Paul Jarvis is the web designer behind Danielle LaPorte, Justine Musk and Alexandra Franzen‘s web sites. If you visit each of those fine establishments, your jaw will drop. At least mine does. Paul is also a writer. You can check out his books here.
Paul publishes a newsletter which I rather religiously open every single time and read it because I personally like his restrained or minimalist style. His approach is often matter-of-fact, based on his experiences as a designer and might I say, a thinker. Just about everything he produces feels mindful and almost precise.
In one of his recent newsletters he offered to make some time to speak with blog publishers about his new ebook called “Everything I Know.” Unlike his other book projects that were self-published and were offered only as electronic downloads, “Everything I Know,” is going to be produced as a hard-cover book if his Kickstarter campaign meets its goal of raising $20,000. That he is well beyond the half-way point right now tells you a little something about this project. People want to see “Everything I Know,” in print.
My goal for this book is to illustrate the potential you've got inside you, right now, to do something unique and innovative.
Before he and I sat down to chat, I insisted that he send me a review copy (on the promise of course that I would still support his project). He promptly sent me a 20-page teaser, which I read in about 10 minutes flat. The large font, simple sentences and short (and funny) anecdotes corralled my attention and had me nodding as I quickly turned the pages.
“Your work is a reflection of you, so why no make it something you love?”
Though I have only read a part of “Everything I Know,” I get the sense that it is less a “how-to” type book and more of a “write your own manifesto” type book. If you are spinning your wheels not knowing what to pursue, I would urge you to take a closer look at this book. It may just help define who you are and why you want to do what you do.
For now, let's listen to this conversation I had with Paul about his new ebook project: