Show Your Work! - by Austin Kleon
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Date Read: 2019-01-25
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Notes
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- You don’t have to be a genius. Find a scenius.
- Be an amateur - a lifelong learner. Embrace the uncertain and unknown.
- Read obituaries. - What do you have to lose?
- Think process, not product
- Start out by scooping out the scraps. Journal your thoughts
- Share something small everyday
- What are you working on?
- “Post as though everyone who reads it has the power to fire you”
- Unsure? Leave it aside for 24 hours. Is it helpful? Is It entertaining? Are you comfortable with your boss or mother seeing?
- Build a good domain name.
- Open up your cabinet of curiosities
- Tell good stories
- Structure
- You should be able to explain your work to a kindergartner to a senior and everyone in between.
- If you’re employed but don’t feel good, ask yourself why that is.
Your bio should be factual
- Teach what you know
- Think about what you can share from your process that would inform the people you’re trying to reach.
- Don’t turn into human spam
- (e.g. people who want to be published but do not read)
- Stop worrying about how many people follow you online and start worrying about the quality of people who follow you.
- The vampire test. Do you gain energy or lose energy after interacting with someone?
- Learn to take a punch
- relax and breathe - it’s not as bad as you think
- Practice getting hit a lot
- Every criticism is an opportunity for new work
- Protect your vulnerable areas. If you have work that is sensitive to criticism, keep it hidden
- Keep your balance - work is what you do. Not you. Remain close to family and friends
- Delete trolls
- Sell out
- Ask for virtual donations
- Don’t be afraid to charge for your work, but put a price on it that you think is fair.
- Keep a mailing list.
- Stick around
- The day you finish _, is the day you begin the next _.
- Take a sabbatical if you need it
- Mini sabbaticals - commute, exercise, nature.