Austin Kleon destroys the myth of the lone genius. Every artist steals. The question isn’t whether to steal-it’s how to steal like an artist instead of a hack.

The Core Truth: Nothing is Original

Every idea you’ve ever had? Someone thought of it first. Every “original” work is built on what came before.

Picasso stole from African masks. Shakespeare stole plots. Led Zeppelin stole blues riffs. Jobs stole from Xerox.

The difference? They didn’t just copy-they transformed.

How to Steal (The Right Way)

Steal from Multiple Sources

Copying one person = plagiarism
Copying ten people = research
Copying a hundred people = originality

Your unique voice emerges from your unique combination of influences. Nobody has your exact mix.

Your Genealogy Tree

Draw your creative family tree:

• Top: Your heroes (people whose work you admire)
• Middle: Their heroes (who influenced them)
• Bottom: Their heroes’ heroes

Study the entire lineage. You’ll discover better sources than your heroes used.

Keep a Swipe File

Everything you see that makes you think “I wish I made that” goes in the file.

Not to copy directly-to study and remix later.

Don’t Wait Until You Know Who You Are

You don’t find yourself and then start creating. You start creating and discover yourself through the work.

“Fake it till you make it.”

Copy Your Heroes

Start by copying someone you love. Not to stay there-to learn.

When you copy:

• You fail to copy perfectly (good)
• Your failures reveal your style
• What you can’t copy = what makes you unique

Example: Bob Dylan copied Woody Guthrie until he couldn’t. The parts he failed at became “Bob Dylan.”

Copy Process, Not Product

Don’t copy the painting-copy how they think about painting.

Don’t copy the essay-copy how they research and structure ideas.

Process can be learned. Style emerges naturally when you work.

Write the Book You Want to Read

The best work comes from scratching your own itch.

What’s missing in your field that you wish existed? Make it.

The Gap Principle

Early in your career, there’s a gap between your taste and your ability.

Your taste is excellent-that’s why you’re frustrated with your work.

The only way to close the gap? Make a lot of bad work. Volume creates skill.

Start Where You Are

You don’t need:

• Permission
• The perfect tools
• More knowledge
• A clear vision

You need to start. Clarity comes from action, not thought.

Use Your Hands

The computer is great for editing. Terrible for generating.

The Two-Desk System

Analog desk: Paper, pens, scissors, glue. No internet. Where you generate ideas.

Digital desk: Computer, software, internet. Where you edit and publish.

Keep them separate. When ideas feel stuck, go analog.

Why Analog Works

• No delete button = less self-censoring
• Physical movement activates different brain areas
• Messiness reveals unexpected connections
• Can’t compulsively check notifications

The best ideas often come from cutting up paper, rearranging index cards, or doodling in margins.

Side Projects and Hobbies Matter

Your breakthrough won’t come from your main work. It’ll come from the side project you do for fun.

The Productive Procrastination Principle

When stuck on Project A, work on Project B.

Your subconscious solves A while you consciously work on B.

Keep a “Praise File”

Every compliment, testimonial, or kind email goes in a folder.

When you doubt yourself (and you will), read this file. It’s proof your work matters.

The Mundane Matters

Art doesn’t emerge from chaos-it emerges from boring routine.

Successful creatives:

• Wake up at the same time
• Work the same hours
• Follow boring rituals

Creativity needs constraints. Total freedom is paralyzing.

Do Good Work and Share It

The old model: Do great work for years in secret. Then reveal your masterpiece.

The new model: Share your process publicly. Build an audience before you need one.

Share What You Love

Don’t just share your work-share your influences.

Curate what inspires you. Your taste attracts like-minded people.

The Wonder of the Mundane

Share:

• Works in progress
• Things that influence you
• What you’re learning
• Your process
• Tools you use

Don’t worry about revealing “secrets.” Your execution is the secret, not your process.

Build Your Network

Don’t network-make friends.

Collaborate. Co-create. Help others without expecting anything back.

Your network = people you’ve genuinely helped or created with.

Geography is No Longer Destiny

You don’t need to live in the “creative center” anymore.

The internet is the creative center.

Build Your Own Scene

Can’t find your people locally? Create your community online.

Start a blog. Join Discord servers. Comment on work you admire.

Your scene finds you when you consistently share.

Leave Home, Return Home

Travel teaches you what’s unique about where you’re from.

You don’t know what’s special about your perspective until you see other perspectives.

Be Boring (The Secret to Creativity)

You need a boring, reliable life to do interesting work.

The Day Job Advantage

A stable job:

• Removes financial pressure from art
• Forces you to be efficient with creative time
• Provides material (office life is rich with stories)
• Builds discipline

Don’t quit your day job until your side hustle forces you to.

Get Married, Stay Married

The romantic myth: Artists need chaos and drama.

The reality: Artists need stability and support.

A good relationship gives you:

• Someone to share ideas with
• Honest feedback
• Financial stability
• Emotional foundation

Creativity is Subtraction

More options = more paralysis.

Constraints force creativity.

Examples of Creative Constraints

Twitter’s 140 characters forced concise, clever writing

Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” used only 50 words (his editor bet he couldn’t write a book with so few)

Jack White deliberately uses cheap, broken guitars to force creative solutions

Your Constraints

Instead of “I can do anything,” ask:

• What can I subtract?
• What’s one tool I’ll use exclusively?
• What’s one format I’ll master?
• What’s one rule I’ll never break?

Limitations breed creativity. Abundance breeds paralysis.

The 10 Commandments

Kleon’s distilled principles:

1. Steal like an artist – Copy your heroes’ thinking, not their output
2. Don’t wait to know who you are – Start before you’re ready
3. Write the book you want to read – Scratch your own itch
4. Use your hands – Go analog to generate, digital to edit
5. Side projects matter – Your breakthrough is hiding in the “waste of time” project
6. Do good work and share it – Build your audience through generosity
7. Geography is no longer destiny – The internet is your scene
8. Be nice – The world is small, make friends not enemies
9. Be boring – Regular life enables irregular art
10. Creativity is subtraction – Constraints unlock innovation

Implementation Framework

Today

• Start a swipe file (folder for everything that inspires you)
• List your 3 biggest creative influences
• Share one thing you learned today

This Week

• Create your genealogy tree (your heroes + their heroes)
• Start one side project just for fun
• Set up two-desk system (analog + digital)
• Share your process publicly

This Month

• Copy something you love (to learn, not to publish)
• Ship something imperfect
• Help another creator without expecting anything
• Build one creative constraint into your work

The Ultimate Lesson

You’re a mashup of what you let into your life.

Garbage in = garbage out.
Great influences + your unique perspective = great work.

Stop worrying about being original. Focus on being honest about your influences and adding yourself to the mix.

“You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life. You are the sum of your influences.”

So choose good influences. Steal from the best. Transform what you steal.

Then ship it.