “Probably Never.“
Of course, it wasn’t until I got comfortable with “Probably Never” that, funnily enough, it started getting easier.
I really don’t know what else to tell you…
[P.S. I utterly DESPISE the word, “Creativity”. Every time I write it, a little piece of me DIES. That being said, I don’t know of another word that works better in this context. Damed if you do etc…]
[Update: Just added this blog post to “EVIL PLANS”.]
[Backstory: About Hugh. Twitter. Newsletter. Book. Interview One. Interview Two. Limited Edition Prints. Private Commissions. Cube Grenades.“EVIL PLANS”.]

“ignore everybody” book reviews

Hugh MacLeod — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:57:06 +0000

Well, Day Six into becoming a “published author”, and according to Google, a lot of people are already talking about my book. Here are some of my favorite reviews so far:

Seth Godin: “Should Hugh swear so much?” This post re-visits a conversation Seth and I had a year ago, when I was first wondering whether or not to keep the “potty mouth” cartoons out of the book.
David Armano: “The title says it all. You have to decide if what you believe in is good enough to fight for, to pursue, to risk everything for. Only you can decide this.“
Rick Segal: “Hugh’s advice and commentary should be required reading for everybody doing a start-up, coming up with a earth changing idea or dreaming of the day they punch out of that Dilbert-like cubicle.“
Sex On The Beach: “Hugh’s not coming from some lofty ivory tower, but from a real process of hard work and grit. He’s not preachy; he’s simply sharing what he has learned along his path.“
The CRM Blog- One of my longest (and best) interviews ever:

CRM magazine: Do you think creativity is a kind of currency now?
Hugh MacLeod: It’s always been a currency, more so right now because if you’re creating a lot of stuff that’s interesting, valuable, meaningful, that’s a lot safer to me than just pushing paper around a desk all day. Those kinds of jobs are being replaced by computers every day.
We want to be creative. We want to be more useful and tap into something deeper and more meaningful. We don’t want to sit around and be a schmuck our whole lives; what I’m hoping the book will do is get people to start a dialogue with themselves and with other people. It’s an interesting dialogue because [creativity] is such a primal need.

Jerimiah Owyang: “You see, his book Ignore Everybody, really isn’t a book. Instead, you should think of it as as that friend in high school who never followed the rules, but achieved his goals took you out for a beer 20 years later and shakes your shoulders and wakes you up.”

Well, that’s enough SHAMELESS book-pimping for now. I’m going back to SHAMELESSLY PIMPING my latest batch of Cube Grenades. Rock on.

“a man plugging a book talks to a man plugging a book”

Hugh MacLeod — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:21:29 +0000

A few months ago I posed ten questions to David Brain, CEO of Edelman Europe, which he kindly answered. To mark the launch of my book, IGNORE EVERYBODY, he asked me ten questions back. Here they are:
1. In a nutshell, why should someone read the book?
Like it says in the very beginning of the book, “So you want to be more creative, in art, in business, whatever. Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years.” I don’t claim to have any special insight in the nature of creativity. However, it’s something I put a lot of thought and effort into over the last few decades, so I have my opinions. I’m just sharing what I know, for what it’s worth.
2. You say, “The more original your idea is, the less good advice other people will be able to give you”. How do people who work for organisations and companies deal with this?
The same way any one else does. Patience, tenacity and good timing.
3. Does the “ignoring everybody” lead to loneliness?
Yes. It’s the price you WILL pay. Only you can decide if it’s worth it.
4. Is the book your social object?
I consider my cartoons my social object. The book, however, allowed me to present them to the world in way I found compelling.
5. By coincidence, I am reading David Ogilvy’s Confessions of an Advertising Man, and your style is somewhat reminiscent of that book which became a kind of handbook to running an ad agency. Is Ignore Everybody a handbook and if so, for who?
I love that book. The introduction where he wrote about working in that high-end restaurant in Paris in the 1930s is probably one of my favorite pieces of writing, ever.
I didn’t have a demographic or a “function” in mind when I wrote the book. But I did think that there were a lot of people out there who, like me, aspired to do something more “creative” with their lives, than what was expected of them. And I thought there’d be no harm in sharing with them what I had learned the hard way, over the years. The premise was really no more complicated than that.
6. What was the motive behind writing the book? I mean I know how little money these things make, but do you want it to help other people better their lives or is it just another evil plan?
I certainly didn’t expect to make any real money from it, and how much it would “help” other people is pretty debatable. But sometimes in your life you have these defining moments, where you draw a line in the sand and declare to the world, “This is who I am, this is what I believe, this is what’s important to me.” I think we all need these moments at some point, to make us better understand who we really are. Writing a book is a good way to force these moments to the surface. That was really the key driver, here.
7. You name some obviously creative people in the book like Picasso and Bob Dylan but in the hard commercial world where you spend part of your life, who are the people who have managed to stay creative that have most impressed you?
I’ve always been most inspired by small businesses that could have been a lot bigger, but the owners decided to say small, because they didn’t want to commodify something that was very dear and special to them. Thomas Mahon over at English Cut, or Amy’s Ice Cream in Austin. But that’s certainly not my only criteria. Doing what you love AND getting paid for it at the same time is actually a really, really hard trick to pull off. Most people can’t do it, but if you can, yeah, you will have earned my respect.
8. You seem to have a love/hate relationship with advertising and advertising thinking (as do I). What’s with that?
The trouble with working in advertising is that you’re basically paid to perform miracles, by people who actually don’t believe in miracles. And the fact that most of the stuff being produced is boring, noisy and obnoxious doesn’t help, either. That being said, when it works, it works REALLY well, and creates a lot of value in a very short period of time. Like all advertising and marketing folk, I just wish the latter happened more often.
9. Creativity and technology have in the past been seen as different worlds but you seem in this and in other work to really enjoy the combination? Why?
It’s not really about the tech per se, it’s about the people. Like yourself, I like smart, driven, passionate people. The tech industry seems to be a place where these people often congregate. So it’s an relatively easy place to hang out in, an easy place to meet interesting folk with interesting ideas.
10. So what are your plans for the book and what next?
I’m toying with the idea of writing a second book, albeit with some trepidation. When asked why she never wrote a second book after “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Harper Lee answered, “Because after that, there was nowhere to go but down”. I can certainly relate!
Being a book author is not important to me. Neither is being a blogger or a marketing guy. Drawing cartoons is important to me. I know that if I keep on drawing the cartoons, interesting things will come out of it eventually, so my plan is to to just keep focusing on that.
[P.S. This was cross-posted on David’s blog here.]

“ignore everybody” portfolio series number one: signed and numbered, 11“x14”, $300.00

Hugh MacLeod — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:03:46 +0000

[The printer’s proofs. Click on image to enlarge etc.]

[“Dinosaur”]

[“Hughtrain”]

[“Quality”]

[“Talked”]

[Update:] You can purchase the Portfolio here.

Last week I blogged about a series of small prints I was working on, based on the cartoons in the new book, “IGNORE EVERYBODY”, which as y’all know, launched today.
These cartoons above are some of the most viewed, and have collectively been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. I know they adorn lots of cube walls, been made into stickers and of course, blogcards.
These four reflect a lot about what I was feeling at the time I drew them, three or four years ago. How we all have a need to find “purpose”, and the stuff we do and the people we interact with each day, in order to find “it”.
So today, being a day that for me is a lot about finding my own purpose, I’ve decided that it would be a poignant moment to make these available for people to own. You can throw away your yellow’d download and own the real thing instead, signed and numbered by me. An edition of 100, sold as a set in a portfolio, for $300 [Plus Shipping & Handling]. In a few days we’ll be offering the individual prints for about $100 each.
These are smaller versions of what we have been doing up until now. They measure 11“x14”, and can be framed and hung, or kept in a portfolio to view or use for meetings and then put away etc.
They are all hand-pulled serigraphs, and printed on Rives-Arches paper. For those of you thinking about collecting the work long-term, this is a good, affordable, and fun place to start. I hope to be making lots more of these portfolio editions in the future. Thanks.

“ignore everybody” launches today

Hugh MacLeod — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

[Books arriving at my office for signing. It’s a lousy job, but hey, somebody has to do it…]

Fourteen months since I went public with the news, my first book, “Ignore Everybody” finally launches today.

Now available at:

Amazon.

Barnes & Noble.

Borders.

800-CEO-READ. (great for bulk buys)

IndieBound. [to find an independent store]

Kindle.

[The book jacket– click on image to see enlarged PDF version etc.]
Here are some brief notes:
1. Big thanks to my agent, Lisa, to Jeffrey and Jillian, my editors over at Penguin/Portfolio, to Maureen Cole, who does my marketing over at Portfolio, to my friend and mentor, Seth Godin, for introducing me to Portfolio.
2. Big thanks to all the bloggers and blog readers who inspired and encouraged me all along the way… You know who you are.
3. The book only took me a couple for months to write. It took me four years to find the right publisher. I feel fortunate that it wasn’t the other way around…
4. Some of my favorite cartoons in the book were drawn at this very small, funky West Village Bar in Manhattan, during my New York days. Probably the proudest moment with getting the book published for me so far, was being able to send an advance copy to the bar’s owner, along with the following note:

“Dear Tanya,
Remember that crazy guy with the tweed jacket who used to sit at the end of your bar every night, drawing those weird cartoons on the back of business cards?
I’m happy to report, he ended up alright…”

5. Yes. I am insanely happy, excited and grateful about all this. Thanks and God Bless to you all. Rock on.

[etc: About Hugh. Interview. Newsletter. Book. Limited Edition Prints. Private Commissions. Cube Grenades. Hughtrain.]

twenty five years

Hugh MacLeod — Sat, 30 May 2009 21:43:32 +0000

As y’all will already know, June 11th is the date my book, IGNORE EVERYBODY comes out.
It just occurred to me, that date ALSO marks the TWENTY FIFTH anniversary of me starting my first real job– a trainee bartender at Whigham’s Wine Bar, Edinburgh- June 11th, 1984– right after I had finished my final high school exams.
Since then, of course, I’ve had PLENTY of adventures. Attending University in Texas, working offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, working in advertising, working in TV (briefly), starting a greeting card company, drawing cartoons, getting involved with blogs and blog marketing, consulting, making and selling prints, writing a book. A real roller coaster, to say the least.
Twenty five years seems a long time get from where I was then, to where I am now. Had I had my act more together, had I been a bit luckier, had my personality been more suited to some of the paths that I chose for myself, it probably would’ve taken me half the time. I’ve had my fair share of disappointment & disaster along the way, that’s for certain.
But part of me also knows that, had it gone more smoothly, more quickly, I probably wouldn’t have ended up somewhere NEARLY as interesting.
Everybody pays full price for being who they are. Only the interest rate fluctuates.

“ignore everybody” prints on their way

Hugh MacLeod — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:22:07 +0000

[Me signing copies of “Ignore Everybody” earlier this week. 25 boxes, 40 books in each…]
With my upcoming book launch less than three weeks away, we decided to published prints from some of the cartoons found in the book.
The book has eighty-odd cartoons in it, I’ve made a shortlist of fourteen [See Below], from which I’ll actually print up three in the next couple of weeks, to coincide with the books hitting the shops [UPDATE: I’ve also included two or three cartoons that aren’t in the book, but maybe should have been etc.].
These prints will be smaller than the last ones [approx 9“x14” i.e. roughly the same dimensions as my MacBook] and cheaper [around $100-$125 for one, around $300 for the set]. They may be black and white only, or we may use maybe one color, we’re not sure yet.
In spite of their small size, like last time, they will be signed, and will be printed as high-quality silkscreens.
Upmarket Cube Grenades. Exactly.
Here is the shortlist. Feel free to leave your feedback in the comments, Thanks!
MISTAKENLY

WOLF VS. SHEEP

WE NEED TO TALK

I DON’T HAVE FRIENDS

WELCOME TO…

IT’S NOT WHAT THE SOFTWARE DOES

ANGELS

COMPANY HIERARCHY

DINOSAUR

IF YOU TALKED TO PEOPLE

QUALITY

GOOD FOR YOU

THE HUGHTRAIN

THRIVING IN MARKETS

500 free signed copies of “ignore everybody” now available

Hugh MacLeod — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:13:57 +0000

[The book jacket– click on image to see enlarged PDF version etc.]

[Update: This offer is now closed. Thanks, Everybody!!!]

As most of you will know, my book, IGNORE EVERYBODY comes out on June 11th.
A lot of people have been asking me about where can they get signed copies, so I came up with a new, secret, evil plan.
[UPDATE:] To celebrate the June 11th book launch, I’m offering a special signed-copy deal to the FIRST 500 people who pre-order the book.
Here are the guidelines [Please follow them carefully, so you don’t miss out…]:
1. The first 500 people who order the book AND send their electronic receipt/confirmation number to IgnoreEverybody@gmail.com will get a second (personally signed) book from me. So if you pre-order a book, you’ll get a free extra copy [i.e. two for the price of one] — one signed from me, one unsigned from whichever online bookseller you choose [See choices below]. One to keep, one to give to a friend. Easy.
[Update: Yes, you can get a signed copy if you’ve already pre-ordered a book. Yes, you can get a signed copy if you live outside the U.S.- but there’s a catch. No, Sorry, this offer is not open to Kindle, hardback only. Please read below CAREFULLY for further details.]
2. Order the “unsigned” book from any one of these online booksellers:

Amazon.

Barnes & Noble.

Borders.

800-CEO-READ. (great for bulk buys)

IndieBound. [to find an independent store]

3. Then please forward your receipt/confirmation number to this special email address: IgnoreEverybody@gmail.com. You’ll receive a confirmation email with directions for submitting your shipping address.
4. This offer is limited to only the first 500 people who email us their receipts — I’ll post an update here to let you know if if and when the special offer has been closed.
5. This offer is for U.S. ORDERS ONLY. Sorry, Global Sportsfans, but the logistics are just WAY too complex to ship them abroad. Long story. Ouch. If you live abroad, and STILL INSIST on getting a signed copy, that’s easy, once you get your confirmation e-mail, just supply a US mailing address [i.e. c/o a friend in New York or wherever], and we’ll gladly send it there.
6. If you’ve already pre-ordered the book and live in the U.S., no worries, you can still get in on the deal — just be in the first 500 to send in your receipt, and I’ll happily honor it. Ditto if you live abroad– just give us a U.S. postal address [see Point # 5] and we’ll honor that as well.
7. This offer is hardback only. Not for Kindle. Sorry.
8. Please do not contact me personally to get on this list — please just use IgnoreEverybody@gmail.com.
9. The books are already signed, so you should receive them very shortly.
10. Thanks Again, As Always, for your Love and Support!
–Hugh

[P.S. The best way to support my work is to sign up to my “Crazy, Deranged Fools” Newsletter. Thanks!]

“ignore everybody” launches june 11th, 2009

Hugh MacLeod — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:38:58 +0000

[The book jacket– click on image to enlarge etc.]

My book, “Ignore Everybody” hits the bookstores on June 11th.

[You can download two PDF sample chapters here for free etc.]

Barnes & Noble.

Borders.

800-CEO-READ. [great for bulk buys]

IndieBound. [to find an independent store]

Amazon.

The book has been a long time coming. What started out as a series of blog posts in 2004, took on a life of its own.
In a hundred years I’ll be dead. So will you. Before that time comes, I want to keep asking the question, “How do we make the world a more fun, meaningful, loving, creative place?” This book is part of that.
I can’t think of a better way to spend the remaining time God has given me on this planet, frankly. You?
[The Official Publisher’s Blurb for the book:]

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.
About the Author
Hugh MacLeod worked as an advertising copywriter for more than a decade, while developing his skills as a cartoonist and pundit. His blog is Gaping Void, and more than a million people have downloaded the original post that inspired this book, “How To Be Creative.” He also lectures and consults on Web 2.0 and its impact on business.

“ignore everybody” galleys arrived in the mail today…

Hugh MacLeod — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:19:18 +0000

[Video courtesy of Loren Feldman.]
P.S. A “galley” is a rough edition of the book, that the publisher gives out to the media a couple of months before the publishing date, in order to spread the word. For example, a lot of the big magazines and papers like to get their galleys at least four months in advance etc.

“ignore everybody” galleys for twitterers

Hugh MacLeod — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:27:18 +0000

[Click on image to enlarge etc.]
[UPDATE– about 3 minutes later: Sorry, the twelve emails arrived quickly. Wow. No more galleys to give away, for now. Sorry.]
I’ve got twelve galley copies of my upcoming book, “Ignore Everybody”, to give away. Here’s the deal:
1. You have to have been active on Twitter for at least three months.
2. You have to have been following me on Twitter for at least one month.
3. You need to send me an email with the word, “Galley” in the subject header. In your email I need your your name, your shipping address, and your Twitter ID.
4. The email you send needs to be, in some way, interesting, amusing, or both.
5. I’ll mail a galley to the first twelve folk whose email fits this criteria.
6. Thanks for everything!
[UPDATE @:] Even though I closed down the competition after 3 minutes, I still got about 100 e-mails after from people, trying their luck. Rock on.