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Do the F*cking Work: Lowbrow Advice for High-Level Creativity
A wake-up call for creatives who need that inspiring kick to finally create the thing they’ve been meaning to make, while celebrating the journey of trying, learning, and failing.
Over the last eight years, Jason Bacher and Brian Buirge of Good F*cking Design Advice (GFDA) have made a name for themselves in the international design community, inspiring creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs with their products, weekly e-mails, and most important, their unorthodox advice about work ethic and the creative process. Do the F*cking Work is a collection of 100 beautifully packaged pieces that showcase their irreverent advice—inspiration that will help unstick even the most dedicated procrastinators. Covering everything from drinking your morning coffee to handling productive criticism, from embracing failure to rejecting the status quo, their insights upend conventional thinking and teach you to embrace and celebrate the journey of creation—the joy of trying, failing, learning, and sometimes failing again. To make something good we have to make some mistakes. Bacher and Buirge teach you to embrace the unknown and to f*cking laugh at yourself during the process. There is a method to their madness—a surprising reassurance that is baked into their bluntness. We’re all trying, messing up, and trying again. And there’s joy to be found in that—something we often overlook in our rush to get everything done and get it right the first time. With personal insights, actionable advice, stylish visuals, and lots of colorful language, Do the F*cking Work will leave you feeling renewed and inspired, and will make you see that the value of work is as much about the process as the outcome.
Over the last eight years, Jason Bacher and Brian Buirge of Good F*cking Design Advice (GFDA) have made a name for themselves in the international design community, inspiring creatives, artists, and entrepreneurs with their products, weekly e-mails, and most important, their unorthodox advice about work ethic and the creative process. Do the F*cking Work is a collection of 100 beautifully packaged pieces that showcase their irreverent advice—inspiration that will help unstick even the most dedicated procrastinators. Covering everything from drinking your morning coffee to handling productive criticism, from embracing failure to rejecting the status quo, their insights upend conventional thinking and teach you to embrace and celebrate the journey of creation—the joy of trying, failing, learning, and sometimes failing again. To make something good we have to make some mistakes. Bacher and Buirge teach you to embrace the unknown and to f*cking laugh at yourself during the process. There is a method to their madness—a surprising reassurance that is baked into their bluntness. We’re all trying, messing up, and trying again. And there’s joy to be found in that—something we often overlook in our rush to get everything done and get it right the first time. With personal insights, actionable advice, stylish visuals, and lots of colorful language, Do the F*cking Work will leave you feeling renewed and inspired, and will make you see that the value of work is as much about the process as the outcome.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published December 30, 2019
79 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 18, 2021
Generally good advice and inspiration for leading a more creative life, though I'm not a fan of the design of many of the pages or the silver font that's a physical pain to read on a white background (I skipped most of the personal story sections because of that). There's also a smattering of machismo that muddies a lot of the points and was off-putting for me, though I guess that's to be expected from three white guys who would rather blame the offended than the offender.
August 31, 2020
I read it on the toilet and I wish I had that time back. I'm not sure whether I hate this book or it's just reflective of a vapid male-centric design culture. Probably both. If you're a design bro, you might like it.
(There were a few pages that had interesting graphic design / typography, but so many other places to spend your time and money)
(There were a few pages that had interesting graphic design / typography, but so many other places to spend your time and money)
April 13, 2021
DNFd.
Pithy, with some decent advice, but it came off as very... masculine. That's the best way I can describe it. I felt like I was listening to a bunch of guys while they were drinking beer and bragging about their (design) exploits and dumb decisions (not realizing how to package mugs).
Which would be fine if I were in my early 20s and trying to look cool, but frankly, drunk dudes are never as interesting as they think they are.
Plus, it's hard to take design advice seriously when the book is nearly impossible to read under normal lamps in my house--or under sunlight outside--because the pages are so darn glossy. Did none of the (fucking awesome) authors look at a copy of this book before giving the publisher final approval?
Pithy, with some decent advice, but it came off as very... masculine. That's the best way I can describe it. I felt like I was listening to a bunch of guys while they were drinking beer and bragging about their (design) exploits and dumb decisions (not realizing how to package mugs).
Which would be fine if I were in my early 20s and trying to look cool, but frankly, drunk dudes are never as interesting as they think they are.
Plus, it's hard to take design advice seriously when the book is nearly impossible to read under normal lamps in my house--or under sunlight outside--because the pages are so darn glossy. Did none of the (fucking awesome) authors look at a copy of this book before giving the publisher final approval?
January 12, 2020
Quippy with some good inspirational points. However, this is pretty short on content, and the silver metallic text precludes reading in front of a window.
February 10, 2022
There’s a lot of platitudes with cursing, but I wouldn’t say I feel particularly motivated by this in the way I’d hoped. There are things that resonate, like the need to be driven by passion and the need to put in the time and give up comfort.
February 17, 2020
Straight talk with f bombs peppered throughout. Told with a sense of humour and earnest must do attitude. Serious no excuses attitude.
Highly recommended
Highly recommended
November 22, 2020
Whomever thought shiny silver text on a white background was a good idea should reconsider several life choices.
March 1, 2020
Loved it! Is it filled with groundbreaking advice and tidbits of precious unknown secrets to help you move forward? No. Is it filled with sound advice bluntly enunciated so the dumbest monkey could it? Yes.
It’s refreshing, it’s fun, and it’s inspiring.
It’s refreshing, it’s fun, and it’s inspiring.
January 1, 2020
Needed this.
Seriously though, metallic silver fucking type?
Read this.
Seriously though, metallic silver fucking type?
Read this.
December 7, 2024
I read the whole book as many folks had recommended it and I always hope that a book will get better even when it doesn't resonate with me. Do The Work, was not one that I found as useful as I thought it would be.
Overall, the book is an easy read written in unconventional language in that there is a lot of profanity sprinkled throughout the text. There were a number of ideas presented which I've listed below with only a couple of them being ones that I found novel / helpful. Please note that my issue with the book wasn't that the main points were bad or wrong they are in fact great; however, I was already familiar with the ideas that they were trying to convey so I just didn't discover anything new which is what I was hoping for. That being said, if you have never read anything on how to improve creativity this might be a helpful book for you.
The main points were as follows:
- do the work
- embrace the process not the outcome
- make time for creativity
- stop waiting for inspiration
- get comfortable with failure
- develop a routine
- push thru resistance
- collaborate & build a network
- creativity is a discipline (this was one of the ideas that I found useful)
- finish what you start (this was another idea that I found helpful, as often times as creatives we don't finish what we start)
- dk
Overall, the book is an easy read written in unconventional language in that there is a lot of profanity sprinkled throughout the text. There were a number of ideas presented which I've listed below with only a couple of them being ones that I found novel / helpful. Please note that my issue with the book wasn't that the main points were bad or wrong they are in fact great; however, I was already familiar with the ideas that they were trying to convey so I just didn't discover anything new which is what I was hoping for. That being said, if you have never read anything on how to improve creativity this might be a helpful book for you.
The main points were as follows:
- do the work
- embrace the process not the outcome
- make time for creativity
- stop waiting for inspiration
- get comfortable with failure
- develop a routine
- push thru resistance
- collaborate & build a network
- creativity is a discipline (this was one of the ideas that I found useful)
- finish what you start (this was another idea that I found helpful, as often times as creatives we don't finish what we start)
- dk
March 25, 2020
Ok so not the most profound book I have ever read but I certainly recommend picking it up for some practical lessons. The first of which is get out of your snooty pretension about language. Language is used to invoke a response.... the guys certainly do that! The second is get out of your head and just do the f*cking work! I know I know not really profound ... but I said that at the opening of this review. People are so hung up on the "appropriateness" of the work that it largely goes undone. That is where the whining about not getting ahead comes into play....ugh. You and not the King Poobah and there is no work that is beneath you =====> That message is especially for "leaders." Take out the trash if it's needed.
January 30, 2021
I love GFDA and I loved the advice in this book. I have the urge to paper the walls of my office with the pages of this book. I want to be constantly reminded so that I don't get lazy. My only complaint is the metallic silver ink on the body copy - waaaaaaaay too hard to read. What were they thinking? A beautifully designed book despite that. I saw another reviewer refer to the authors as Design Bros, and, yeah, I can see that. :)
April 27, 2021
I didnt think this book had very much substance. Lots of motivational jargon and a few personal stories that all seemed to be about perseverance. The one thing I could appreciate was the design. Which makes sense because the authors are all graphic designers.
I would consider this a motivational picture book at best.
I would consider this a motivational picture book at best.
July 24, 2023
This is a compilation of the most common advice to enhance creativity in your general environment. There's no new information, but you will murder your eyes because for some reason, the people who created "good fucking design advice" decided that silver font was the best choice ever. This is brutal on the eyes. Absolutely brutal. You know, the opposite of good design.
January 2, 2020
Coffee Table Summary Book of Motivational Advice
I promised not to swear in 2020 but this book made it worse. It's otherwise fairly inspiring to read the story of their design company and what inspired and pushed them forward.
I promised not to swear in 2020 but this book made it worse. It's otherwise fairly inspiring to read the story of their design company and what inspired and pushed them forward.
August 18, 2021
Nice kick in the ass to get your head right and start doing sh*t.
It's mostly visual and most of the advice in there has already been said, but the graphics and no-nonsense advice approach self-help in a really great way.
It's mostly visual and most of the advice in there has already been said, but the graphics and no-nonsense advice approach self-help in a really great way.
October 29, 2022
This was a really good book, mainly because the advice felt very fresh and new. Most books like this give you the same old stale advice, but even when this book tells you something you already know, it does so in a different way. Definitely keeping this one.
January 21, 2020
congrats jason b! the caesar cipher was 🔥
January 25, 2020
Brilliant and inspiring, what else does it need to be? Fuck.
February 13, 2020
I have always loved GFDA. This book is a great example of good design. One thing though, the silver type on white shiny paper is extremely difficult to read.
May 29, 2020
Silver glossy unreadable font for 20% of the book; did I just waste $20?
August 3, 2020
It's so badly designed, it's difficult to read. The content though is good. Hence, just follow the instagram page and save yourself some money.
August 28, 2020
I'd liken this to a great coffee table book which you can open up and enjoy the lovely design and beautiful typography (if that's your thing). It also helped motivate me, so that's a win!
March 24, 2021
No-nonsense know-how from some knowledgeable people. It's a bit lowbrow, as advertised, but I enjoyed it. Certainly a great read to get you out of a rut.
April 11, 2021
Great book!
October 3, 2021
Pretty cool! Definitely inspired me! The only thing that bothered me, as a designer, I didn’t like how hard the shiny gray text was to read :/
August 4, 2022
Well-designed, sturdy, eye-catching quips. Not much more substantive than that.
September 14, 2022
Fun and insightful coffee table book for creative people, but that fuckin silver ink…
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews