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Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative (Austin Kleon) Paperback – February 28, 2012

by Austin Kleon (Author)

18,903 ratings

Goodreads Choice Award nominee

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Unlock your creativity.

An inspiring guide to creativity in the digital age, Steal Like an Artist presents ten transformative principles that will help readers discover their artistic side and build a more creative life.

Nothing is original, so embrace influence, school yourself through the work of others, remix and reimagine to discover your own path. Follow interests wherever they take you—what feels like a hobby may turn into you life’s work. Forget the old cliché about writing what you know: Instead, write the book you want to read, make the movie you want to watch.

And finally, stay Smart, stay out of debt, and risk being boring in the everyday world so that you have the space to be wild and daring in your imagination and your work.

“Brilliant and real and true.”—Rosanne Cash

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brilliant and real and true."
-Rosanne Cash

"Austin Kleon is positively one of the most interesting people on the Internet... Kleon makes an articulate and compelling case for combinatorial creativity and the role of remix in the idea economy."
-The Atlantic

"Breezy and fun and yes, scary. Scary because it calls your bluff."
-Seth Godin

"A quick, easily digestible read that is particularly relevant in today's digital world."-School Library Journal

"Filled with well-formed advice that applies to nearly any kind of work."-Lifehacker.com

From the Back Cover

Unlock your creativity.

Steal like an artist.
Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started.
Write the book you want to read.
Use your hands.
Side projects and hobbies are important.
The secret: do good work and share it with people.
Geography is no longer our master.
Be nice. (The world is a small town.)
Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done.)
Creativity is subtraction.

About the Author

Austin Kleon is the New York Times bestselling author of a trilogy of illustrated books about creativity in the digital age: Steal Like An Artist, Show Your Work!, and Keep Going. He’s also the author of Newspaper Blackout, a collection of poems made by redacting the newspaper with a permanent marker. His books have been translated into dozens of languages and have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and sons. Visit him online at www.austinkleon.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

HOW TO LOOK AT THE WORLD (LIKE AN ARTIST)

Every artist gets asked the question,
“Where do you get your ideas?”

The honest artist answers,
“I steal them.”

How does an artist look at the world?

First, you figure out what’s worth stealing, then you move on to the next thing.

That’s about all there is to it.

When you look at the world this way, you stop worrying about what’s “good” and what’s “bad”—there’s only stuff worth stealing, and stuff that’s not worth stealing.

Everything is up for grabs. If you don’t find something worth stealing today, you might find it worth stealing tomorrow or a month or a year from now.

“The only art I’ll ever study is stuff that I can steal from.”
—David Bowie

NOTHING IS ORIGINAL

The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or the original sources involved.

What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what came before. Nothing is completely original.

It’s right there in the Bible: “There is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Some people find this idea depressing, but it fills me with hope. As the French writer André Gide put it, “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”

If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.

“What is originality? Undetected plagiarism.”
—William Ralph Inge

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0761169253
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Workman Publishing Company; 1st edition (February 28, 2012)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780761169253
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0761169253
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.02 x 0.56 x 5.9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Popular Psychology Creativity & Genius
- #7 in Creativity (Books)
- #155 in Personal Transformation Self-Help

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18,903 ratings

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Austin Kleon

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Austin Kleon is a writer and artist living in Austin, Texas. He's the author of two bestselling books: Steal Like an Artist, a manifesto for creativity in the digital age, and Newspaper Blackout, a collection of poetry made by redacting newspaper articles with a permanent marker. He speaks about creativity for organizations such as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. Visit him online at www.austinkleon.com.

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and understand, with excellent insights and humor that makes them laugh out loud. The book is incredibly short, taking less than 150 pages to cover its content, and features entertaining illustrations and great quotes throughout. While some customers find the content insightful, others say it lacks depth. The book's physical quality receives mixed reviews, with some describing it as solid while others report poor construction.

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Readability Inspiration Creativity Shortness Humor Quotes Content Value for money

1,448 customers mention "Readability"1,418 positive30 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand, describing it as a nice little read and a quick read. One customer notes that it guides readers skillfully through the creative process.

"This book was such a fun and refreshing read. It’s short, but filled with creative advice that actually sticks...." Read more

"...It's full of illustrations by Kleon and little flourishes that keep things brisk as you read...." Read more

"...Another interesting point he point out is that humans are more able to create content on paper or by physical actions rather than hitting the keypad...." Read more

"Super funny and easy to read, yet super insightful. I read it during one Lunch break at work and it left a smile on my Face for the rest of the day." Read more

1,246 customers mention "Inspiration"1,219 positive27 negative

Customers find the book inspirational and motivational, providing excellent insights and wisdom for creative souls.

"...the creative process in a way that feels honest, simple, and surprisingly motivating...." Read more

"...The small size makes the book feel approachable, ready to provide a quick inspiration burst if need be...." Read more

"...He believe that is because the muscle actions will stimulate the brain more thoroughly, thus unleashing the power of creativity...." Read more

"Super funny and easy to read, yet super insightful. I read it during one Lunch break at work and it left a smile on my Face for the rest of the day." Read more

406 customers mention "Creativity"376 positive30 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights on art creation, noting its entertaining illustrations and good design elements.

"..."Good Ideas" is one of the best new books about spurring creativity, but it's primarily focused on principles of creativity and their historical..." Read more

"Austin Kleon's "Steal Like An Artist" is like having a cool, hipster art friend you can carry around in your backpack and take out when you need a..." Read more

"...This book also told me that I already possessed the tools to be creative. Since I know that I like Kleon suggest that I study why I like it...." Read more

"...140 pages, it's a quick read and is filled with insightful quotes, fun drawings, and inspirational photographs...." Read more

201 customers mention "Shortness"163 positive38 negative

Customers appreciate the book's brevity, noting it has less than 150 pages of content and can be read in one sitting.

"This book was such a fun and refreshing read. It’s short, but filled with creative advice that actually sticks...." Read more

"...The book is small, like a big cocktail napkin. It's full of illustrations by Kleon and little flourishes that keep things brisk as you read...." Read more

"...Steal Like an artist is a short and easy read, I finished the whole book in less than 2 hours and did some notes in the process...." Read more

"...It’s not long either. You won’t regret it" Read more

100 customers mention "Humor"95 positive5 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it witty and having them laughing out loud, with one customer noting how the advice is delivered with a sense of humor.

"...He designed the book himself and his voice and style shine through. "Artist" feels unified, innovative, balanced, and, above all, intimate...." Read more

"Super funny and easy to read, yet super insightful. I read it during one Lunch break at work and it left a smile on my Face for the rest of the day." Read more

"...It is fun. And very funny. Thank you Austin. You rocked it for me as an Artist and Musician...." Read more

"Loved the Authors humor, the lightness and ease of read. Short book many good points. Bought with the journal...." Read more

87 customers mention "Quotes"66 positive21 negative

Customers appreciate the quotes in the book, which feature multiple creative types and are well-intentioned.

"...The quotations he includes are indeed excellent. Several have become classic insights. Here is a representative selection:..." Read more

"...At just 140 pages, it's a quick read and is filled with insightful quotes, fun drawings, and inspirational photographs...." Read more

"...I'll be re reading this one when I've got a block to get through. Nice quotes." Read more

"Super great, thoughtful, reminder content. Not instructive but more associative continent with past and present example snippets...." Read more

96 customers mention "Content"57 positive39 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's content, with some finding it straightforward and true, while others report it being lacking in depth and substance.

"...It’s the cycle of creation. The complexities you find are worth learning and from any knowledge that you receive exists an opportunity...." Read more

"...It's a quick, easy read. Nothing particularly profound but a good reminder that creativity is in many ways something anyone can learn and apply to..." Read more

"...It's very easy for creatives to get lost and detached in their own creativity. Clearly that hasn't happened with Austin...." Read more

"...But after that,the treatise turns into a lecture on discipline. Ho hum...." Read more

73 customers mention "Value for money"25 positive48 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's value for money, with some finding it a solid purchase while others report issues with cheap construction and the book falling apart.

"...The point is, I read this book so often that the cover has completely fallen apart and the margins are coated in scribbles and notes from my..." Read more

"...Once again, book paper quality is nice (my copy is not as stiff as my copy of Kleon's Keep Going) but I don't feel it is necessarily worth the full $..." Read more

"...After only two readings of the book, the binding totally fell apart, and the pages came out." Read more

"...Just maybe get a different copy if available because the paperback crumbled and fell apart." Read more

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Kelly
A great boost for creative flow!
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
Verified Purchase

This book was such a fun and refreshing read. It’s short, but filled with creative advice that actually sticks. Austin Kleon explains the creative process in a way that feels honest, simple, and surprisingly motivating. If you’ve been feeling stuck or uninspired, this one really helps shake things loose.

I also bought the companion workbook, and it’s absolutely worth it. The prompts helped me reflect and turn the book’s ideas into real action. It’s one thing to read about creativity, but it’s another to sit with the questions and figure out what that means for your own work.

This book is not just for artists. It’s for anyone who wants to make things and needs a little spark. I’ll definitely be keeping it nearby for when I need a creative nudge.

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Kelly

A great boost for creative flow!

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
This book was such a fun and refreshing read. It’s short, but filled with creative advice that actually sticks. Austin Kleon explains the creative process in a way that feels honest, simple, and surprisingly motivating. If you’ve been feeling stuck or uninspired, this one really helps shake things loose.

I also bought the companion workbook, and it’s absolutely worth it. The prompts helped me reflect and turn the book’s ideas into real action. It’s one thing to read about creativity, but it’s another to sit with the questions and figure out what that means for your own work.

This book is not just for artists. It’s for anyone who wants to make things and needs a little spark. I’ll definitely be keeping it nearby for when I need a creative nudge.

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David J Turner
Get out there and get busy creating.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2012
Verified Purchase
If you've been paying attention to certain parts of the Web recently, you may be familiar with a rising chorus of voices talking about creativity as "remixing." The broad thesis is that creativity isn't a mystical flash of insight in the mind of a lone genius, but rather a combinatorial, collaborative process in which artists and designers consciously and gradually combine existing ideas into novel forms. Books like "The Gift", by Lewis Hyde, and video series like "Everything is a Remix", by Kirby Ferguson, champion this burgeoning idea (and are name-checked by Kleon at the end of "Artist"). But if Hyde and Ferguson are the theorists charting the contours of these new ideas, Kleon is the practitioner, the man-of-artistic-action, bringing the means and the message to the people.

"Steal Like An Artist" began as a lecture given by Kleon at Broome Community College that later emerged as a viral blog post. Kleon makes no effort to hide the fact that the blog post forms the skeleton of "Artist". But even if you've memorized the post, Kleon layers enough muscle and flesh on it that you feel like you're encountering his core ideas all over again. The same rush of discovery and energy awaits.

Kleon describes himself as "a writer that draws," and "Artist" is proof of that. He designed the book himself and his voice and style shine through. "Artist" feels unified, innovative, balanced, and, above all, intimate. The book is small, like a big cocktail napkin. It's full of illustrations by Kleon and little flourishes that keep things brisk as you read. The small size makes the book feel approachable, ready to provide a quick inspiration burst if need be. Kleon describes ten basic principles to boost your creativity. He lists them on the back cover of the book (a choice that Kindle purchasers will miss) so that they're easily referenced. It's a small touch, but emblematic of the book's careful construction.

Most importantly, "Artist" is focused on practicality. Kleon has absorbed the lessons of Hyde and Ferguson, but he wants to do more than evangelize; he wants to transform. "Artist" is stuffed with practical tips that you can adopt. In fact, there's a section at the very end of the book titled "What Now?", in which Kleon gives you a long, itemized list of things you can do *right now* to prime your creative pump.

One recent book that Kleon doesn't reference is "Where Good Ideas Come From", by Steve Johnson. "Good Ideas" is one of the best new books about spurring creativity, but it's primarily focused on principles of creativity and their historical origins. "Artist" is a perfect companion to "Good Ideas". Once you've read Johnson's book and your head is full of theory, Kleon's book comes along and gives you a good, firm (and lighthearted) kick in the pants to send you on your way. You certainly don't need to read "Good Ideas" or any other book to receive the full benefit of "Artist". It's a short, heady blast of exuberance that's guaranteed to kick-start your imagination.

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323 people found this helpful

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Conrad Ko
Well Done and Its an Adrenaline Rush
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
I bought this book on 10Feb2015 and finish it the night I bought it.

“Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon.
Creative/dp/0761169253/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_yI

I must confess I bought the book solely because of the Title. Since I was fasinated by the idea of stealing and the status symbol of being an artist, I bought it without second thought.

Steal Like an artist is a short and easy read, I finished the whole book in less than 2 hours and did some notes in the process. Anyone with reasonable reading skills should be able to finish the book in less than an afternoon.

The primary objective of the book is to persuade you to reverse engineer the work of others and improvised it into your own model. Start a Phony and become a real artist is the premise of the whole book. Austin defines copying as the act to absorb and reverse engineer the word of others and immersing oneself into a space where one can blend multiple ideas into a complete set of idea and create something out of it, be it a piece of art, a product or a business.

Austin Kleon also suggest the readers to find out who to copy, what to copy and the reason of copying, since the world is a GIGO (Garbage In and Garbage Out).

Another interesting point he point out is that humans are more able to create content on paper or by physical actions rather than hitting the keypad. He believe that is because the muscle actions will stimulate the brain more thoroughly, thus unleashing the power of creativity. This view resonante by another book I read “The Anti Education Era” written by James Paul Gee. In this book, James Paul Gee also recommends the use of multi sensory input. The more sense involve, the better the memory will register. So I guess as a writer, I will try to include more sensory input to entice the audience to a higher level of engagement.

As of now I am pretty obscure, that could be an Advantage according to Austin Kleon. Because I am in obscurity, I can afford to experiment and be focused on doing good work instead of handling social task. And the readers can feel more engaged in my works since its imperfect. The readers can discover and find the bits and piece by themselves, by filling the gaps between it, the audience can feel more engaged. That’s why incubation and obscure artist always sells better than a fully developed piece and a highly recognized artist.

In the book Austin also stresses the ability to remain stably euphoric. He suggest any artist to keep some praises from readers and audiences and reviewing them when one is having a struggle.

Last but not least, Creativity is subtraction, and creativity is the struggle against limitation. That’s why when you are facing a writer block, entrepreneur block or artist block, try to slash some elements and create something out of a lot of restrictions.

He validated this idea by actions quite well by finishing a poem book called “Newspaper Blackout”.

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25 people found this helpful

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Andrea
Fun. Wit. Real.
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2025
Verified Purchase
Super funny and easy to read, yet super insightful. I read it during one Lunch break at work and it left a smile on my Face for the rest of the day.

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Thought Keys
Entertaining and intriguing
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2025
Verified Purchase
There will be no revelations or life answers in this book, but it WILL help you think outside the box. Not always directly, but sometimes just a tangental topic brought to your attention by the author. Good addition to your library.

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One person found this helpful

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Nurgiza
Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2025
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The book is great! I love it, helps me a lot

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Tina Kearnes
A Guide to Creative Confidence
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025
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I really do like this book cause it guides you to be creative and gives you the confidence that you can be a creator and inspires you

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Hamzah AHMED
...
Reviewed in Turkey on January 15, 2021
Verified Purchase

Great book , and great seller
Just 4 days arrived to turkey 😍.
Iam Really Happy to buy from you

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Daniel
absolutamente fantástico
Reviewed in Mexico on January 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Un libro que te provoca e inspira a cada página. Un libro que te invita a leer una página y parar a pensar. Un libro que leerás decenas de veces y cada una te dirá algo distinto. Un libro fantástico.

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Jaime Eduardo Sauret Fagre
This is the book to bring your creative idea to life!
Reviewed in the Netherlands on June 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
Austin is a great inspirational author who doesn’t care about sharing his secrets!

After reading “Show your work” from Austin a while back I had “Steal like an artist” on my list and finally read it, and the only thing I can say is… WHY I HAVEN’T READ IT SOONER?

This book not only encourages you to work on your thing (whatever it is) but gives a clear way on how to do it and makes you feel that you can.

If you have a creative idea in mind but haven’t started waiting for the perfect time or the muse to feel inspired, shake those feelings and get this book. If after you wonder how to share what you do, get the “Show your work” book from Austin and you’ll have the perfect combo to out your work out in the world!

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gian marco
Ottimo
Reviewed in Italy on March 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
Bellissimo libro per grandi e piccini. Super consigliato e semplice da leggere, con tanti messaggi da cogliere.

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gian marco

Ottimo

Reviewed in Italy on March 17, 2023
Bellissimo libro per grandi e piccini. Super consigliato e semplice da leggere, con tanti messaggi da cogliere.

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peta
Brilliant!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2025
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Packed with inspiration! Doesn't take long to read- leaves you feeling inspired and cuts through the crap! A book that you could read again and I probably will

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A great boost for creative flow!

Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars A great boost for creative flow!

A great boost for creative flow!

Images in this review

5.0 out of 5 stars Get out there and get busy creating.

4.0 out of 5 stars Well Done and Its an Adrenaline Rush

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun. Wit. Real.

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and intriguing

5.0 out of 5 stars Book

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide to Creative Confidence

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5.0 out of 5 stars ...

5.0 out of 5 stars absolutamente fantástico

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book to bring your creative idea to life!

5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo

Ottimo

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5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!

A great boost for creative flow!

Get out there and get busy creating.

Well Done and Its an Adrenaline Rush

Fun. Wit. Real.

Entertaining and intriguing

Book

A Guide to Creative Confidence

...

absolutamente fantástico

This is the book to bring your creative idea to life!

Ottimo

Brilliant!