My Take on the Book
This book has been one of THE most insightful publications I have encountered about creative work. It is full of wisdom and encouragement for anyone doing artistic or creative work and struggling with self-promotion and impostor syndrome.
Austin Kleon‘s voice is comforting, supportive, and deeply relatable. The book is small in size but packs a punch! I have not stopped recommending it to others since I discovered it.
Favorite Quotes
“Online, everyone—the artist and the curator, the master and the apprentice, the expert and the amateur—has the ability to contribute something.”
(P. 12)
“If you want people to know about what you do and the things you care about, you have to share.”
(P.23)
“Don’t think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine. Online, you can become the person you really want to be. Fill your website with your work and your ideas and the stuff you care about.
(p. 66)
“Being open and honest about what you like is the best way to connect with people who like those things, too.
(p.83)
Book Summary
Self-promotion is hard for a lot of creators. Instead of you finding them, your audience finds you. To allow that to happen, you have to make yourself findable. You can do so by sharing your journey as you create.
1. You don’t have to be a genius.
Creativity does not happen in a vacuum. It emerges out of a collective environment called a “scenius.”
“Under this model, great ideas are often birthed by a group of creative individuals—artists, curators, thinkers, theorists, and other tastemakers— who make up an “ecology of talent.”
(Pp. 10-11).
Creativity is accessible to those who do not consider themselves geniuses. With Internet technology, anyone can join a scenius where like-minded people share ideas and support each other.
Those who approach creative work as amateurs have several advantages over experts.
Amateurs are curious, obsessed, and willing to try and fail. They are not professionally trained, so they embrace many possibilities the experts have learned to discard.
By learning publicly and sharing their creative explorations, amateurs can build a following of people interested in similar things.
In order to find their voice, a creator has to talk about the things they care about. By expressing themselves, they can find their voice.
Near-death experiences make us feel alive and empowered to make things happen, overcoming the fear of what others might say or think.
Short of creating near-death experiences for ourselves, we can read the obituaries regularly.
This practice can inspire us by learning about other people’s lives and remind us of our mortality, thereby giving us the courage to take a chance.
2. Think process, not product.
People are interested in what other people are doing. Creatives and artists need to share their “behind the scenes” with their audience.
There was an old school of thought which believed that the artistic process was uninteresting and that people only cared about the finished artwork.
Today, artists can share as much as they choose online: their creative process, work in progress, inspiration, tools, etc.
By consistently sharing with the world, creators build a stronger connection with their audience.
3. Share something small every day.
Regardless of your line of work, you can benefit from documenting your process. There is an art to anything we do, and there are people interested in witnessing the process.
Recording and documenting our process can help us see our work more clearly, even if we choose not to share it with others.
Sharing updates and pieces of your process daily is better than a resume or a portfolio. The specific format does not matter as long as you are reaching your audience.
Don’t aim for perfection. Just get something out for others to react to. Don’t let sharing get in the way of the work, but find time for it.
Share from a place of generosity. Only share content that is related to your creative work and that you think can help others.
Don’t overshare personal details because once it’s online, it can be copied. Share only the work and process you would like to see copied.
The “flow” of your daily stream of content is the fertile ground from which your more substantial “stock” content will emerge.
By purchasing a domain name, you are carving out a place where you can express yourself freely and don’t have to play by other people’s rules.
4. Open up your cabinet of curiosities.
There is a fine line between curation and creation. Before your work is good, you can share your influences and the work of other people that you admire.
By staying open, you can find gems others don’t see. Sharing your inspiration without much self-editing will help you connect with the right audience.
Credit the work of others. By giving proper attribution, you support the original artist, but you also help the audience by directing them to the source of the content they enjoyed.
Give attribution for where you found inspiring content. Leave breadcrumbs for others.
Don’t share things that you cannot properly credit.
5. Tell good stories.
The perceived value of any creative piece of work is affected by the story behind it. A good story can give an object significance.
To be an effective creator, become a better storyteller. Study how stories are structured and start using what you learn to share with your audience.
Learn how to introduce yourself at parties. Talk about what you do with dignity. State the facts. Use this as an opportunity to connect with someone new.
6. Teach what you know.
When you learn something new, share it with your audience. Don’t be afraid to share your tools and techniques.
Teaching others what you know does not lead to competition. Instead, it makes others feel more connected to your work.
Just because you know what someone else does, does not mean you can replicate it immediately.
Teaching what you know opens the door for them to teach you what they know.
7. Don’t turn into human spam.
Be interested in other people’s work. Pay your dues.
Creative work does not happen in a vacuum. Connect with others and learn from them.
Don’t chase followers or get obsessed with numbers. Create meaningful work that you enjoy. Make it so good that it attracts the right crowd.
Do more of the things that excite and energize you. Do less of what depletes you. Do the same with people.
Hang out more with those who energize and inspire you. Spend less time with those who suck the energy out of you.
Along the journey, you find “your people.” They get you and share the same obsessions. Nurture your relationship with them. Meet with them IRL.
8. Learn to take a punch.
When you put your work out into the world, be prepared for criticism.
Learn to not care about what “everybody” thinks. Only focus on what the “right” people think of your work.
Consider the source. Don’t feed the trolls. Watch out for the mega troll in your own brain.
Block and delete the offending parties and their feedback. Feel free to turn off comments. Lots of art does not provide the opportunity for comments (paintings, books, etc.)
9. Sell out.
The myth of the starving artist doesn’t serve anyone. Artists need money to live and continue to create. We use the word “sellout” with any artist who shows the slightest bit of ambition.
Don’t reject your favorite small artist when they experience a tiny bit of success. Celebrate and support them.
As a creator, ask for support and charge for your work. Use crowdfunding, add a Donate button, or sell your work.
Build a mailing list and treat it with respect.
When you have some success, pay it forward. Remember to help those who contributed to your success. But protect enough of your time and energy to continue working.
10. Stick around.
Persevere through the ups and downs. Try not to quit prematurely. Stick around long enough to get the happy ending.
As soon as you finish a project, start the next one. Don’t wait around for the feedback or obsess over how it is received.
After long stretches of work, take breaks. If you can, take a sabbatical.
When you feel that you have done and learned everything you can with a piece of work, begin again. Start over with something new.
