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1.03k reviews for:
The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help
Amanda Palmer
4.1 AVERAGE
1.03k reviews for:
The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help
Amanda Palmer
4.1 AVERAGE
She, too, reminds me of someone. And also Jason Webley.
Really great follow on to Kevin mitnick's book, you can get anything by asking, if it's in the right way with established trust.
Amanda talks a lot more about establishing trust with an audience. Showing up no matter what. The feelings and doubts everyone has about not being worthy, or good enough, or supposed to be doing something. She calls it "The Fraud Police".
This was absolutely brilliant as an audiobook, I can't imagine reading it, or listening to someone else read it. She got to say it exactly how it is meant to be, including hilarious imitations of her husband's British accent.
Amanda talks a lot more about establishing trust with an audience. Showing up no matter what. The feelings and doubts everyone has about not being worthy, or good enough, or supposed to be doing something. She calls it "The Fraud Police".
This was absolutely brilliant as an audiobook, I can't imagine reading it, or listening to someone else read it. She got to say it exactly how it is meant to be, including hilarious imitations of her husband's British accent.
2.5 stars
i was expecting this to be more advice and not amanda palmer's life with 'just ask' kind of repeated through it. amanda palmer and i are very different people - i just don't think this has pushed me to change my life or anything the way it seems to have for most people, although maybe i won't feel so bad about asking people for things now, or maybe i still will. the only way i knew her before this was as neil gaiman's wife but whatever parts he was in made me cringe a bit, i don't know why. i feel i should watch her TED talk now that i know the full story.
i was expecting this to be more advice and not amanda palmer's life with 'just ask' kind of repeated through it. amanda palmer and i are very different people - i just don't think this has pushed me to change my life or anything the way it seems to have for most people, although maybe i won't feel so bad about asking people for things now, or maybe i still will. the only way i knew her before this was as neil gaiman's wife but whatever parts he was in made me cringe a bit, i don't know why. i feel i should watch her TED talk now that i know the full story.
At times I struggled, as it appears other reader's have, with both her seeming persona and relating to the highly niche related stories/examples. But ultimately, I liked it, certain portions a great deal.
Sticking it out proved to make her more relate-able that it had felt in the beginning also.
"Just take the fucking donuts." :)
"When you openly, radically trust people, they not only take care of you, they become your allies, your family. Sometimes people will prove themselves untrustworthy.
When that happens, the correct response is not: Fuck! I knew I couldn’t trust anybody!
The correct response is: Some people just suck. Moving right along."
Sticking it out proved to make her more relate-able that it had felt in the beginning also.
"Just take the fucking donuts." :)
"When you openly, radically trust people, they not only take care of you, they become your allies, your family. Sometimes people will prove themselves untrustworthy.
When that happens, the correct response is not: Fuck! I knew I couldn’t trust anybody!
The correct response is: Some people just suck. Moving right along."
I had reservations about reading this book. I was concerned that much of what I had read after some of the kerfuffles (scandals) Palmer details in the book would prejudice me to the book and to her message.
I admit some did color my judgment. I tried to keep an open mind. At times, I succeeded. At times, I failed.
On the whole, she says a lot of what artists (and creatives of all sorts) need to hear. They are worthy of support, and it is okay to ask for help. Personally, I still haven't bought into the premise that just because someone calls themselves an artist that they can feel free to ask for support, but I have a feeling that says a great deal more about me than it does about her ideas. I believe we all have intrinsic worth so if we hold true to her statement, then it must be okay for anyone, not just artists, or creatives, to ask for support. And at that point, we enter an entirely different realm of discussion.
She presents her thoughts and ideas well, for the most part. I wasn't particularly interested in having her poems and songs interspersed throughout the book and in fact skipped all but one or two. I'm sure they are meaningful to others, but they didn't strike the right chord in me. I add this in to let future readers know to expect that this is not strictly a book designed to help others. Like any good business person, Ms. Palmer also self-promotes. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, in my opinion. Good for her for having the courage to keep putting her art out there.
She said some things that were so poignant they brought me to tears. And as an artist/creative I appreciate her ideas and her sentiments.
I think others who are struggling with the idea that they can ask for help will likely get a lot out of the book. It was worth reading to see someone lay out the ideas and also be vulnerable to the criticism she likely received as Neil Gaiman's wife (read someone who has a lot of resources at her command to begin with). Hopefully, people will judge the book more on its own merits than as a reflection of who Ms. Palmer is or to whom she is married.
I found the book worth it and would recommend it.
I admit some did color my judgment. I tried to keep an open mind. At times, I succeeded. At times, I failed.
On the whole, she says a lot of what artists (and creatives of all sorts) need to hear. They are worthy of support, and it is okay to ask for help. Personally, I still haven't bought into the premise that just because someone calls themselves an artist that they can feel free to ask for support, but I have a feeling that says a great deal more about me than it does about her ideas. I believe we all have intrinsic worth so if we hold true to her statement, then it must be okay for anyone, not just artists, or creatives, to ask for support. And at that point, we enter an entirely different realm of discussion.
She presents her thoughts and ideas well, for the most part. I wasn't particularly interested in having her poems and songs interspersed throughout the book and in fact skipped all but one or two. I'm sure they are meaningful to others, but they didn't strike the right chord in me. I add this in to let future readers know to expect that this is not strictly a book designed to help others. Like any good business person, Ms. Palmer also self-promotes. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, in my opinion. Good for her for having the courage to keep putting her art out there.
She said some things that were so poignant they brought me to tears. And as an artist/creative I appreciate her ideas and her sentiments.
I think others who are struggling with the idea that they can ask for help will likely get a lot out of the book. It was worth reading to see someone lay out the ideas and also be vulnerable to the criticism she likely received as Neil Gaiman's wife (read someone who has a lot of resources at her command to begin with). Hopefully, people will judge the book more on its own merits than as a reflection of who Ms. Palmer is or to whom she is married.
I found the book worth it and would recommend it.
This is some life-changing stuff people!
For the past year I have been studying creative business marketing and all the convoluted crap that circulates the web on the subject. I took courses, read books & countless articles, subscribed to newsletters. It felt like I was floating under the sea of "how-to" & "7 secrets of" marketing & the ever-elusive "content creation;" I was completely lost in a state of WTF and wondering why all this "knowledge" was doing fuck all for my creative work.
Turning the last page of Amanda's book feels like coming up to the surface and taking in a fresh breath of Authenticity. I Get It now! It has all become clear to me! It is laughably obvious and simple.
So here is my conclusion after so long of wading in the dark:
All you need is Brené Brown's Daring Greatly, Seth Godin's Tribes, Austin Kleon's Show Your Work and Amanda Palmer's Art of Asking. Mix with some common sense, authenticity and vulnerability and you will see clues of what you need to do poking out in front of you. It's amazing. It's life-changing stuff.
And now if you'll excuse me I have to go and try putting what I've just learned into practice!
For the past year I have been studying creative business marketing and all the convoluted crap that circulates the web on the subject. I took courses, read books & countless articles, subscribed to newsletters. It felt like I was floating under the sea of "how-to" & "7 secrets of" marketing & the ever-elusive "content creation;" I was completely lost in a state of WTF and wondering why all this "knowledge" was doing fuck all for my creative work.
Turning the last page of Amanda's book feels like coming up to the surface and taking in a fresh breath of Authenticity. I Get It now! It has all become clear to me! It is laughably obvious and simple.
So here is my conclusion after so long of wading in the dark:
All you need is Brené Brown's Daring Greatly, Seth Godin's Tribes, Austin Kleon's Show Your Work and Amanda Palmer's Art of Asking. Mix with some common sense, authenticity and vulnerability and you will see clues of what you need to do poking out in front of you. It's amazing. It's life-changing stuff.
And now if you'll excuse me I have to go and try putting what I've just learned into practice!
Never have I wept so openly as when reading this book. Palmer writes so real and authentically it was easy to identify. I too know the fraud police (imposter syndrome) well, and the feeling of having to get 'a real job'. I also enjoyed reading about how she uses social media so naturally. A big lesson is in the asking versus demanding, and how the latter stems from fear, is constricting and leads to suffering. Indeed, I recognized the Four Noble Truths from Buddhism in this. While she meant it differently, I do see in this the dots that connect.
This book isn't just for artists and how to learn to ask for help or accept it. It's a book for everyone as most of us have been cultured to thrive on our own means exclusively. I'd recommend it to any starting entrepreneur in particular, be it as a job or as a hobby.
This book isn't just for artists and how to learn to ask for help or accept it. It's a book for everyone as most of us have been cultured to thrive on our own means exclusively. I'd recommend it to any starting entrepreneur in particular, be it as a job or as a hobby.
Shortly after I started it, I knew this book would change my perspective. My tendency towards extreme independence and self-reliance is a lonely one. Reading this book I fell in love with Amanda Palmer and her communication style and since she is nearly the same age, it felt like falling through an alternative universe where I was an artist on the east coast instead of an activist in the midwest. She is the definition of transparent and acknowledges the pain that vulnerability brings. But she also points out that only by being vulnerable do we allow ourselves to become close to others and this is what brings about community. This is such a revolutionary message for me and goes against my habits and tendencies.
One of my favorite parts was when she talks about crowd funding and she points out that it isn't trying to get money from strangers, it is about trying to build resources from YOUR crowd. If you don't have a crowd that supports you, your fundraising efforts won't be a success.
None of this is rocket science but Palmer put it together into an autobiographical story complete with music (I highly recommend listening to the audio version) that showed more than told her tale on this and made me cry along with her suffering and swell with pride through her successes. Now I just need to figure out what do with what I've learned...
One of my favorite parts was when she talks about crowd funding and she points out that it isn't trying to get money from strangers, it is about trying to build resources from YOUR crowd. If you don't have a crowd that supports you, your fundraising efforts won't be a success.
None of this is rocket science but Palmer put it together into an autobiographical story complete with music (I highly recommend listening to the audio version) that showed more than told her tale on this and made me cry along with her suffering and swell with pride through her successes. Now I just need to figure out what do with what I've learned...
Hilarious and heart-breakingly honest. A must-read for creative people, especially creative 20-somethings. This book came out EXACTLY when I needed it.
Very hard to read objectively, knowing what we now know about Neil Gaiman.