# Sharing My Creative Process: Incomplete Ideas & Working Notes Over the years I have spent so much time formalising my writing into [[Articles|articles]] and [[Blogs|Blogs]] posts, carefully crafting, editing, revising, all behind a closed door. But that’s not how I want to do things anymore after reading Austin Kleon’s book ‘Show your work’. In it he advises ‘Think Process, Not Product.’ ## Sharing the process allows for connection Kleon says that by “letting go of our egos and sharing our process, we allow for the possibility of people having an ongoing connection with us and our work" This! This is what I want. After all, I know that there is an art to what I do. And I know that there are people who will be interested in that art. So sharing my writing, and thinking process allows the connection with people along the way rather than when I have ‘finished’.[^1] ## Sharing more, more often Creating *something* takes time. A lot of time. Like, shit loads of time. So. Much. Freakin’. Time. But I have so many notes, links and connections that may help someone else right *now*. So rather than sharing when I am 100% finished (and I know some writing projects may even be abandoned), I want to share what I have…NOW! And because I am a compulsive note-taker and note-make, I can share much more, more often when I am thinking process, not product. ## Tricking my ego As a lifelong learner I appreciate that everything is a work-in-progress. But I have let my perfectionism get in the way for far too long causing me to stress over sharing anything less-than-perfect. And honestly, I am so done with the pressure to get everything right immediately and to create a post that supports my ‘brand’ (whatever the hell that’s meant to be). Hence my digital garden, is in part, a trick to play on my ego as it gives me the permission to plant my incomplete thoughts and disorganised notes…in public. I want to test ideas, get feedback, and revise my opinions along the way. I want to show my work, my *process and* help people realise that I am not, as Maggie Appleton put it, “a magical idea machine banging out perfectly formed thoughts but instead an equally mediocre human doing The Work of trying to understand the world and make sense of it alongside you” ## *Please*…be kind! The notes on my website are not complete or representative of my best work. Instead they are my [[Working Notes|working notes]], and although I post them here for you to read, they are mostly for my own interests and current state of knowledge. So if you have the same interests, then this space is also yours to use as a reference. But as it is *my* digital garden, I have a right to be wrong or incomplete in my writing (either due to lack of time or knowledge). And so I ask politely that you will not hold this against me. Because I *will* keep learning and the site *will* keep evolving…with your help. Feedback and social sharing is welcome - that is the whole point of this being public! You are expressly welcome to message me, comment on, counter-argue, or disagree with anything here. And I promise I will listen to you (even if I do not agree). I will be especially grateful if you could suggest what else I should include, read, watch, or listen to. But please, *please,* always *remember* to be kind. [^1]: BTW: If you’re one of the ones who love to see the process…let me know!