Show your work Book review | Book written by Austin Kleon
First Published On: 6 March 2014
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Genre: Self-Help
Synopsis:
The book outlines the ways to share creativity and to get noticed in this digital era. The author talks about simple and practical techniques which are valuable for an artist.
You can get noticed by showing your work. If your work is good, you will get an audience. And meanwhile, you can focus on getting better at what you do. It’s simple, by generously sharing your ideas and knowledge, you can build an audience.
The best way to get started on the path is by sharing your work. Think about what you want to learn and make a commitment to learning it in front of others. Share what you love, and the people who love the same things will find you.
Don’t worry about making a bunch of money or being successful. Be concerned with doing good work. And if you can build a good name, eventually, that name will be its currency.
Somehow the more you give away, the more comes back to you.
Show Your Work- Book Review:
The book itself is a creative work with unique pictorials, quotes, and stories. Definitely a quick read, as the book size, unlike others, is short. The topic is well illustrated, keeping it simple to read. Each page has meaningful ideas. It’s interesting as it makes you follow the pages of the book.
The author has mentioned many lessons, relatable stories, real struggles, and a lot more to get the reader inspired. It will boost your confidence. You will start your passion, work, or hobby as soon as you put down the book.
Read: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: Book Review
Key Lessons:
1. You Don’t Have To Be A Genius
You just need to be yourself. Yes, you can learn from others. Get ideas, collaborate, and support each other. Creativity is always, in some sense, a collaboration.
So, be a contributor and share your ideas with others. Eventually, this will help you to build connections and start a conversation with people around the world.
2. Think Process, Not Product
Only an artist understands the amount of practice and effort that goes into acquiring any talent. So enjoy every stage of your growth.
The works-in-progress phase is a great place to be. You can build a unique bond with your audience by showing the bits and pieces of your journey.
By putting things out there, you can form a relationship with your audience. It allows them to see the person behind the products. So, remember to enjoy this process each day of your life.
3. Become A Documentarian Of What You Do
Start a work journal. Write down your thoughts, ideas, and learnings. You can make an audio or a video recording to keep track of your findings. You can teach your audience while learning, along with them.
This isn’t about making art. It’s about simply keeping track of what’s going on around you. You’ll start to see the work you’re doing more clearly and feel like you’re making progress. And when you’re ready to share, you’ll have a surplus of material to choose from.
4. Good Daily Dispatch
Your daily dispatch can be anything you want—a blog post, an email, a tweet, a YouTube video, or some other little bit of media.
The form of what you share doesn’t matter. Follow one day at a time. Be consistent in putting your work out there, to be discovered.
5. Always Be Sure What You Are Sharing
Always remember to make no mistake. Choose your words wisely while using the internet. Words matter as it stays forever. Show the unfinished work but don’t show anything you are not sure of, or something that is absolute nonsense.
See whether it’s useful or entertaining for others. Share the work which adds value to the world. Also, don’t we spammer. Don’t over-share. Always know how much to share.
6. Tell Good Stories.
Human beings always want to know where things came from. How they were made and who made them. The stories you tell about the work you do have a huge effect on how people feel and think about your work.
How people perceive your work eventually affects how they value it. So, make sure you tell them great stories to create value for your work.
7. Don’t Quit Your Show
Every career is full of ups and downs. The people who get what they want to be, are often the ones who just stick around long enough. So, Don’t quit. Just keep going.
Read: 10 Lessons by Jack Ma on Life, Success, and Entrepreneurship.
About The Author:
Austin Kleon is a writer who draws. He is also the author of “Steal Like an Artist” which is also a national bestseller Book.
He speaks frequently about creativity in the digital age for SXSW, TEDx, The Economist, and more. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on NPR and PBS.
Recommendation:
In this digital world, it is much easier to showcase your talent. This book is for people you need to understand that there is a new way of operating.
They must show their learnings or skills socially and get discovered. This book will teach you the do’s and don’t of pursuing your passion.
Rating
5/5
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