Show your work – book

I’ve just finished reading Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon. A short, but absolutely fascinating, read.

The book’s objective is to help you promote yourself and your work, but in an authentic way that also helps you do better work. Sharing work-in-progress can be just as valuable as sharing finished work. The creation process, the underlying research and iterations show how, and why, you’re different. Sharing this way is more than great PR. It drives more focus because you’re presenting something to an audience, and they’ll offer early feedback. There’s a fine line between what to and what not to share. Don’t share absolutely everything, all the time. Share discrete chunks of work worth sharing. It’s a personal judgement call about what, when, and how often you share.

I also liked the advice of being altruistic towards your community by actively and authentically engaging with them. Don’t expect anything in return, nor worry about someone stealing your work. Just because you explain how you did something, doesn’t mean anyone else can do it.

One part of the book that really caught my eye was the Vampire Test. It helps you decide who to “let in and out of your life”. Fascinatingly, Picasso was considered a “vampire”, someone to be avoided because he drained energy and ideas from everyone he met, but offered nothing in return. The book quotes Milton Glaser:

There’s a heap of practical tips scattered throughout the book, which isn’t relevant for everyone. The book’s a short read, and pretty cheap on the Kindle, so grab a copy. There are worse ways to fill a few hours of your time. Thank you, Austin Kleon!