Creativity is a bit of a scam. At least, that's what we've been told to believe—that it’s this magical lightning bolt that hits "special" people who sit in white rooms waiting for a muse. Austin Kleon blew that myth out of the water over a decade ago. If you’re looking for a steal like an artist pdf, you’re likely trying to find a way to get unstuck. You want permission. You want someone to tell you that it is okay to look at what other people are doing and use it to build your own thing.
Honestly, it’s the most honest book about making stuff ever written.
Kleon isn't some academic. He’s a writer and artist who realized that nothing is 100% original. Everything is a remix. When you hunt down the digital version or a physical copy of this book, you aren't looking for a "how-to" on plagiarism. You’re looking for a manifesto on how to influence your own brain.
What Most People Get Wrong About Stealing
People hear the word "steal" and they freak out. They think about copyright lawsuits or lazy copying. But in the world of the steal like an artist pdf, stealing is actually about lineage. It’s about being a fan.
Think about David Bowie. He was a "thief" of the highest order. He took bits of Japanese kabuki theater, soul music, mime, and German electronic sounds to create Ziggy Stardust. If he hadn't "stolen," he would have just been another guy in a suit singing folk songs.
There is a massive difference between "good theft" and "bad theft." Bad theft is thin. It’s a surface-level rip-off where you just copy one person. That’s how you get sued. Good theft is deep. It’s when you study twenty different people, mash their influences together, and filter them through your own weird life experiences. Kleon argues that if you copy one person, you’re a follower. If you copy a hundred, you’re an original.
The Genealogy of Ideas
Every idea has a family tree.
You aren't a solo act. You are a mashup of your ancestors, the movies you watched last week, the music your dad played in the car, and the way the light hits the street outside your apartment. When you read through the steal like an artist pdf, you realize that your job isn't to invent something from nothing. Your job is to curate.
Selectivity is the new creativity.
In a world where we have access to every piece of information ever created, the "original" thinkers are just the ones who have the best taste in what they choose to steal. You have to build your own "creative morgue file." This is just a fancy way of saying you need a folder—digital or physical—where you keep the stuff that inspires you.
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Why You Should Stop Trying to Be Original
Originality is a heavy burden. It’s paralyzing.
If you sit down at a desk and tell yourself, "I must create something that has never been seen before," you will probably end up staring at a blank wall for three hours. It’s too much pressure. It’s fake.
Instead, try to be good. Try to be interesting.
The steal like an artist pdf works because it removes the ego from the process. It tells you to "fake it 'til you make it." Start by mimicking your heroes. Everyone does this. Kobe Bryant spent his entire early career mimicking Michael Jordan’s footwork. Eventually, because Kobe had a different body and a different mind, it stopped looking like Michael and started looking like Kobe.
Failure to perfectly copy your idols is actually where your own voice is born. You try to be like them, you fail, and that failure is your style.
The Analog vs. Digital Trap
One of the coolest parts of Kleon’s philosophy is the "two desks" approach. Most of us spend 90% of our lives staring at screens. Screens are great for polishing ideas, but they are terrible for generating them. They’re too clean. They have the "undo" button, which is the enemy of raw creativity.
Kleon suggests having an "analog station." This is a desk with no computer. Just pens, paper, scissors, and tape.
When you’re in the messy phase of a project, you need to feel the friction of the pen on the paper. You need to be able to move things around with your hands. Once the idea is messy and alive, then you move to the "digital station" to edit and publish. This separation is a game-changer for anyone who feels like their work has become "stiff" or "corporate."
Small Habits That Actually Matter
You don't need a PhD to be creative. You just need to show up.
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In the steal like an artist pdf, there’s a lot of focus on the mundane stuff. Like having a hobby. Or staying out of debt. It’s not the "tortured artist" vibe we see in movies. It’s practical.
- Don't throw anything away. Even your "bad" ideas might be the seeds for something great in three years.
- Side projects are vital. Sometimes the thing you do when you’re procrastinating on your "real" work is actually the thing you should be doing.
- Geography is no longer a master. You don't have to move to New York or London to be part of a scene. You can build your "scenius" (a term coined by Brian Eno) online by connecting with people who like the same weird stuff you do.
- Be boring. It takes a lot of energy to be creative. If you waste all your energy on a chaotic personal life, you won't have anything left for the work. Eat well, go for walks, and get enough sleep.
Why the Internet is Both a Blessing and a Curse
Kleon is a big fan of sharing your work. But he’s also realistic.
The internet is a giant copy machine. That’s why people are always searching for the steal like an artist pdf—we want the information, and we want it fast. But sharing your process is often more valuable than sharing the finished product.
When you show people how you "stole" the ingredients for your work, they feel more connected to you. It takes the mystery away, sure, but it adds a layer of human connection. People love to see behind the curtain.
Practical Steps to Start Stealing Like an Artist Today
If you’ve just finished reading the steal like an artist pdf or you’re about to dive in, don't just let the ideas sit in your head. Ideas are worthless without execution.
Start by picking one person whose work you admire. Don't just look at their work; look at who they looked at. If you love a certain filmmaker, find out what movies they watched when they were nineteen. Go back to the source.
Build Your Swipe File
This is non-negotiable. Whether it’s a Pinterest board, a Notion page, or a physical shoebox full of magazine clippings, you need a place to store your loot.
When you find something that makes you go, "Man, I wish I thought of that," put it in the file. Don't worry about why yet. Just collect. Eventually, patterns will emerge. You’ll realize you’re attracted to certain colors, certain rhythms, or certain ways of solving problems.
Create a "Praise File"
The world can be a mean place. When you put your work out there, someone is going to say something nasty. It’s inevitable.
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To survive this, create a file of every nice thing anyone has ever said about your work. Emails, comments, DMs—save them all. When you’re feeling like a fraud (and you will), open that file and read it. It’s not about ego; it’s about survival.
The Art of the Remix
Take two things that have no business being together and smash them into each other.
What does a Western movie look like if it’s set in space? (That’s Star Wars). What does a cookbook look like if it’s written by a chemist? (That’s Molecular Gastronomy). The steal like an artist pdf encourages this kind of cross-pollination.
Final Thoughts on the Creative Process
Creativity isn't a destination. It’s a way of moving through the world.
It’s about being curious. It’s about keeping your eyes open and your notebook ready. Most importantly, it’s about realizing that you have a unique perspective simply because nobody else has "stolen" the exact same combination of things that you have.
You are a unique collection of influences.
Go out and find some new things to love. Follow your curiosities down the rabbit hole. Stop worrying about being "original" and start focusing on being authentic to your own tastes. If you do that, the work will take care of itself.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your influences: Write down the five people who have influenced your work the most. Then, spend an hour researching who influenced them.
- Set up an analog space: Even if it’s just a clipboard and a pen on your couch, find one spot where screens aren't allowed.
- Start a "Morgue File": Create a dedicated folder on your phone or computer specifically for screenshots of things that inspire you. Don't mix it with your regular photos.
- Share one thing: Post a "work in progress" snippet on social media today. Don't wait for it to be perfect. Just show the "theft" in action.
The steal like an artist pdf is just a document. The real "art" happens when you close the file and actually start making something. Use what you’ve found to build something that only you could create, even if the pieces came from somewhere else.