A GENIUS BOOK

There is no other way to describe this book other than GENIUS. I mentioned in my last post how much I dislike reading however it is something I want to keep on and really try to get into it. Theres no better way to start than to read Hegarty on Creativity: There Are No Rules. This book is pure brilliance and I could rave about it all day. For someone who isn't keen on reading, the organisation and layout (different font types, sizes and colour, small illustrations and short paragraphs) of this book is encouraging and fun to read, so fun that I in fact read the whole book on a 2 hour train journey back home, and I'd happily read it all over again!

The book aims to have every reader understanding the logistics of creativity, how to nurture, sustain and harness it. From Hegarty's 40 years of experience in advertising he produced 50 pieces of advice and presented it in this witty pocket book. My favourite chapters include:

• ORIGINALITY- Hegarty prefers FRESH because no piece of creative work is original as ideas are borrowed, blended, subverted, developed and bounced off other people's ideas. 
• FEARLESSNESS- There is a constant reminder of what it takes to be creative throughout this book, and that is fearlessness. Hegarty discovered that fearlessness is what is needed to produce something fresh, something we haven't seen before and something which doesn't follow a formula.
• ZAG- This chapter emphasises the importance to be different. Hegarty tells a short story about an advertisement he produced for black Levi Strauss jeans and reinforces the point they were making visually: "When the world zigs, zag."

• TECHNOLOGY- This chapter reminds me of a video of the ikea catalogue that mocks the Apple iPhone advert. Hegarty expresses in this chapter that technology isn't the idea, its the mean to express the idea. 

• REMOVE YOUR HEADPHONES- This chapter is brilliant because so many people of guilty on sitting, standing, walking or wondering around with their headphones in. Hegarty suggests that headphones cut you off from the world and reduces the amount of inspiration that reaches you.
• SWAP SEATS- This piece of advice will always stick with me. When you're lacking creativity, change it up. Change your routine and habits and you will most likely find that you will have a fresh perspective. 

and finally...

• DONT GET TOO COMFORTABLE- The best creative people manage to keep a grip on reality whatever they achieve.

I'll say it once again, its genius. Quite often you find people over complicate things, Hegarty has kept things simple and straight to the point and this is the best way to learn new things as they will stick with you. This book has been an extremely useful guide and a great start to a new semester, I will be keeping it in a safe place to refer back to when needed!