A short story about showing your work (and this website)

After reading Austin Kleon’s book “Show Your Work!” I’ve been itching to get this website out in the open.

The idea that stayed with me was that sharing unfinished work gives other people a chance to learn from it, and to help you improve it. Keeping everything to yourself means missing out on that.

I’ve known that on some level for a while, but criticism has always held me back. A mean comment from a stranger on the internet is one thing. Having someone I admire tell me my work is substandard would be pretty soul-crushing.

The book helped me think about that differently. If someone I respect takes time to give me useful feedback, I’d like to be able to use it rather than wish I’d never published anything.

His earlier book, “Steal Like an Artist”, helped too. I liked the idea that trying to learn from people you admire is part of finding your own approach. I don’t need a completely original take before I’m allowed to write something.

Carving out a space for yourself online, somewhere where you can express yourself and share your work, is still one of the best possible investments you can make with your time. — Andy Baio

Well, in all honesty, it’s not just the books.

“The Release Ratio” by Lawrence Yeo also made me uncomfortable in a useful way. I spend a lot of time reading and learning, but very little publishing anything of my own. This diagram struck a chord:

Image credit: MoreToThat

I’ve put plenty of what I’ve learned into practice at work. What I’ve mostly skipped is writing down what I tried, what worked, and what didn’t.

Well, if you are reading this, I guess it’s time to update the chart:

Release Ratio: 0.01

Fear of criticism isn’t the only thing that’s held me back.

I’m a perfectionist. I also suffer from chronic FOMO (fear of missing out). I start a project, realise how much work it’ll take to get it to a point I’m happy to share, and then get distracted by the latest shiny thing.

This passage from James Clear was well timed:

Finish something. Anything. Stop researching, planning, and preparing to do the work and just do the work. It doesn’t matter how good or how bad it is. You don’t need to set the world on fire with your first try. You just need to prove to yourself that you have what it takes to produce something. There are no artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, or scientists who became great by half-finishing their work. Stop debating what you should make and just make something.

When I first published this in February 2023, the website was missing features I’d once considered essential, and the design hadn’t had much attention. But it was online, with something I’d written on it.

Release Ratio: 0.01 wasn’t much. It was a start.