Austin Kleon

There's something to be said for picking up the right book at the right time. KEEP GOING is precisely what I needed at this phase in my life. As I write this, we're in the third wave of what seems to be a never-ending pandemic. A year in, my creative output has suffered like never before. I picked up this book expecting more of what's already so abundant in our media-laden world. Pithy quotes, vague "advice" couched in condescending language, and the same old ideas rehashed to death.

Instead, show more I found practical and infinitely approachable tips, tactics, and suggestions for actually leading a creative life in good times and in bad (just like the subtitle promises). I thought Kleon's previous books were fun but ultimately forgettable. This one, however, knocked me over the head with unexpected wisdom for a life philosophy that seems both urgent and incredibly relevant. I'm so grateful I grabbed this when I did. It's found a permanent spot on my home library shelf. show less

What a fabulous little book! It might be short on content, but it's long on wisdom - and that's exactly what I was hoping for when I picked it up. This is the kind of book I'll be reading over and over again. I got through it in under an hour, and that includes all the times I stopped to take notes, but I found myself nodding and smiling along every time I turned the page. Austin Kleon offers the kind of advice all artists would benefit from. It's straight-forward, no-nonsense advice, but show more with a touch of whimsy and humor. Basically, Austin gets us because he IS one of us. The book is both practical and inspirational, and it's found a permanent place on my keeper shelf. show less

I love reading books for creative people because I believe (quite firmly!) that all entrepreneurs are artists. They may not be able to paint worth a damn, but entrepreneurs create beautiful things, even if it has no aesthetic value.

And some of us entrepreneurs are creatives too--artists, writers, musicians, knitters--the list goes on and on.

And just like a sculptor should show her work, so too should an entrepreneur.

Austin Kleon outlines 10 ways an artist can show her work, and I would argue show more that every one of these tips works for entrepreneurs too:

1) You don't have to be a genius
2) Think process, not product
3) Share something small every day
4) Open up your cabinet of curiosities
5) Tell good stories
6) Teach what you know
7) Don't turn into human spam
8) Learn to take a punch
9) Sell out
10) Stick around

I especially love this quote about being part of a "scenius"--where a group of creative individuals birth great ideas, and how online communities can foster a scenius.

"Online, everyone--the artist and the creator, the master and the apprentice, the expert and the amateur--has the ability to contribute something." p. 12

A short, powerful book! Highly recommend to artists and entrepreneurs, and everyone in between. show less

This is the book that frees you up to be the artist you want to be, even--or especially--if that means you are imitating (what Kleon calls "stealing") your heroes. Don't let criticism, finances, or fear get in the way. Just create that thing, stealing from the greats along the way, and make your mark on the world.

I've read a lot of books on writing, from Stephen King's "On Writing" (indispensable) to "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield (I love this book), Jeff Vandermeer's "Wonderbook" show more (weird and inspirational) to a "Reading Like a Writer" by Francis Prose, and a whole host of practical books on mechanics (think "The Scribner Handbook for Writers," for example). There are a plethora of books on writing out there. So why do we need one more?

Trust me, we need one more. Or at least, it doesn't hurt. Kleon's is so light and accessible, you could almost forget that writing is actually hard, that it requires effort, and that the ideas don't just flow out of your fingers. But you might feel that way after you read it. You might remember the idea you had while reading an article last week, or the inspiration that came while sitting in traffic, or the feelings that a certain novel created as you read past your bedtime.

Yeah, it's got that effect. It might make you want to go out and create something.

Maybe even something you've stolen from one of the greats. show less