Steal Like an Artist
by Austin Kleon
Ten short lessons for creative people, illustrated and candid: nothing is original, so steal from the best; write the book you want to read; use your hands; side projects matter; be boring so you can be productive. It takes an hour and is the kind of book you hand to a nervous beginner.
Read it if…
you want to make things and keep waiting to be original enough to start.
Skip it if…
you want depth; this is a pamphlet of good advice, charmingly presented.
Three things you will actually use
- Copy your heroes until you find yourself.
- Keep a side project; it feeds the main one.
- Be boring in your habits so you can be wild in your work.
Do this first
Make a list of your influences and borrow one specific technique from each this week.
Our verdict
Short, generous and right; a perfect gift for a creative starter.
Compare with other Mindset books
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Spare and contemplative; either exactly what you need or nothing at all.
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The Art of Possibility
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Generous and wise; one of the few leadership books that makes you kinder.
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As a Man Thinketh
James Allen · Mindset
A tiny classic; too absolute to be true, too true to ignore.
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