Hey I recently completed this book and wanna thank you for recommending it on one of your youtube videos. It just felt like you and this book came in my life at the right time, when I really needed it. Thank you for your beautiful words and the beautiful summary of this book.
Love all this wisdom. So much in it and yet so simple. The War of Art is a book I've read. I needed a big push to start writing, and then posting in public. I'm here now. I've a lot to learn, am a pure amateur. Thanks for all the inspiration, encouragement and guidance in these notes.
Love the idea of sharing some of the progress of the work as accountability and confidence boosting, rather than content or distraction from the work itself. Restacking!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and reminding me about this book. I've read all Austin's books, but your post has prompted me to perhaps re-read them, especially Show your Work, as I'm at that point of taking a leap of faith, and need some reassurance! Especially the showing your process bit. I used to do that a lot, but have fallen out of the habit! 😊
Oh Helen you are such a talented writer... I could read you all day. 🌺 Your photos are just so gorgeous too. There is definitely a market for distilling books into notes.... maybe that could be another income stream for you? 🌻
I shared this because I don’t want to keep all of the secrets I’m learning from you secret. (Well, maybe I do a little bit.). Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us.
Love this. The distinction between creating content as an influencer and creating as a creative who is documenting and sharing their work isn’t one I have seen spelled out before but it is such an important and useful point to remember
So useful to have this distinction pointed out. I re-read Show Your Work every few years but hadn’t thought about the importance of NOT trying to function like an influencer. It’s frighteningly easy to have your creative work knocked off course by responses / lack of responses on social media. Thank you Helen for talking about a different way of thinking about sharing
Great points. I've often struggled with point #3. It took me years of obsessing over content to realise that this is not how I want to exist. I realised that in order to create content, I had to do more of what I loved doing: actually spending time on creating art, mastering my craft, reading, researching, pondering, writing. And that itself is what will do the talking.
Hey I recently completed this book and wanna thank you for recommending it on one of your youtube videos. It just felt like you and this book came in my life at the right time, when I really needed it. Thank you for your beautiful words and the beautiful summary of this book.
Ah, that’s lovely! Thank you ❤️
Love all this wisdom. So much in it and yet so simple. The War of Art is a book I've read. I needed a big push to start writing, and then posting in public. I'm here now. I've a lot to learn, am a pure amateur. Thanks for all the inspiration, encouragement and guidance in these notes.
Love the idea of sharing some of the progress of the work as accountability and confidence boosting, rather than content or distraction from the work itself. Restacking!
Wow! I really needed to read this today. Thank you for sharing. 🙏❤️
THIS has jogged a memory ... did you write fiction with an edible element ? I can feel a purchase of Austin Kleon's book surfacing.
I wrote about food in romantic fiction for Novelicious.
that's it!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and reminding me about this book. I've read all Austin's books, but your post has prompted me to perhaps re-read them, especially Show your Work, as I'm at that point of taking a leap of faith, and need some reassurance! Especially the showing your process bit. I used to do that a lot, but have fallen out of the habit! 😊
That sounds exciting! Good luck with your leap of faith. You’ve got this.
Pinterest was also at one time a place to do wip's in the different boards. But the algorithms bit them too.
I have a copy of Kleon's book and refer to it for inspiration every once in a while. I think it is one of the best creativity books out there.
Love your Substack!
Oh Helen you are such a talented writer... I could read you all day. 🌺 Your photos are just so gorgeous too. There is definitely a market for distilling books into notes.... maybe that could be another income stream for you? 🌻
I shared this because I don’t want to keep all of the secrets I’m learning from you secret. (Well, maybe I do a little bit.). Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us.
Haha! Thank you, Sally.
I loved this - very useful although I am not a creative I am trying to build an audience for a designer without it feeling ‘icky’
So many non fiction ‘how to’ books are either repetitive or content dense - this summary is a great signpost and top tip on revisiting notebooks.
Thank you
Thank you, Margaret!
Point #3
Point number three is very short and very simple.
“Don’t let sharing your work take precedence over actually doing your work.”
Yes, yes, and yes. Doing the work is the part of what keeps us creative, honest with ourselves, and the whole point of being a creative person.
This is just perfect, thank you Helen. I feel as though I want to print this out and have it where I can read it every day
Haha! I know what you mean, I need a regular reminder too.
Love this. The distinction between creating content as an influencer and creating as a creative who is documenting and sharing their work isn’t one I have seen spelled out before but it is such an important and useful point to remember
I might dive deeper into this because it’s been an issue for me and one I see repeated all around me. Thanks Kelly.
So useful to have this distinction pointed out. I re-read Show Your Work every few years but hadn’t thought about the importance of NOT trying to function like an influencer. It’s frighteningly easy to have your creative work knocked off course by responses / lack of responses on social media. Thank you Helen for talking about a different way of thinking about sharing
Great points. I've often struggled with point #3. It took me years of obsessing over content to realise that this is not how I want to exist. I realised that in order to create content, I had to do more of what I loved doing: actually spending time on creating art, mastering my craft, reading, researching, pondering, writing. And that itself is what will do the talking.
Exactly Silvia!
Terrific share. Love seeing your notes in the margins and then your explanation here. All resonates.
Thank you!
Helen I love your newsletter so much ❤️
You are so genuine, I love how you write and the way you show up here! I resonate with you all the time.
Sending you a hug and thank you so much for the book recommendation.
Paloma
Paloma - I’m just about to go to sleep and I know I shouldn’t be on my phone...but what a lovely comment to end the day on. Thank you so much 😘