Show Your Work!
10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered
Ratings129
Average rating4.1
Show Your Work is a quick and easy read that left me feeling motivated. I decided to get this book after Ali Abdaal recommended it in his video titled “How Writing Online Made me a Millionaire”, and managed to finish it all in one sitting. I'd highly recommend this for anyone who needs an extra nudge to get yourself out there!
Show Your Work is a quick and easy read that left me feeling motivated. I decided to get this book after Ali Abdaal recommended it in his video titled “How Writing Online Made me a Millionaire”, and managed to finish it all in one sitting. I'd highly recommend this for anyone who needs an extra nudge to get yourself out there!
I find myself torn about this book. On one hand, it can be truly motivational and resonates with me on a personal level in many aspects.
However, viewing it from a purely utilitarian, non-fiction perspective, it falls a bit short. It reads more like a collection of blog posts on a personal website or Medium rather than a cohesive book. Perhaps this is a reflection of the increasing quality of tech and design writers on the web, which I hope is the case.
I've noticed an overreliance on quotes and callbacks to stories from famous individuals, filling the chapters without the author providing much of his own opinion or additional insights. While some might see this as a clever approach, for me, it reinforces what I can't shake off about this book—it comes off as somewhat lazy. There's nothing particularly groundbreaking or extraordinary here. However, the writer keeps to his roots and beliefs. After all, he did write the book “Steal like an Artist”...
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This was a re-read. I first read it when it was originally published and enjoyed it. I am in a different line of work now and upon reading it again, found much inspiration and motivation within.
Some wisdom for sure, but very surface level and platitudy. I don't see this helping me all that much. You never know: I might find myself going back to it, but I doubt it. Certainly not worthy of a ‘top 3 books that changed my life' list, which is where I got the recommendation from.
Austin Kleon is back with another book about navigating the creative path. This time he takes on how to put your work out there, a task that many creative artists find difficult. The most surprising idea he offers, I think, is to share something you have done each day; most people seem to say to hold back your good stuff. Kleon is always fun.
Fantastic!
If you're someone creating anything new in the world, this is the book you need to be reading! I wish I had discovered this earlier!
I actually liked this better than Steal Like An Artist. And even though the title suggested the book focuses on getting discovered, it also focuses on being brave, and continuing to explore and take chances in your work throughout your career whether you're starting out or trying to reboot a stalled effort.
Read this over the span of two days. 'Show Your Work' presents a nice approach to sharing your creative work, with actionable steps on how to do so. I enjoyed the photography and poetry also featured in this book, and enjoyed how Kleon highlights the importance of useful accreditation. A nice little read for anyone who wants to make a portfolio in an organic way.
This book worked a treat, I'm convinced I have to share more stuff and have even drafted some rough ideas on how I might do it.
Now to see if I actually do anything...
Austin Kleon does a pretty great job of straddling the line between anecdotal motivational bullshit and practical advice for people who are nervous about letting their work be seen by the wider world. It's inspirational in all the right ways.