Book review: Steal Like an Artist

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being CreativeSteal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a quick little inspirational tome designed to help spur creativity, supplemented by Kleon’s quirky choice of photographs and his own hand-drawn art and notes.

His advice, backed up by quotes from notable creative types, is sensible while some of the particulars reflect what works well for him but may not work so well for everyone else. He cheerfully recommends jettisoning anything you don’t think will work for you.

Some of his ideas are interesting–having both a digital and analog desk, keeping a simple logbook (not to be confused with a diary or journal) and having a praise file for days when you are feeling down or uninspired. Others, like a giant year-long calendar you can X off each day as you complete tasks, I am less sold on.

The enthusiasm and spirit with which he presents his advice are bound to get you motivated to try something, though. And his drawing style is weirdly cute. Recommended.

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