FCP Reading Weeks

Reading week. noun. A week, usually midway through a university term, during which there are no classes or lectures, intended for students to concentrate on reading or research.

In other words a week of doing absolutely fuck all. Sounds great right?

FCP got two weeks.

Even better.

Oh how I wish. No, instead we actually had to read 4 books, as well as watching a series of episodes (not Gilmore Girls unfortunately) and creating a folder summarising the FCP process, which means we actually had to do the work. I need another reading week just to rest!

It wasn't that bad, really. I do actually quite enjoy reading. The four books we had to read were:

1. It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be. by Paul Arden.
2. Hegarty on Creativity by John Hegarty.
3. Do/Story/How to tell your story so the world listens. by Bobette Buster.
4. Damn Good Advice (for people with talent) by George Lois.

I have mixed opinions for each of these books. I started off by reading It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden and I suddenly had an epiphany of creativity. I actually felt like an arts/fashion/FCP student and I loved it. There's a quote that says 

"When it can't be done, do it. If you don't do it, it doesn't exist."

 and it's stuck to me ever since.

Do/Story by Bobette Buster and Damn Good Advice by George Lois didn't have the same effect. They both made some good points, such as "When you present an entrepreneurial idea, if it takes more than 3 sentenced to explain it to the big money guys it's not a Big Idea" (Lois), which I think is straight down relevant to the course; however I felt like they were talking at me. Telling me that because this is how they do it and they're successful, then that's how everyone else should act too. Saying this, in a less personal perspective, I think the Do/Story book is incredibly relevant to our next project (the perfume project), because in order to sell our brand to the consumer, we need to create a back story for the brand and convey what the product and the brand stands for. 

I enjoyed Hegarty on Creativity by John Hegarty a bit more than the last two. I liked how it has been presented and illustrated. It makes it more enjoyable to read and makes that common link between literature and the visual in creativity. I found a quote in there that says 

"Where's the zag in our thinking? By looking in the opposite direction you might just find something new."

which I think is a great quote as it suggests to me personally that I need to be more innovative and think outside the box, rather than thinking linearly. It makes me feel like I need to stop worrying about what's right and what's wrong and start looking at things from a different perspective. It's one of those quotes that I'd like to have printed in a swirly font and framed, like you see on Pinterest!

Despite not liking a couple as much as the others, I would recommend picking them up if you're in a creative career or just a creative person in general. They all make you think about things slightly differently and leave you contemplating. They're all quite short and cheap to pick up on Amazon - I'll leave links here, here, here and here. 

Georgia.xo