Summary for Steal Like an Artist

💡Most memorable thing from the book

💡 “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again” — Andre Gide

💡 “What is originality? Undetected plagiarism” — William Ralph Inge

💡 “I don’t believe in art. I believe in artists” — Marcel Duchamp

💡 “Get deepest into what you learn; that’s how you get ahead”

💡 “It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected.” — Mark Twain

💡 “Write the book you want to read” — Austin Kleon

💡 “You have to dress for the job you want not the job you have” — Austin Kleonq

💡 “You start out by rewriting your hero catalog” — Nick Lowe

💡 “Don’t worry about unity from piece to piece — what unifies all of your work is the fact that you made it” — Austin Kleon

💡 “Do good work and share it with people” - Austin Kleon

💡 “Share your dots but don’t connect them” - Austin Kleon

📔Rewrite the book in 10 sentences

Steal like an artist is a distinctive book about creativity, well-being, and how-to-be-better book by Austin Kleon. In the book, he talks about how everything isn’t original, how you learn from others, and to go into the deepest of it. He also talks about how we aren’t born to become someone, we pretend to be people we like and act like them. He also talks about how sometimes we can learn to write our story from a story made by our heroes. Then compare it to when our heroes create another story. He also talks about how sharing your secrets can help you learn and you can learn from others’ secrets. He also talks about how to share your secrets, by showing the dots but not connecting them. The book also includes joining a community that fits you or even creating one with your ideas. The last part of the book shows to follow talented people and help them. He talks about how limitation can lead to the best work, start now with what you have.

📒Chapter Notes

Steal like an artist

All creative works build up from something before
Nothing is original
You’re influenced by the people around you. For example, if you average your closest friend's income, it is close to yours
Don’t try to devour your history of discipline all at once, you will choke
Try to digest your favorite writer, thinker, and role model you really love. Study everything to know about that thinker and then, study everything that thinker love. Repeat this.
Whether you’re in school or not, it’s always your job to get an education
Get deepest into what you learn; that’s how you get ahead
Google everything, your dreams, your questions. Don’t ask a question before you google it
Use and take inspiration from anywhere you can

Don’t wait until you know who you are to get started

You are always ready. Just wing it. For example, if you ask an artist how their stuff are too good, their honest answer would be “I don’t know where the good came from”
Try to be the one you want to be even though you’re not. Repeat it until you become one
We don’t born knowing who we are to become. We pretend to become who we are from others
Copying is not plagiarism. Plagiarism means to show others’ work as your own. Copying is like reverse engineering
Steal everything from who you like, your inspirational people
Don’t just steal from someone, steal from everyone
Steal not only the style from your heroes, steal the thinking behind it. You don’t just want to look like your heroes, see like them

Write the book you want to read

Writing a story you know sucks most time, write the story you like. For example, when your heroes release something before they release it, write your own story. Then, compare it. See where they miss, see where you can make improvements

Use your hands

Unlike the computers we use most days, using our own hands to write can sometimes benefit us.
We can divide our workspace into 2, analog and digital

Side projects and hobbies are more important

Sometimes things you do when you procrastinate can be your career for life
A hobby is an important part of life. It can help you connect with your other passions

The Secret: Do good work and share it with people

Wonder about something. When others wonder at an apple, wonder on an orange. Invite people to wonder.
Share your secrets with others. This will eventually let people buy your stuff because people like knowing other secrets.
Share little things with people. You don’t have to share them all
You can give little tips you discover while working or the book you are reading or even a good article link
Share your dots but don’t connect them. What you reveal about your secret is at your hand. You can decide to only share a little and not all your secret

Geography is no longer our master

Connect with people like you
Build your own world
Build your world with creativity and passion

Be nice: (The world is a small town)

Make friends, Ignore enemies
Be kind/nice to people and friends and ignore your enemies
People around you affect you. Follow people who are smarter than you and learn from them.
Find the most talented person in that room, and hang out with/help him/her. If you are the most talented person in that room, find another room
Write a fan letter to your heroes and people you get inspired from. It doesn’t matter if they respond or not because they are already your heroes
Sometimes, when you show your creative work, people might misinterpret it. They might say something like “why don’t I think of it” or even call out your names. The trick is too busy doing your work to care
Keep a file of good comments, it will boost you when you are in the dark side of working

Be boring: (It’s the only way to get work done)

Stay normal so you can use your energy for better creativity
Getting a calendar can keep you intact and help you accomplish your goal
Keep a logbook. Unlike diaries and journals, a logbook can keep track of past events and future things to do.

Creativity is Subtraction

Even though creativity is freedom, having restraints can lead to the best work. Use what is available to you right now to create your work
You must embrace your limitations and keep moving

🏁Summary

The book is really good and shows how copying is not the same as plagiarism. It also talks about how to be someone by taking away things from them. The best part of the book shows how sharing your work can both benefits you and others. The book shows how you become a person by copying others,

❇️Good/Bad + Learned from the book

I would highly recommend this book to people who enjoyed taking inspiration, sharing knowledge, and being eager to learn. This book is one of my favorite books that I have ever read. It is small, and compact but highly concentrated in the knowledge of how to be better. I would consider this to be the first “self-help” book to start out with. Overall the author, Austin Kleon depicted the greatness of sharing your ideas in this book.