Essay on
Steal Like an Artist
by Austin Kleon
Permission to start creating. This book is about how to use other creations we have around us to create something ourselves. I was curious to see what Austin recommends and I have listed the ideas below.
1
“Everything that needs to be said was already said, but because no one was listening, it needs to be said again.” Real artists understand that nothing is ever original, all our ideas are coming from something that came before. And so your ideas are mixes of ideas already came up with.
Carry a notebook with you to write down your ideas.
2
Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. The famous quote “Fake it till you make it” has two meanings according to Austin: Pretend until people see you for who you want them to see or pretend until you actually make what you want to be making. And the takeaway here is - Start copying, till you make it. But not like plagiarism. Follow how something you like works and create your own version of it. Copy all of your heroes. But do not just steal their style. Steal the paradigm, the mindset.
3
Write the book you want to read. Don't do what you know how to do, but what you like to do. Who inspires you the most? Who are these people and what did they create? What did they miss in their creation? What could have been done better? If you were their leader, what would you create together?
4
You need to find your way to put your body in the work. We need to find our motion. Use your hands - write on a whiteboard, write on paper. Put your body into the creation.
5
Side Projects and hobbies are important. “It's the side projects that actually take off.” Switching projects can give you fresh ideas. You don't have to pick just one thing to be passionate about. When you get tired of one project, go for another and bounce between them.
6
Do good work and share it with others. The best time to attract attention is when you start producing the good stuff, after you go through the hard beginnings. When you start out, do not concern yourself with getting noticed, focus on getting experience and enjoy doing your thing!
7
Geography is obsolete. If you are stuck somewhere, you can connect with people from all over the world. That is one of the things we can take from today's global world. Digitally and in person through travelling.
8
Create a praise file. Express your appreciation without expecting to hear back. Write public fan letters to people you admire. You can write blog posts, create something and dedicate it to them, improve their work and put it online. When you start getting your own appreciations, save it and read it when you feel down.
9
Find a day job. Learn how to combine your day job and passion project until the project earns you enough money. The trick is to find a job that you like enough to not feel like vomiting and doesn't drain you so much that you can´t dedicate time to your passion project.
10
Get a calendar and a log book. Building a carrier takes time. Calendars help you schedule things, plan your goals and future successes. Log books help you reflect on your past activities and your little wins.
11
Creativity is about working with whatever resources you have. What makes art attractive and interesting is sometimes leaving things out. Keep it simple. Creativity is also about what we choose to leave out.
Don't wait for someone to come along to create what you want to see in the world, dare to do it yourself and share it! This gave me a breath of fresh air. :)
