Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon is a quick read, packed with several ideas and practical advice. At first glance, it looks like an unassuming book because of its size at 140 pages. However, Kleon fills it with helpful advice for anyone looking to make good art. The books premise is to “steal like an artist” because “[a]ll creative work builds on what came before.” Kleon argues that as we embrace the influences from several artists, we can start “[internalizing] their way of looking at the world” and create new works of art that are uniquely our own.
The book is also a reminder that writing (and any kind of art) can be as creative as we want or whatever we want. Kleon demonstrates this by inserting various sketches of his throughout the book that give the reader a glimpse into his thoughts and interpretations.
Reading the book, you’ll walk away with at least a couple of practical takeaways that you can incorporate into your life. You may also get inspiration to begin stealing like an artist.