Ex-cartoon editor of The New Yorker, Bob Mankoff, suggests the key to coming up with cartoon ideas is to look at the world around you like you’re an alien that’s just landed on Earth.

When you’re crafting a joke for a cartoon, what you’re essentially doing is making the "strange familiar or the familiar strange" according to Bob.

It’s similar to how a child looks at the world. Always asking questions, endlessly curious.

It doesn’t just apply to cartoons or jokes. Noticing things and questioning why something is the way it is, is the basis for creativity and original thinking. The best creators, innovators and entrepreneurs see the world this way.

They ask questions like:

• "What if there was a computer that could fit in your pocket?”
• “What if there was a coin for doges?”
• “What if birds were uncoordinated?”

Being curious like an alien or child (or alien child) is a great way to go around in the world. Not just because it opens up possibilities but also because curiosity pushes you forward.

When I was a kid I loved comics and drawing. Always trying to come up with ideas and make something funny. I’ve been an illustrator for a few years now, but at the start of this year I explored a different illustration style. A little side project where I started making some cartoons and even submitted to The New Yorker (hence the Bob Mankoff quote at the top). I’m yet to hear back, but its been a fun process.

The whole writing thing is brand new. Exciting, but less comfortable. That’s because historically I’m a more visual person. My hope is that the comics, cartoons and silly drawings will help sweeten the deal as I clumsily wander my way through new territory (see birds above).

And so I’m following my curiosity and merging these things into a new project.

This is it here. You’re reading it.

My plan is to use the process of writing and drawing as a vehicle to have some interesting discussions, be useful and (fingers crossed) a little bit funny too.

I’ll be exploring topics like creativity, work, how to live a meaningful life and lots of other super low-key stuff laced with humour. The kinds of things that rattle around in the heads of creatives, artists, makers and anyone who’s partial to a good ponder.

It’ll be me saying: ‘Hey friend, check out this interesting/inspiring/funny/helpful/extremely sexy thing’.

Maybe even combinations of those (inspiring and extremely sexy)?

I’ll be posting something every 1 to 2 weeks and the rough format will be some writing and a cheeky cartoon or two. It may evolve and change along the way, but either way I hope it’ll be a cool thing to read.

Thanks for reading my first one! Looking forward to sharing more soon.

Mike