Steal like an artist—don't wait until you know who you are to get started.
Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self.
Book summary
Perennial SellerGoodreads Favorite
Steal Like an Artist
by Austin Kleon
10 things nobody told you about being creative
Nothing is original; embrace influence and transform others' work into your own
4.5(9.8k)Published 2012
Topics
CreativityInfluenceOriginalityCreative ProcessDigital Age
Reading companion
How to read Steal Like an Artist with Readever
Read this book as a creative workbook rather than a theoretical text. Use Readever to track your influences and create a "family tree" of artists who inspire you. The AI insights will help you identify patterns in your creative theft and provide examples of how different artists have transformed their influences into original work across various media.
Things to know before reading
- Identify 3-5 artists or creators whose work you admire deeply
- Have a notebook ready for analog sketching and idea capture
- Understand the difference between plagiarism and creative theft
- Be prepared to embrace imperfection and start creating before feeling "ready"
Brief summary
Steal Like an Artist in a nutshell
Austin Kleon presents a manifesto for creativity in the digital age, arguing that nothing is truly original and all creative work builds on what came before. Through 10 transformative principles, he shows how to embrace influence, steal wisely, and remix ideas to create authentic work.
Key ideas overview
Steal Like an Artist summary of 4 key ideas
Kleon reframes creativity as a process of selective theft and transformation, showing how all great artists build on the work of those who came before them.
Write the book you want to read, make the music you want to hear.
Don't write what you know, write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best.
Use your hands—step away from the screen and work with physical materials.
The computer is really good for editing your ideas, and really bad for generating them.
Side projects and hobbies are important—don't neglect them.
The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.
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Book summaries like Steal Like an Artist
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Stop worrying about originality and start creating authentically.
This summary gives you Kleon's framework for creative theft—learning to steal like an artist by studying the masters, transforming influences into something new, and building on the work of others to create work that's uniquely your own.
Deep dive
Key ideas in Steal Like an Artist
Key idea 1
Steal like an artist—don't wait until you know who you are to get started.
Start copying what you love. Copy copy copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find your self.
Kleon argues that all artists start by imitating their heroes. The key is to steal from many sources rather than just one, and to transform what you steal through the filter of your own perspective and experiences. This process of selective imitation eventually leads to developing your unique voice.
Remember
- Study the work of artists you admire deeply.
- Steal from many sources, not just one.
- Transform what you steal by combining influences in new ways.
Key idea 2
Write the book you want to read, make the music you want to hear.
Don't write what you know, write what you like. Write the kind of story you like best.
The most authentic creative work comes from creating what you yourself would want to consume. Rather than trying to guess what will be popular or successful, focus on making work that satisfies your own creative hunger and curiosity.
Remember
- Create for yourself first, audience second.
- Follow your genuine interests and curiosities.
- Trust that what excites you will likely excite others.
Key idea 3
Use your hands—step away from the screen and work with physical materials.
The computer is really good for editing your ideas, and really bad for generating them.
Kleon emphasizes the importance of analog tools and physical making in the creative process. Working with your hands—whether through writing by hand, cutting and pasting, or other physical methods—can unlock creativity in ways that digital tools cannot.
Remember
- Keep a physical notebook for ideas and sketches.
- Use analog tools for brainstorming and early stages.
- Balance digital efficiency with analog creativity.
Key idea 4
Side projects and hobbies are important—don't neglect them.
The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.
Kleon encourages maintaining side projects and hobbies as they often reveal your true passions and creative direction. These peripheral activities can become your main creative focus when given proper attention.
Remember
- Pay attention to what you naturally gravitate toward.
- Don't dismiss your hobbies as unimportant.
- Let side projects guide your creative evolution.
Context
What is Steal Like an Artist about?
Steal Like an Artist is Austin Kleon's concise, visually engaging guide to creativity in the digital age. Originally based on a talk he gave to college students, the book expands on his philosophy that all creative work builds on what came before. Kleon draws from his experience as a writer and artist to provide practical, actionable advice for overcoming creative blocks and developing authentic work.
The book challenges the myth of the lone genius and instead presents creativity as a collaborative, cumulative process. Through simple principles and visual examples, Kleon shows how to embrace influence without plagiarism and create work that feels both fresh and grounded.
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Review
Steal Like an Artist review
Kleon's approach is refreshingly practical and accessible. The book's visual design—with handwritten text, diagrams, and illustrations—makes complex creative concepts easy to understand and apply. His advice is particularly valuable for digital natives who may feel overwhelmed by the pressure to be completely original. Some readers may find the book too brief, but its conciseness makes it highly actionable.
Critical Reception: Steal Like an Artist became a New York Times bestseller and has been translated into dozens of languages. It has been praised for its fresh perspective on creativity and its practical, no-nonsense approach that demystifies the creative process.
- Demystifies creativity by showing how all artists build on existing work.
- Provides practical, immediately applicable advice for creative practice.
- Visually engaging format makes complex concepts accessible.
- New York Times bestseller with global impact.
- Perfect for digital natives overwhelmed by originality pressure.
Who should read Steal Like an Artist?
Young creatives and students starting their creative journeys.
Anyone feeling intimidated by the pressure to be completely original.
Digital creators looking to balance screen time with analog creativity.
Artists and writers struggling with creative blocks.
Entrepreneurs and innovators seeking fresh perspectives.
About the author
Austin Kleon is an American writer and artist born in 1983 in Circleville, Ohio. He 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. Kleon is known for his newspaper blackout poems—where he creates poetry by redacting words from newspaper articles—and his thoughtful exploration of how artists can navigate the digital landscape while maintaining authentic creative practices.
His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR, and he speaks frequently about creativity in the digital age for organizations like Pixar, Google, and TEDx. Kleon lives in Austin, Texas, with his family.
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Final summary
Steal Like an Artist offers a liberating perspective on creativity that frees you from the pressure of originality. By embracing influence, studying the masters, and transforming what you steal through your unique perspective, you can create work that feels both authentic and connected to creative traditions. The book's practical advice and visual approach make it an essential guide for anyone wanting to develop a sustainable creative practice in the digital age.
Inside the book
Steal Like an Artist represents a fundamental shift in how we understand creativity and originality. Kleon's central insight—that nothing is truly original and all creative work builds on what came before—liberates creators from the pressure to invent something completely new from scratch. Instead, he encourages a practice of thoughtful curation and transformation.
The book's 10 principles provide a practical framework for developing authentic creative work while acknowledging our debts to those who influenced us. This approach is particularly valuable in the digital age, where the sheer volume of available influences can be overwhelming. Kleon's advice helps creators navigate this landscape by teaching them how to steal wisely and transform effectively.
His emphasis on analog tools and physical making offers an important counterbalance to our increasingly digital creative practices. By encouraging hands-on work and physical notebooks, Kleon helps creators access different parts of their creative brains and develop more holistic creative practices.
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