Overview of “Show Your Work”
Austin Kleon’s “Show Your Work” is a refreshingly practical guide for creatives in today’s world. It debunks the myth of the lone genius, a myth that impedes growth. This book empowers its readers to leverage readily available opportunities to cultivate a loyal audience and achieve financial success. Kleon’s tone is encouraging and direct, offering “big brother” advice that not only advocates for the power of sharing but provides actionable steps on how to do it effectively.
Who Should Read This Book?
“Show Your Work” is not just for the young creative looking to build an online presence. It is a tool for anyone who desires to amplify their voice and work. Are you yearning for a feedback-driven and supportive community? This book is your guide. Do you cringe at the thought of self-promotion, yet dream of attracting more clients? Are you struggling with reigniting creativity? Austin’s book holds the answer. This book offers valuable tools for anyone to grow in their career.
Key Takeaways
Austin shares ten distinct ways with actionable sub-tips to empower you to share your work. Below are some of the gems that resonated deeply with me
1. You Don’t Have To Be A Genius
You do not have to be a genius to be creative or share your work. This is where Austin debunks the lone genius myth. “Creativity is not an antisocial act performed by only a few great figures”. In other words, good work is not created in a vacuum. It is influenced by several other things and people. Your work does not need to be perfect before you share. It is growth-in-progress and the people you share it with will influence its growth.
Take advantage of blogs, social media sites, forums, etc, to talk about the things you care about. It leads to a cycle of contribution, collaboration and inspiration – a scenius.
“The best way to get started on the path to sharing your work is to think about what you want to learn, and make a commitment to learning it in front of others.” – Austin Kleo
2. You Cannot Find Your Voice If You Don’t Use It
To find your authentic self and advance in self-discovery, you have to share what you care about, practice and experiment. Here are some quotes from the book that explain what this concept means in detail;
“I realize that the only way to find your voice is to use it.” – Austin Kleon
“Talk about the things you love. Your voice will follow.” – Austin Kleon
“If your work isn’t online, it doesn’t exist.” – Austin Kleon
“If you want people to know about what you do and the things you care about, you have to share.” – Austin Kleon
3. Take People Behind The Scenes
Creative work involves a process and the digital age offers people the chance to capture and share the process involved in creating their work. According to Kleon,
“By letting go of our egos and sharing our process, we allow for the possibility of people having an ongoing connection with us and our work, which helps us move more of our product.”
Document your work process and share it with your audience – this helps to form a unique bond with them. When you begin to document and share your work it helps you see what you are doing clearly and gives you a tangible sense of progress.
4. Share Something Small Everyday
“Put yourself, and your work, out there every day, and you’ll start meeting some amazing people.” —Bobby Solomon
Sharing something small about your work every day breaks down decade-long career goals into surmountable microtasks. Implementing this goal helps you consistently document your day’s process (even tasks that you consider unimportant), and achieve long-term goals. This concept brings to life Julia Carney’s quote “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean.”
“Once a day, after you’ve done your day’s work, go back to your documentation and find one little piece of your process that you can share.” – Austin Kleon
5. Build A Good (Domain) Name
Social media sites are rented spaces. They come and go. They can be taken down or their features can become unsupportive of the things you desire to share. This is why it is important to own your space online, a place you control, a place where anyone can find you and your work. Having a website achieves this.
“Fill your website with your work and your ideas and the stuff you care about. Over the years, you will be tempted to abandon it for the newest, shiniest social network. Don’t give in. Don’t let it fall into neglect. Think about it in the long term. Stick with it, maintain it, and let it change with you over time.” – Austin Kleon
6. Tell Good Stories
“Human beings 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 what they understand about your work, and how people feel and what they understand about your work effects how they value it.” – Austin Kleon
7. Meet Up In Meatspace
It is good to turn some of your online relationships and communities into physical relationships. It helps forge deeper connections and increase trust and accountability.
“You and I will be around a lot longer than Twitter, and nothing substitutes face to face.” — Rob Delane
8. Don’t Quit Your Show
Building something substantial takes a lot of effort and time. You have to keep going. A lot of things are outside the control of human beings but one thing that is within our control is consistently dishing out good work.
“The people who get what they’re after are very often the ones who just stick around long enough. It’s very important not to quit prematurely.” – Austin Kleon
Kleon’s Writing Style
Austin Kleon’s writing style is not only impressive, it is also clear and engaging. He makes complex ideas and concepts digestible for anyone ready to learn. This commitment to the use of simple terms allows diverse demographics the chance to easily comprehend his work. His insights have pushed me to invest in my online presence, helping me to sustainably grow my career.
I highly recommend “Show Your Work”. It is not just a book; it is an investment in your future. It expands your mind and equips you with the actionable steps to have a thriving career. Do not wait. Buy a copy and start reading today!
About the Author
Austin Kleon describes himself as a writer who draws. He is the New York Times bestselling author of a trilogy of illustrated books about creativity in the digital age: Steal Like An Artist, Show Your Work!, and Keep Going. He is a sought-after speaker and his work has been featured in top publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on NPR and PBS.
References:
- Raza, Y. (2022) Show off your work - book review, Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/bookium/show-off-your-work-book-review-77ff2fbbd72c (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
- Creative, T.L. (2021) Show your work by Austin Kleon – Book Review 📚 🐛, The Logo Creative | International Logo Design & Branding Studio. Available at: https://www.thelogocreative.co.uk/show-your-work-by-austin-kleon/ (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
- Kleon, A. (2020) Austin Kleon is a writer who draws., Austin Kleon. Available at: https://austinkleon.com/ (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
- Kleon, A. (2014) Show your work!: 10 ways to share your creativity and get discovered. New York: Workman.
- Sir Chike (2023) Meaning of ‘Little drops of water make a mighty ocean’ quote, Sir Chike. Available at: https://sirchike.com/little-drops-of-water-make-mighty-ocean/#:~:text=Little%20drops%20of%20water%20make%20a%20mighty,ocean%20is%20a%20quote%20credited%20to%20Julia%20Carney. (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
- Photography, N.C. (no date) Note pad and pen, Getty Images. Available at: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/note-pad-and-pen-royalty-free-image/1292389996?phrase=pen+and+book (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
- Images, M. (no date) Young businesswoman using laptop while sitting on steps. full length…, Getty Images. Available at: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-businesswoman-using-laptop-on-steps-royalty-free-image/1471619762?phrase=someone%2Bon%2Bcomputer (Accessed: 15 February 2024).
