Synopses & Reviews
In his
New York Times bestseller
Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon showed readers how to unlock their creativity by "stealing" from the community of other movers and shakers. Now, in an even more forward-thinking and necessary book, he shows how to take that critical next step on a creative journey — getting known.
Show Your Work! is about why generosity trumps genius. It's about getting findable, about using the network instead of wasting time "networking." It's not self-promotion, it's self-discovery — let others into your process, then let them steal from you. Filled with illustrations, quotes, stories, and examples, Show Your Work! offers ten transformative rules for being open, generous, brave, productive.
In chapters such as You Don't Have to Be a Genius; Share Something Small Every Day; and Stick Around, Kleon creates a user's manual for embracing the communal nature of creativity — what he calls the "ecology of talent." From broader life lessons about work (you can't find your voice if you don't use it) to the etiquette of sharing — and the dangers of oversharing — to the practicalities of Internet life (build a good domain name; give credit when credit is due), it's an inspiring manifesto for succeeding as any kind of artist or entrepreneur in the digital age.
Review
"[Show Your Work is] timeless; readers can return to it repeatedly throughout life and still glean useful ideas and tips....Anyone starting out (or starting over)...will find upbeat encouragement here." Library Journal
Review
"Austin Kleon is one of the brightest new minds on the creative landscape. Show Your Work! demonstrates why. With simple yet profound insights, and an array of his amazing images, he casts aside old stereotypes of the creative life and tells what it's really like." Daniel H. Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and Drive
About the Author
Austin Kleon is a writer and artist. He is the author of Steal Like an Artist and the found poetry collection Newspaper Blackout (“brilliant,” New York Magazine), and his work has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS NewsHour, The Wall Street Journal, and the art website, 20x200.com. He speaks about creativity and being an artist online for organizations such as SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. He lives in Austin and online at austinkleon.com.