Book Review: Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

Steal Like an Artist is one of those books that was lingering in the back of my consciousness as one of those guides for life I really should read, but I never got around to it. When I found it at the Dollar Tree for $1.25, well, I really didn’t have an excuse not to check it out.

The premise behind Kleon’s book is that, really, nothing is original, so creative types—feel free to draw inspiration from everywhere to chart your own creative course. Look to those you admire most first—as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But use this as a springboard to develop your own style. He lists 10 ways to unlock your creativity and connect with your artistic self:

1.      Steal like an artist. “Everything is up for grabs. If you don’t find something worth stealing today, you might find it worth stealing tomorrow or a month from now…Nothing is original” (6-7).

2.      Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started.

3.      Write the book you want to read. “…don’t write what you know…write what you like / draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use—do the work you want to see done" (47-48).

4.      Use your hands.

5.      Side projects and hobbies are important.

6.      The secret: Do good work and share it with people.

7.      Geography is no longer our master

8.      Be nice. (The world is a small town)

9.      Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done).

10.   Creativity is subtraction. “Don’t make excuses for not working—make things with the time, space, and materials you have, right now” (138).

A few things about this book: First, I like how each of the intro pages for the 10 “pointers” are handwritten. There are pages of handwritten notes, flow charts, and original poetry throughout, which gives the physical book a unique look and feel. It really feels as though you’re looking at Kleon’s private journal or vision board.

Of the 10 tips Kleon offers, #2, #4, and #9 struck the deepest chords with me. For #2 (“Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started”), I think many creatives wait for just the right moment to get started. The muse will show itself. The lighting will be perfect. The lightbulb will go off, the heavens will open up and the angels will sing. Most of us are proud works in progress—work we created 1, 5, 10 years ago is very different from what we might create today. Experience, shifts in perspective, awareness, and being open to new possibilities all shape the people we are and the work we create. I take #2 to mean—just start. The rest will follow. The real joy is in the work, not sitting around waiting for divine inspiration. Kleon says something to this same effect: “In my experience, it’s the act of making things and doing out work that we figure out who we are” (27). So there. Get going.

Point #4 struck me, as well. “While I love my computer, I think computers have robbed us of the feeling that we’re actually making things…you need to find a way to bring your body into your work” (53-54).  Yes. Have you ever noticed how satisfying it is to jot something down by hand instead of type it into your phone or laptop? Studies have shown the physical act of writing has tremendous benefits—we work those fine motor skills, it boosts memory retention (i.e., we remember things better), and out comprehension is stronger. I spend all day typing on a keyboard, but when I want to turn to writing fiction or poetry, I’m writing longhand all the way. It’s a much different, more fulfilling, sensation. Try it sometime.

Finally, #9 was great, as well. If you’re involved in a creative job, or a job where you’re going 100 different directions all day, chances are you’re pretty fried by the end of the day. Mental burnout is a real thing, and if your non-creative day job has you worn out, you don’t have much to give to your creative work. Save your most precious energy for your passion projects. Find a way to use different sides of your brain or embark on something completely different from your day job to keep that passion alive.

All in all, I thought this was a creative book all around, from the handwritten elements to the message. It gives readers permission to explore their creative sides without waiting for all the pieces to fall into place—just start.