Showcasing your hard work for all to see
You have undoubtedly worked tirelessly to improve and perfect your craft, whether that craft is writing, inventing, or running a successful business. As such, it’s important to showcase your craft in the right situations. It’s about being vulnerable and showing what goes into the final product and what goes on behind the scenes. While thinking of ways to showcase your craft may be difficult depending on your particular craft, you may just have to think outside of the box.
Take fantasy author, Silvia Hartmann, as a prime example.
Silvia Hartmann has started writing her next fantasy novel, and she’s leaving nothing out. Using Google Docs, Hartmann is writing her novel, word by word, for the public to see. Anyone can see her type, erase, edit, and then type some more. She calls it The Naked Writer Project. The construction of a good story is a process requiring a lot of time and countless rewrites. For Hartmann to put her skill, her talents, and her craft out there without any protection or restraint shows her confidence in herself but also her vulnerability. She will be able to not only get feedback from her fans, but she will become an inspiration for other aspiring fantasy writers, as she shows the process of her craft. And you can do the same thing.
Increasing interest in you by opening up
Think of your craft. Are you skilled at proposal writing, securing clients, or developing apps? Consider opening yourself up to the eyes of others, well before your end product is complete. This can be a brilliant way to increase interest in your company and stabilize or build upon your professional reputation. If you’re open with your skills, you have the ability to strengthen your craft, influence others, and gather new perspectives that could help you in further enhancing it.
You have many options if you’re interested in showcasing your craft. You could host workshops, guest speak at conferences, or start an informational blog for those who are interested in your industry. However, being vulnerable with your craft doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re expected to give away everything. There are surely some things that are private.
For Hartmann, it might be how she comes up with story ideas. For you, it will be something completely different. Be open, but don’t risk losing what you’ve worked so hard for, whatever that is. You should be proud of your craft and find ways to cultivate it. And showing the behind-the-scenes view of your craft could take you to the next level.
