I haven't done a book review in quite a while. This one is noteworthy!
A while ago, I wrote about Austin Kleon's last book, Steal Like an Artist. This one is equally amazing! I literally bookmarked about half of the pages. It's full of wisdom; it inspires.
Kleon writes about one of my favourite things: Ira Glass' explanation of Being Creative (video below). I've found this concept to be so true. I look back at my early work - it's gross, it's only relevant to me and I'm nearly embarrassed by it. But, I shared it anyway - I wanted to share things with the world even if they weren't perfect.
Ira Glass
Sharing something every day involves the audience in the creative process. It gives them a chance to provide feedback and to gain value by watching the content creation process. It also helps the content creator cultivate an understanding of the audience. As much as artists like to express themselves, it's important to understand that fine line between creating for the audience and personal creation. Sharing regularly, even if it's not on a daily basis, is one of the best ways to feed this interactivity.
And, last, something that's aggravated me for some time. When people ask, "Follow me back?" - it's the saddest question on the internet. I don't know exactly what irritates me about that question, but it's kind of like being invited to a party where I wouldn't fit in. Because, if I really liked a person's work, I would have already followed them.
Instead of asking someone to follow you, create irresistible content. And then, Show Your Work!