Show Your Work! is a practical guide for creative people aiming to share their work with the world.

According to the author, the sharing process is just as important as the creation itself.

He provides ten key principles to help you, in ten small chapters:

• Share your process: Don't just show the finished product; share your journey, your experiments, and your failures.

Become a documentarian of what you do. Start a work journal: Write your thoughts down in a notebook, or speak them into an audio recorder. Keep a scrapbook. Take a lot of photographs of your work at different stages in your process. Shoot video of you working. This isn’t about making art, it’s about simply keeping track of what’s going on around you.

• Be consistent: Share something small every day to build momentum and a loyal audience.

• Open your sketchbook: Share your influences, inspirations, and the things you love.

• Tell stories: Make your work relatable by sharing personal anecdotes and behind-the-scenes details.

• Teach what you know: Sharing your knowledge is a great way to connect with others and build a community.

• Don't be a spammer: Quality over quantity is key. Focus on building genuine connections.

• Learn to take a punch: Negative feedback is inevitable. Develop a thick skin and keep going.

• Sell your work: Find ways to monetize your creativity without compromising your art.

• Build an audience: Engage with your followers and create a community around your work.

• Stick around: The creative journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay committed and consistent.

The interesting takeaway of the book is that you should always share your work, even if it doesn't feel confortable. Because sharing your work isn't about self-promotion; it's about connecting with others, getting feedback and building a creative community around you.

The trouble with imaginative people is that we're good at picturing the worst that could happen to us. Fear is often just the imagination taking a wrong turn.

By following all these principles, Kleon optimistically thinks you can turn your passion into a sustainable career.

My opinion: I found the book to be quite inspiring and often comforting my own views. I like the fact that it applies not only for artists, but also for IT professionals. However, I was disappointed by the latest chapters, which are a bit more superficial.

Overall a good read!