Every now and then you read a book that really challenges you. It makes you rethink how you view the world. For me, Steal Like An Artist by Austin author Austin Kleon is one of those books. I reached out to Austin to interview him about his fantastic bestselling book. Here is a summary of our conversation. My questions are below in bold.
What made you realize all art is stolen?
Well, it's not an original idea by any means — Jonathan Lethem and David Shields have both written books around the idea of influence and creative borrowing, but the core of the idea for Steal Like An Artist really started when I started collecting quotes from famous artists admitting that they outright “steal“ most of their ideas...
Why did you make the book?
I originally was asked to give a keynote speech to a group of college students, and I was terribly nervous about it, so as I do when I’m terribly nervous about things, I went for a walk with my wife and asked for her advice. She said the best talk she ever heard was just a list of things the speaker wished she’d known when she was starting out. I decided to steal that idea, went home, and wrote up a list of things I wish I’d heard when I was starting out. When it became clear that the talk should become a book, I took my own advice from point 3 — “Write the book you want to read” — and just tried to write a book that I could stick in a time machine and send back to a younger version of myself.
Would you recommend this book to someone who is not an artist?
Yes. The book is for anyone who wants to build a creative life — artists, musicians, doctors, lawyers, students, teachers, astronauts, plumbers...you name it. The big idea of the book is that creativity is not magic — it’s not a trick that only a few chosen geniuses can perform, but rather, it’s something everyone is capable of, if they surround themselves with the right influences, play nice, and work hard.
Who have you stolen from the most?
Probably the cartoonist Lynda Barry. I really like her work, and I know she's a huge influence on me.
Have you gotten any backlash from this concept of stealing art?
Sure — our culture is really fixated on the idea of originality as being the #1 trait of creativity...but I think people are coming around.
One of the most important concepts from the book to me is the idea that creativity is subtraction. Can you expand on that a bit?
Sure. The way to get over creative block is to simply place some constraints on yourself. I find that limitations actually bring freedom. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but when you give yourself some limits, that's what helps you narrow down the scope. Everything needs some kind of boundary. As a writer, our boundary is the page. We need limits for our stories, so we have beginnings and endings. And the truth is it’s often what an artist chooses to leave out that makes the art interesting. What makes humans interesting isn’t just what we’ve experienced, but also what we haven’t experienced. We all have unique perspectives. Think about it: there is no one exactly like you. Sure, we all have some common experiences and stories, but not all of them are the same. I find that really powerful.
Wow, that's so good. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with me and answering my questions.