Show Your Work!

1. Share Your Work: The Power of Showing Your Process

"By letting go of our egos and sharing our process, we allow for the possibility of people having an ongoing connection with us and our work, which helps us move more of our product."

Document your journey. Sharing your work-in-progress and creative process can be as valuable as showcasing the final product. It allows others to connect with you on a deeper level, fostering a sense of investment in your work.

• Ways to share your process:
  • Keep a work journal
  • Take photos or videos of your work at different stages
  • Share sketches, drafts, or prototypes
  • Post daily updates on social media

Build an audience. By consistently sharing, you create opportunities for people to discover and follow your work. This ongoing connection can lead to a loyal fan base, potential collaborators, and even paying customers.

2. Embrace Your Amateur Status and Cultivate Curiosity

"Amateurs are not afraid to make mistakes or look ridiculous in public. They're in love, so they don't hesitate to do work that others think of as silly or just plain stupid."

Leverage your beginner's mindset. Being an amateur isn't a weakness; it's an asset. Amateurs are often more willing to take risks, experiment, and share their learning process openly. This fearlessness can lead to innovative ideas and approaches.

Stay curious and open. Continuously learn and explore new areas of interest. This curiosity will fuel your creativity and help you make unexpected connections between different fields.

• Ways to cultivate curiosity:
  • Read widely across various disciplines
  • Attend workshops or classes outside your expertise
  • Collaborate with people from different backgrounds
  • Ask questions and seek out new experiences

3. Tell Good Stories: Craft Your Narrative

"Your work doesn't exist in a vacuum. Whether you realize it or not, you're already telling a story about your work."

Master the art of storytelling. Learn to craft compelling narratives about your work and yourself. A good story can make your work more relatable, memorable, and impactful.

Structure your stories effectively. Use classic storytelling structures to organize your narratives, whether you're pitching an idea, writing an artist statement, or sharing your work online.

• Elements of a good story:
  • Clear beginning, middle, and end
  • Conflict or challenge to overcome
  • Personal transformation or growth
  • Relatable characters or situations
  • Emotional connection with the audience

4. Teach What You Know: Share Your Expertise

"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."

Share your knowledge generously. Teaching others about your craft not only helps them but also reinforces your own understanding and can lead to new insights.

Create educational content. Develop tutorials, workshops, or online courses that showcase your expertise and provide value to your audience.

• Ways to teach and share:
  • Write blog posts or articles
  • Create video tutorials
  • Host webinars or live Q&A sessions
  • Mentor aspiring professionals in your field
  • Speak at conferences or local events

5. Don't Be a Human Spammer: Engage Authentically

"If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first be a good citizen of that community."

Contribute meaningfully to your community. Instead of constantly self-promoting, focus on adding value to the conversations and communities you're part of.

Build genuine relationships. Engage with others' work, offer thoughtful feedback, and foster connections based on shared interests and mutual respect.

• Tips for authentic engagement:
  • Comment on others' work with specific, constructive feedback
  • Share and promote work you admire
  • Collaborate with peers on projects
  • Participate in community events or challenges
  • Be responsive and approachable in your interactions

6. Learn to Take Criticism: Build Resilience

"The way to be able to take a punch is to practice getting hit a lot. Put out a lot of work. Let people take their best shot at it. Then make even more work and keep putting it out there."

Develop thick skin. Criticism is inevitable when you put your work out into the world. Learn to separate constructive feedback from unhelpful negativity, and use criticism as a tool for growth.

Keep producing and improving. The more work you create and share, the more resilient you'll become to criticism. Use feedback to refine your craft, but don't let it paralyze you.

• Strategies for handling criticism:
  • Take a deep breath and pause before responding
  • Look for actionable advice within the critique
  • Thank people for thoughtful feedback
  • Ignore trolls and unconstructive comments
  • Use criticism as motivation to improve

7. Sell Your Work Without Selling Out

"Don't say you don't have enough time. We're all busy, but we all get 24 hours a day. People often ask me, 'How do you find the time for all this?' And I answer, 'I look for it.'"

Value your work appropriately. Don't be afraid to charge for your creations, but ensure your pricing reflects the true worth of your work and respects your audience.

Explore diverse income streams. Consider multiple ways to monetize your work, from direct sales to crowdfunding to teaching and speaking engagements.

• Potential income sources:
  • Selling products or services
  • Offering online courses or workshops
  • Crowdfunding specific projects
  • Licensing your work
  • Securing sponsorships or brand partnerships
  • Patreon or subscription-based models

8. Persist and Persevere: The Key to Long-Term Success

"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."

Embrace the long game. Success rarely happens overnight. Commit to your craft for the long haul, focusing on consistent improvement and output rather than immediate results.

Maintain momentum. Develop habits and systems that keep you productive, even when motivation wanes. Use the completion of one project as fuel to start the next.

• Strategies for long-term success:
  • Set both short-term and long-term goals
  • Celebrate small victories along the way
  • Develop a consistent work routine
  • Take regular breaks to avoid burnout
  • Reflect on your progress and adjust your approach as needed
  • Surround yourself with supportive peers and mentors

Last updated: July 30, 2024