Show me what you’re working on
Justin Timberlake. Rihanna. John Mayer. Demi Lovato.
Pianist Wilson Charles spent 10 years touring with chart-topping musical princes and princesses, performing all around the world. Then he landed a posthumous gig celebrating the musical legacy of the King of Pop in Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson Immortal!
At that point, Charles recognised that his professional career had surpassed his dreams. When it came time to step off the pop rollercoaster, he needed to recalibrate and work out what was next.
Having spent so long realising the musical visions of others, it was time to rediscover his own voice. His publisher urged him to write and record an album of original solo piano pieces.
Having spent years practising alone at the piano as a student, Charles expected to lock himself away to write the material and not come out until it was finished. But the publisher signed him up for The Creative’s Workshop which encourages a practice of creating daily and provides a platform for sharing each day’s fragment of work with other participants.
At first he found the idea of sharing his work in progress “absolutely terrifying.” His background was to practise in the privacy of his own home or studio and not to present the work in public until it was considered perfect.
Over time he discovered the power of being
“vulnerable and open to letting people see where you've had good days and where you've had bad days. Where you've made great strides and those days where nothing happened. It's that human factor that people can relate to. I believe that's what draws people in.”
In 100 days, Charles has built an audience of supporters within the workshop who are invested in the work he is doing, cheering him forward and ready to support the album when it’s released. By engaging with them in this way, he’s built a tribe who are not fans of one song or project in particular, but fans of his journey and evolution as an artist.
Even when we hear these stories, I think many creatives persist in thinking that the proper way is to hide away doing all the work, only sharing it with the world when it’s finished and polished. While pervasive, this belief doesn’t match how we engage with creativity ourselves.
We like to get wrapped up in the story before we discover the result.
In sports: The final score of Nadal v. Federer at the 2008 Wimbledon Final 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7, doesn’t mean nearly as much if you haven’t been following the drama of the match and understand what it meant to each of the players.
In television: MasterChef and The Big Flower Fight both feature a big reveal at the end each episode where you see the finished products that contestants have made. These creations would often seem very impressive even if shown out of context, but the main reason we care as a viewer is because we’ve been along for the ride. From the start of the episode when the task is given, through the ups and downs that lead to the “will they get it finished in time” tension - we are invested in the outcomes.
Where are you showing me what you’re working on? Where can I go and see your progress? How can you involve me with your process so that my enthusiasm helps fuel your work?
Doing your work in public gives your fans the chance to celebrate with you upon reaching a milestone or releasing the finished work.
Slaving away in private might mean that when you’re ready to present your masterpiece to the world, nobody cares.
🎧 Listen to Studio Time Ep 41. Wilson Charles — Always Be 10x Better Than Anyone in the Room here or on your favourite podcast player. [Bonus links to Apple Podcasts & Spotify]
If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing!