I can’t remember exactly how I stumbled into Daren’s work but it was most likely on Twitter.
Some time after that I started reading the drafts of this book as it was being written in public. For those unfamiliar with this concept, “build in public” became a popular way to build a following and a product at the same time.
This is most commonly seen on Twitter and is especially popular in the startup community. People and companies who build in public share different aspects of the business even before features or products are launched. In this case, Daren was writing his book in public and you could read it online as he was writing it.
As I read more and more of Daren’s writing in both his newsletter and the drafts of this book, I began to learn more and trust more of his work.
That’s what led me to pre-order the book when he finally announced it. Why would anyone buy a book they’ve already read part of online? Because it wasn’t just about the book but also the fact that Daren was offering access to a new community he was building.
The early access and pre-order for the book also came with a complimentary call with Daren which was one of the highlights for me last year.
Now what about the book itself?
The book is one written specifically for creatives. It’s all about making a business viable financially and how Daren has approached his own business over the years.
I found his personal stories and anecdotes useful to put in context what he is teaching. In a way, the book also brings us along Daren’s personal journey of figuring how to make a living as a creative.
Many of the ideas that Daren shares are not original. In fact he openly credits where he first heard of certain ideas, the people who have influenced his way of thinking, the books and courses that have helped him.
In this regard, it makes the book fresh and interesting since it’s the opposite of a sales funnel driven “guru” type book. Daren doesn’t sell you the idea that he is the only solution to all your worries nor does he claim to be a person who made all of the concepts up.
Daren makes no claim of the sort, and in doing so it makes the book even more honest.
For me, not all parts of the book are equally strong. For example, the initial chapters seem more inviting and flow better than the later chapters in the book.
However, content wise there is so much food for thought in every page of the book. From the financial part of things, to marketing, sales, planning and releasing a product and even how to deal with the challenges when things don’t work out as planned.
In conclusion, if you’re a creative and you want to understand the business of all with a more modern approach, you might like this book.
Pros: Lots of frameworks, food for thought and important ideas for creatives who want to make a living with their craft.
Cons: There’s a lot of moving parts and ideas introduced in the book, it might be overwhelming for some.
TLDR: If you’ve been making art or doing creative things but not been making enough money, this book might offer you ideas to implement in your creative business.
You can get the book directly from Daren here.
[Submissions for Review Consideration]
- Are you an author who wrote a jazz, guitar or music book?
- Have you created a DVD or an online video course or subscription based website?
- Would you like me to review your book/course?
Please send me a message at azsamad3 at gmail.com with:
For courses: a link to the course/video/product + access info etc.
For books: a link to the book (Dropbox) or PDF attachment (if it’s small) for review consideration.
Depending on whether I dig the book/course, I’ll let you know if I do plan to review it!
I cannot guarantee a review for every submission & if I’m not too into it, I may opt not to review it. I mean, it’s better to get a good review that for me to write a bad review just because it’s not a match for the kind of stuff I dig right? :p
NOTE: All reviews reflect my honest personal opinion so be aware that I will point out both cool Pros and Cons that I see in the work. You dig?
Leave a Reply