Show Your Work! The Book that Changed my Entire Perspective on Self-Promotion
Self-promotion is often viewed as something sleazy or selfish, and it's not uncommon for people to feel uneasy about promoting themselves or their work. For many years, I have been a "let your work speak for you" kind of girl and previously believed self-promotion was just a bragging avenue for most people. I believe this ideology partly stems from the culture I was born in, where most people are very particular about what and how much they share or do not share.
In today's world, showcasing one's personal or professional skills, talents, and accomplishments is becoming increasingly important, and I am happy to let you know that there are effective ways we can all share and promote our work and accomplishments without making it an ego-driven process. Fortunately, there is a book out there that has already done all the work and has succeeded in changing my perspective. A book I believe will be helpful to you as well. Since I bought the book on July 22, 2022, I have read it 3 times😊 and have officially added it to my reference collection. Yes! when a book speaks to my soul, I read it multiple times.
Below, I review and discuss the book's highlights and why I think it will be a fantastic addition to your collection. Even though I am personally still striving and gradually trying to master all the book's recommendations, I am hopeful that I will reach that optimal level of mastering the art of self-promotion with time.
That said, I present to you "Show Your Work" by Austin Kleon, the book that changed my entire perspective on self-promotion.
In my opinion, "Show Your Work" is a book that teaches readers how to promote their work and ideas authentically, transparently, and generously. Austin Kleon argues that the traditional approach to self-promotion, where people present a polished, finished product, is outdated and ineffective. Instead, he advocates for a more open and collaborative approach, where people share their work-in-progress and involves others in their creative process.
The book is organized into ten concise and easy-to-read chapters. Each of these chapters focuses on a different aspect of self-promotion. Some of the key themes include the importance of being open, generous, and authentic, the power of sharing your work and collaborating with others, and the benefits of embracing vulnerability and imperfection.
One of the book's key messages is that self-promotion doesn't have to be a selfish or ego-driven process. Instead, it can be an opportunity to connect with others, share knowledge, and contribute to a community. Austin Kleon encourages readers to be generous with their work and ideas and seek opportunities to collaborate with others. He also emphasizes the importance of being authentic and honest in your self-promotion and not trying to present a perfect or polished image. Honestly, the concept originated my decision to build a space or platform to share my thoughts, lessons, and experiences with the world. I can boldly say creating my own website emanated from this core idea, and if you are reading this, consider yourself a beneficiary of this very concept.
Another important theme of the book is the power of sharing your work and involving others in your creative process. Austin Kleon again argues that sharing your work allows you to create a conversation with your audience, receive feedback and ideas, and build a community of supporters. He suggests using social media, blogs, and other online platforms to share your work and connect with others. The book has taught me to be more open, generous, and authentic in my self-promotion and seek opportunities to collaborate with others. I also learned how to share my work in progress and involve others in my creative process. In my field of practice-Economics, sharing work-in-progress at conferences or even publishing them is a common practice. I wonder why I never considered transferring this idea outside my professional life. When I started writing the manuscript of my latest children's book Dream Baby Dream, I experimented with the concept with my colleagues and was amazed by the number of cheerleaders I picked up along the way 🤗.
I believe "Show Your Work" is a must-read book for anyone who wants to effectively self-promote their work, talents, or accomplishments in the 21st century. It's a refreshing and inspiring take on the traditional approach to self-promotion, and it offers practical tips and advice for promoting your work in a way that is authentic, transparent, and generous. I am forever grateful for chancing upon this book during my 1-Month 1-Book challenge I embarked on last year. l highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to showcase their skills, talents, and accomplishments in an effective and meaningful way.
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