Show your work! – a book review

In the book “Show your work!”, the author – Austin Kleon encourages the reader to document their work and to present both the process and the results of this action to the world preferably under their own name, pseudonym, personal brand. The book is very concise and dense enclosed in 10 chapters. It is written in a clear, entertaining manner. The ideas are provided in a very digestible form what makes the book easy to read and easy to understand. The Author calls in very adequate and diverse examples which support his statements. In my opinion, the book lacks a description of direct techniques that could be applied to achieve everything that’s mentioned in the book, some practical clues and where to find them. Overall, it’s a very good and quick position and every aspiring creator should read it.

Rating: 4.5/5

Time to read: around 2 – 2.5 hours if you read, make notes and reflect at the same time.

Pages: 215 (printed version).

My list of the key facts/ideas of the book:

• Find your “niche” or rather present your “niche” – your everyday work/passion (whatever you do) to the audience.

• It doesn’t matter what level of advancement you are on. If you do good work with joy and passion, and you do it for long enough, you will find followers. Even if you are a beginner and write about beginner-level stuff you can help other beginners. Teach what you know.

• Make use of what other people have already created, optimise, output something new. Get inspired.

• Remember that when you use parts of someone else’s material, you HAVE to grant them properly. It’s crucial. Not giving proper credit is stealing.

• Be yourself. Create your own style. Be unique.

• Share both the process (research, references, drafts, sketches, diagrams, outlines, notes etc.) and the result.

• Share content on regular basis. Small regular inputs (flows)aggregate over time to spectacular things (stocks).

• Overnight success is a myth.

• Get findable, recognisable (link to social media – Twitter, Facebook).

• When you find things you genuinely enjoy, don’t let anyone else make you feel bad about it.

• Don’t try to make everything perfect but try to improve with every piece that you produce.

• DO NOT spam. Post material that people want to read/watch/listen to, that is relevant to them. Don’t post photos of your children, pets, meals (unless appropriate).

• Be somewhat mysterious. Do not open up yourself fully. Then you are much more interesting to the audience.

• Read a lot to write better.

• Make your content appealing.

• Share your point of view, your opinion.

• Learn to listen.

• Remember – quality over quantity.

• Catch relevant opportunities. In choosing your activities/collaborations avoid vampires – actions and people that suck up energy from you. Look for those that boost it instead.

• Live contact is as important as virtual contact.

• Learn how to take a punch. Do not fear what other people might say. Just do your job.

• Don’t spare/feed the trolls. Cope with them right away.

• If you feel that you are ready, try to monetise (patrons, sponsorships, own merchandise, affiliate links, crowdfunding).

• Gather contacts/keep a mailing list. Treat the list with respect.

• Stick to what you do and what you know. Don’t lose yourself.

• Stick around. Use your momentum, fight burnout, practice perseverance, find a new beginning if you need.