Steal Like an Artist

Steal Like an Artist redefines creativity as a lifelong practice grounded in influence, experimentation, and community rather than originality or perfection. Kleon demonstrates that creativity is accessible to anyone willing to collect ideas, remix them boldly, embrace imperfection, and work consistently. The most powerful creative breakthroughs come from curiosity, routine, side projects, physical engagement, sharing transparently, and using constraints and boredom strategically. Creativity thrives when supported by stable routines, self-care, positive relationships, and the courage to start before confidence exists. By seeing oneself as part of a lineage, contributing rather than competing, and producing steadily, anyone can build a meaningful creative life and develop a voice shaped by experience rather than fear.

Austin Kleon is a writer, illustrator, and speaker whose work merges visual art and creative philosophy. Born in Ohio and based in Austin, Texas, he became known initially for his blackout poetry collections, in which he transformed existing newspaper pages by blacking out most words and leaving poetic fragments. His visual style—hand lettering, illustrations, and analog collage—appears throughout his books, talks, and online publications. His bestselling trilogy consists of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going, forming a practical guide to beginning, sharing, and sustaining creative work. His essays and newsletters attract a broad global audience, and he frequently speaks at companies, schools, and cultural organizations about building creative habits and navigating the artistic process. His writing emphasizes accessible, disciplined, and community-centered creativity, encouraging people from all backgrounds—not only traditional artists—to pursue creative expression.