Show Your Work (Austin Kleon)

This book emphasizes the importance of sharing one's creative process and work with others. The book provides practical tips on how to share work, build an audience, and network with others in the digital age, while also encouraging readers to be authentic and true to their creative selves. This is the book which made me launch my website, write on medium as well.

Top 3 takeaways from this book:

1. Share your process, not just your finished product.

2. Storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging your aaudience and creating a sense of connection with your work.

3. Building a meaningful and fulfilling creative life takes time and persistence.

The book consists of 10 chapters, below is the chapter wise summary :

Chapter 1: You Don't Have to Be a Genius - The first chapter encourages readers to let go of the myth of the solitary genius and embrace the idea of "scenius," or the importance of sharing ideas and collaborating with others.

Chapter 2: Think Process, Not Product - This chapter emphasizes the value of sharing one's creative process and progress, rather than just the finished product. Kleon encourages readers to share their mistakes, experiments, and works-in-progress as a way of building an audience and creating a more authentic creative practice.

Chapter 3: Share Something Small Every Day - In this chapter, Kleon recommends sharing something online every day, even if it's just a quick sketch or a few lines of writing. By consistently sharing, he argues, creators can build a following and cultivate a sense of community around their work.

Chapter 4: Open Up Your Cabinet of Curiosities - Kleon suggests that creators can build an audience by sharing their influences and inspirations, whether they be books, music, art, or other creative works.

Chapter 5: Tell Good Stories - This chapter focuses on the importance of storytelling in sharing one's creative work. Kleon recommends using narrative techniques like conflict, character, and plot to engage audiences and create a sense of connection with one's work.

Chapter 6: Teach What You Know - Kleon argues that sharing one's knowledge and expertise with others is a powerful way to build a reputation and connect with like-minded individuals.

Chapter 7: Don't Turn into Human Spam - This chapter cautions against over-sharing and recommends being selective about what and how one shares online. Kleon encourages readers to focus on creating quality content and building real relationships with their audience.

Chapter 8: Learn to Take a Punch - This chapter offers advice on dealing with criticism and negative feedback. Kleon suggests that creators should be prepared to face criticism and rejection, but also reminds readers that negative feedback can be an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Chapter 9: Sell Out - This chapter challenges the idea of selling out and encourages creators to embrace the idea of making a living from their work. Kleon argues that making money from one's creative work is not inherently bad and that creators should strive to find a balance between making a living and staying true to their artistic vision.

Chapter 10: Stick Around - In the final chapter, Kleon emphasizes the importance of persistence and staying committed to one's creative practice. He encourages readers to keep sharing their work and engaging with their audience, even when it feels difficult or discouraging. Kleon believes that staying dedicated to one's creative work over time is the key to building a meaningful and fulfilling creative life.