Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
Show Your Work talks about the power of the internet and how you can share your work in a way that helps people benefit from your knowledge—and at the same time, make a living out of it.
We live in a tech-driven world with tons of competition, and sometimes, you wonder how to stand out. That’s where Austin Kleon comes in. He’ll show you how to be different and make your mark.
Life’s Last Edit by Rahul Makwana
Think of it as a self-help bible—not just a collection of lessons, but a guide to transforming your life.
Who Should Read It?
If you’re looking to start something on the internet—whether it’s a website, a YouTube channel, or selling on an e-commerce site—Show Your Work will guide you from the bottom to the top.
You don’t need to be perfect to begin; all you need to do is start. Along the way, you’ll learn a lot.
So, push your fear and doubts aside, and go ahead and start that thing you’ve always wanted to do.
It’s for everyone.
Show Your Work Summary
Austin Kleon shares 10 ways to showcase your work in Show Your Work. The book is just 130 pages, so you can finish it in about two hours. By the end, you’ll have a solid understanding of how big the internet is and how you can use it to your advantage.
- You don’t have to be a genius
- Think process, not product
- Share something small every day
- Open up your cabinet of curiosities
- Tell good stories
- Teach what you know
- Don’t turn into human spam
- Learn to take a punch
- Sell out
- Stick around
Imagine this:
- Your next boss doesn’t need to read your resume because they’ve already been following your blog. Or as a student, you get your first gig based on a school project you posted online.
- Imagine losing your job but having a network of people familiar with your work, ready to help you find a new one. Or turning a side project or hobby into a career because you have a following that supports you.
All you have to do is show your work. Today, it’s not that expensive to make a website and showcase your skills and whenever needed, just share your website and people will know what you do.
It’s one of the best ways to showcase yourself. Just like this, author has shared tons of tips on how you can show your work in the book.
Overnight success is a myth
Overnight success is a myth. If you dig into almost any so-called “overnight success story,” you’ll find years—often decades—of hard work and perseverance behind it.
Building something substantial takes time, but the good news is, you don’t need all that time at once. Forget about decades, years, or even months. Focus on the days.
Document Your Life
At the end of each day, take a moment to look at what you’ve done and find one small piece of your process to share. What you share depends on where you are in your journey.
If you’re just starting, share your influences and inspirations. If you’re deep into a project, talk about your methods or show works in progress. After finishing a project, share the final product, leftover scraps, or lessons learned.
And if you have many projects out there, tell the stories of how people are engaging with your work.
Just enter the internet and post this wherever you feel like, whether its YouTube, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, or even on your personal blog.
Things Don’t Have to Be Perfect
Stop stressing about perfection. Theodore Sturgeon, a science fiction writer, once said that 90% of everything is crap. And the same goes for our own work.
The problem is, we don’t always know what’s good and what isn’t. That’s why it’s important to get feedback from others and see how they react.
As artist Wayne White puts it, “Sometimes you don’t always know what you’ve got. It really needs a little social chemistry to make it show itself.”
One Day at a Time
“One day at a time.” It sounds simple—and it is—but it isn’t always easy. It requires incredible support and discipline. As Russell Brand says, “It requires incredible support and fastidious structuring.”
Don’t say you don’t have enough time. We all have 24 hours in a day. People often ask me, “How do you find time for all this?”
My answer? “I look for it.”
Don’t Quit Your Show
Every career has its ups and downs, just like a story. When you’re in the middle of living out your life and career, you often don’t know if you’re on top or bottom, or what’s coming next. “If you want a happy ending,” actor Orson Welles once said, “that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”
It’s crucial not to quit prematurely.
Comedian Dave Chappelle, while performing a stand-up gig in Dallas, joked about walking away from his multi-million dollar deal with Comedy Central for Chappelle’s Show. He shared a piece of advice he gave to a high school class: “Whatever you do, don’t quit your show,” he said. “Life is very hard without a show, kids.”
You can’t plan everything; you can only do the work, as Isak Dinesen wrote, “every day, without hope or despair.” Success isn’t guaranteed, but you must remain open to it and be ready to jump when the opportunity comes.
Many self-help books tell you to believe in your work, no matter what, and keep pushing forward. One day, you’ll look back at the moments you considered quitting, and you’ll be glad you didn’t.
About This Website
Here’s a refined version with the same tone:
“I didn’t start BookiesTalk.com to make money. I started it because I wanted to share my thoughts with the world. I choose to talk about books and the valuable lessons I’ve learned from them.
Sure, one day I might make some money from this website, but that money won’t be for me. I’ve promised myself that whatever I earn from this site, I’ll give back—whether it’s in the form of books or something else.
I try to write every day, but I also manage other websites that help me live a comfortable life.
What I’m trying to say is, that if you have enough to live comfortably, give the extra to others. That doesn’t mean I don’t buy things—I do, but I keep it within limits.”
Show Your Work Review
Show Your Work by Austin Kleon was published on March 6, 2014, and back then, the book was highly relevant. But now, it feels like you can find most of the information for free online if you know where to look.
Speaking from my own experience, I didn’t learn anything new from this book because I had already read tons of books and watched videos on how to leverage the internet—and that’s exactly what I’m doing now.
However, if you’re someone who doesn’t know how to use social media effectively or wants to make a living from it, then Show Your Work will definitely help you.
Still, if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to chat with you!
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Show Your Work Quotes
“But now I realize that the only way to find your voice is to use it. It’s hardwired, built into you. Talk about the things you love. Your voice will follow.”
“You can’t be content with mastery; you have to push yourself to become a student again.”
“Become a documentarian of what you do.”
“Your influences are all worth sharing because they clue people in to who you are and what you do—sometimes even more than your own work.”
“Part of the art of creating is in discovering your own kind. They are everywhere. But don’t look for them in the wrong places”
“Don’t talk to people you don’t want to talk to, and don’t talk about stuff you don’t want to talk about.”
“If you want people to know about what you do and the things you care about, you have to share.”
“To all viewers but yourself, what matters is the product: the finished artwork. To you, and you alone, what matters is the process: the experience of shaping the artwork.”
“In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities,” said Zen monk Shunryu Suzuki. “In the expert’s mind, there are few.”
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