5 Things I Learned from Austin Kleon's Show Your Work!
My General Disposition
A Brief Disclaimer
I’ll preface this blog post by stating that I am not a “Book review,” type of person. To elaborate, I mean that, in general, I’m not finicky about things, and I don’t exhibit a critical nature most of the time.
I tend to be an agreeable person — a person of few complaints. I am generally the type to enjoy the food I’m eating, even if it’s “so-so.” I can find something positive in about every movie I see, book I read, and show I watch, oftentimes, even when those around me, might have much more negative things to say.
I’m explaining all of this to warn you ahead of time, that this isn’t the blog to come to for quick quipped clever critiques letting you know whether something is, or isn’t, worth reading or watching. I can’t (and shouldn’t) make those judgements for you.
But I can tell you when I’ve found something that I think is worthy of sharing. I can tell you how that thing has changed my life. I can also share what I’ve learned.
And I learned a LOT from a book I just recently picked up!
In my last post, I shared a video of Ali Abdaal talking about various things that gave him the courage to begin writing online, and in that video he recommended a book, Show Your Work, by Austin Kleon.
I took that recommendation not only as an invitation to buy the book, but an opportunity to grow in an area that I seem to have a lot of trouble in… sharing the day-to-day of what I’m doing in my creative life.
The Right Book at the Right Time
Isn’t it amazing how something can weigh heavily on your mind for days or even weeks, and suddenly, out of nowhere as if by an act of God, a confirmation that you’re on track, encouragement to get through and push past everything you’ve been worrying about — basically everything you need to “Hear, see, and know,” magically lands in your lap, right when you need to “Hear, see, and know it?”
That’s how I feel about this book! Touching on basically everything I’ve been thinking and writing about since I began this blog, the 216 pages that comprise Austin Kleon’s Show Your Work, are filled with advice for aspiring creatives on how to begin sharing that creativity with the rest of the world!
Some Wisdom This Book Taught Me
Here are FIVE, out of the many lessons within this book, that I found particularly useful in helping me begin my creative journey!
No. 1
Embrace Being an Amateur.
& Put It All Out There!
“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.”
My first major take-away from Show Your Work, was that perfectionism has been a main source of stagnation for me.
I haven’t developed a clear creative voice for myself… not in writing, or in illustration. And I have had great difficulty sharing what I do, because I’ve had a limiting belief that no-one will want to hear or learn from me until I become a complete and total expert, and since I have only mild chops to speak of, as harsh as it sounds, I’ve looked at myself as unworthy of attention. (And if I don’t think I’m worthy of attention, why would anyone else?)
Austin Kleon’s take on being an amateur, is this… “Sometimes, amateurs have more to teach us than experts.”
So I say “SO WHAT!” So what if I’m an amateur. So what if I haven’t developed my voice yet! That doesn’t mean I can’t begin sharing my ideas. And here’s the real kicker... According to Austin Kleon, the BEST way for me to actually develop my voice, is to begin putting it out there, and trust that I’ll find my voice by using it.
No. 2
THE HUMAN MIND IS MESSY, AND CHAOTIC…
And Inspiration Comes From All Kinds of Craziness.
“When you share your taste and your influences, have the guts to own all of it. Don’t give in to the pressure to self-edit too much… …Being open and honest about what you like is the best way to connect with people who like those things too.”
The second thing Show Your Work taught me, was not to be afraid to open up my “Cabinet of curiosities,” as Austin Kleon calls it.
In time, everyone will come to know that I am incredibly eccentric. I have an eclectic range of personal experiences, and draw inspiration from a great many number of resources, including multiple religions, extensive bible research, new-age spirituality, Native American prophecy, psychic phenomena, witchcraft, nature, world history, socio-political events, conspiracy theories, and more.
“In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen — Really seen.”
But my stories rely MOST heavily on my growing relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and because of that, I have held onto an exhausting, unnecessary fear that the concepts explored in my books, will exile them to some gray area within the book world, where they are deemed too religious in nature, to appeal to the secular, and yet, too secular to appeal to the religious.
There is a very real chance that my books will have no home in the world we live in today, and yet, I am still COMPELLED to write them, regardless.
I can’t hide all of these seemingly contradictory interests anymore. I must embrace them all, no matter how extravagant, even if the rest of the world refuses to follow suit.
No. 3
NO SECRET RECIPES. NO SECRET INGREDIENTS.
Share What You Learn — And Share All of It…
BY TEACHING.
“Teaching people doesn’t subtract value from what you do, it actually adds to it. When you teach someone how to do your work, you are, in effect, generating more interest in your work.”
Thirdly, I will be most helpful to others and to myself, if I use this journey as a way to educate others on my process.
As I learn to do research, to draw, and to paint, to write, and grow as an individual, I must not hoard the secrets to my success, but be open to sharing them. Austin Kleon calls this being a “Documentarian of what you do.”
I’m not sure how I fall into the category of “Teacher,” just yet, but I believe using this blog as my personal journal is a proper start.
I intend to share every experience as fully as possible as I take this path, and when opportunities to teach arise, I will look back on this lesson, and remember to seek meaningful ways to pass my acquired knowledge along for posterity.
No. 4
ALWAYS “CONSIDER THE SOURCE” WHEN TAKING CRITICISM
BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO SHORTAGE OF CRITICISM ON THE INTERNET.
“A troll is a person who isn’t interested in improving your work, only provoking you with hateful, aggressive, or upsetting talk. You will gain nothing by engaging with these people.”
An important warning to heed, my fourth take-away from Show Your Work, was “Don’t feed the trolls.”
I think for writers, this might be a particularly difficult philosophy to adhere. Out of the sheer virtue of the nature of what it is to be a writer — the often intense, uncommon command of language in general — I can imagine it would be quite difficult to “Walk away,” from a fight, when, as a writer, you have the advantage of being the more experienced wielder of the sword that is “The written word.”
I find that, as a rule with few exceptions, experienced writers tend to make quick work of written arguments.
Maybe that is an arrogant thing to think, but I believe any keyboard warrior, even if they wouldn’t be able to admit it, can sympathize.
My belief, is that it requires much greater wisdom and self-control, to walk away from a fight you know you can win.
All that being said, this is about ENERGY. And the question is, what energy do I want to carry as the steward of my God given gifts?
My answer is peace. I want to carry peace. I want to bring peace to others.
PEACE is my principal.
No. 5
YOU EITHER WANT THIS, OR YOU DON’T…
But If You Really Do, Then Please
NEVER GIVE UP.
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.”
Lastly, this is a life-long project. I’m three posts into this blog, so forgive me for not mentioning this until now, but I have a story developing in my minds eye, and it is this story that is driving EVERYTHING - the blog, the website, the facebook page, the potential youtube channel.
Somehow I feel like this story that I lovingly call The Goldwater Prophecies, already exists inside me, fully formed and complete, and sometimes I even imagine that in some far off alternate universe, I’ve already written it, and it is done.
But the cold reality is that in this universe — the one I actually live in — this story has barely begun, and it will take years for me to graduate to the point of writing this series with the dignity and professionalism I think it deserves.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
So many times, I’ve doubted my ability to ever make this happen, but I know that what is most important, is that I just put one foot in front of the other, and keep pushing forward.
I may never write a masterpiece, and that’s ok.
I don’t have to know all the answers right now… I just need to SHOW UP, and do the work, because no matter how little I know today, when I think of this project, one thing I do know wholeheartedly, is that the stinging wound of not creating The Goldwater Prophecies, will far outweigh the growing pains I must endure to see this come to light. Consistent effort and unwavering diligence might be the two most important lessons I’ve taken away from Show Your Work.
Wanna Give It A Try?
Click here to
purchase
Show Your Work
at Amazon.Com Now!
Final Thoughts
This was a terrific book! And as I’m sure you can see, considering the lengthy post, I learned and solidified so much information from taking the time to read it and apply it to where I am in my life right now.
I couldn’t recommend it more highly, to anyone who is pursuing a creative career, so if that’s you, then you should definitely pick the book up, and dive in!
After reading Show Your Work, I feel refreshed and ready to take on whatever comes next on my journey, and I can’t wait to share ALL of it with you, as I become a MASTER of “SHOWING MY WORK!”
I know this was a long post, so if you read all of this then DAMN, you’re a SUPERSTAR! Thank you so very much, and I’ll see you in the next post.
