Austin Kleon

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  2. Solid advice all the way. The Vonnegut quote reminds me, apropos of the nuclear mess in Japan, that he also made the most emotional raw speech against nuclear I’ve ever heard. Flaubert, Vonnegut, smart to go to these guys for essential advice. I have a number of quotes by artists on my website, under I Sit At The Feet of The Masters. Artaud, Burroughs, Michelangelo, Picasso, Joyce – the ones who did the work tell me what I need to do.

  3. I love this gem of an article. It’s very inspirational and so very true. The calendar bit really hit home, I started using my cell phone as a planner and my creative productivity has been increasing a lot. Thank you for sharing such wonderful advice!

  5. Brilliant.
    A friend and I were talking through all this just yesterday (and fear of failure, but that’s more of a woman thing).
    II suppose you know this post is going viral through FB? Every word is wonderful.
    Now to act on it….

  6. Oh geez. Thanks for reminding me why I hate “artists” in general. There are exceptions: people who do not have the intellectual poverty, lack of self knowledge, needy desire to be noticed, nor the histrionic, self-important need to document every inane moment of their day exhibited by the author of this piece and (presumably) those giving masturbatory back-pats to him for his “inspiring” words. Please, before you waste your youth away, put your family to shame, and bankrupt yourself monetarily and emotionally, admit to yourselves that you ARE fakes, move on/grow up, and actually contribute to society rather than sit around and try to figure out “who you are” and how you can attract attention of the public(if these are dilemmas of yours and you are an adult, you might want to do some research on Borderline Personality Disorder or Histrionic PD).

  8. Just fabulous. It’s the stuff of an instant MFA seminar if not degree. A few wrinkles that could use some ironing out (or at least in my own life): the “side stuff” — can really complicate one’s life — making life more interesting, but pushing the envelope in so many directions. And that 9-to-5 job can also be another world, role, reality that can really consume an enormous part of your brain, person, etc. (Until you’re, uh, FIRED from it — which leads to a few more complications.) But maybe you’ll produce a sequel. I’m sure it will be better than the ‘studio version.’

  11. I’m pleased i got the chance to read this. Yet I was totally surprised when i read that you gave this speech at BCC in Binghamton, because thats so happens to be where i live.

  14. Wow, someone is either full of themselves a few comments up, or recently broke up with an artist (generalizing an entire group of people based on some obvious anger-induced prejudices is a bit more in need of psychological evaluation than someone having a crisis of faith about who they are no thanks to those around them, like overly judgmenetal people like you). So glad you got everything figured out. Just don’t watch any TV, listen to the radio or cds, watch any movies, dance, go out to eat at a nice restaurant, play any sports, or read a book or article – that would make you the world’s biggest hypocrite. But that must really be a satisfying life!

    Not everyone sees and lives in the world in rigid blacks and whites like you seem to where everyone treats each other on equal terms because of their age bracket and has no desire to improve. So before you start insulting people for living differently for reasons you can’t possibly fathom, try looking around and finding ONE thing that’s not art. I’m assuming since you have a home, you’ve already failed (architecture is art). Being an artist -is- contributing to society and more than just writing and drawing, unless you think the ideal world is sterilized, monochrome crap with a society that has no emotions.

    This guy was paid by a school to motivate others and wrote down what he spoke for the benefit of others. If it’s useless to you, why are you even here? Jealous because you’ll never be able to feel what it’s like to be useful to this many people?

    Oh sorry, that comment just pissed me off as the most closed-minded thing I’ve ever read. On topic with the article, I notice people criticizing the “Nothing is original” thing. This isn’t a clause to be lazy, it’s a statement for us to just let go and do things naturally. Some people try so hard to be “original” and miss the point of art, then end up demoralized because everything literally has been done before in some way and think they have failed. The mediums (especially with leaps in technology) change so things may seem original, but really there are only so many themes we can explore. But what makes things truly “original” is the fact that YOU are the one doing them. There is only one of you, and no one will ever have the exact same experiences in life (also explained above), which changes how you perceive these ideas which have all been done before and thus changes how you present these themes.

  16. This is a great post! I really love it. I am an independent artist and am always trying to give advice to other makers. I shared your post and I hope they are leave inspired by your writing and freed by it’s simple but detailed instruction~ Thanks!! ~Beth

  18. I always liked the story David Bowie shares about Andy Warhol and how Warhol was absolutely astounded when Bowie answered Warhol’s question of: “What song did you write today?” by stating that he hadn’t done any songwriting that day. Warhol gently chided Bowie and explained that creativity is like a bank account that gets empty when you are not putting something into it on a daily basis. Warhol went on to also state that one need not always every day physically create a work of art but that the fully-realized and highly-efficient artist is one that does something daily for their art even if it be something like visualizing your next artistic move, cleaning your work area, or stretching canvas.

  19. Totally relating to the “imposter syndrome” thing. People ask me to teach all the time, and I have no formal training. It is hard for me to come to terms with the fact that they ask because they like what I do, NOT because of my past education. Maybe they like what I do because no one ever “taught” me what I could or couldn’t do.

  20. I often chide myself for my stifled and often times, paltry productivity. I too explore many, many blogs and websites daily. I gather ideas like ripe and gorgeous cherries in a basket. I am hopeful and inspired yet a ditherer at heart. Despite my shortcoming I live with the precept that the world is “everyone’s oyster” and therefore the notion of owning an idea is not plausible. Why then is it so hard to take the step from great idea to great work? I’m not lazy. I’m somewhere between baffled and mystified.
    You made my dream and goals real and therefore very possible today as i read your article. Thank you. You reaffirm the banter that goes on in my head. I have asked myself most of the questions you’ve proposed. Your affirmations incite enthusiasm. I’d like to thank you for your mantras.
    I have to stop harnessing my ideas and let them gush and ooze out of me.
    Salute!

  22. Charming. As an AARP member who gave up most dreams for “love”, the “marry well” rule really touched me. I would expand it to include ‘Date well, break up early and avoid optional drama in relationships’. Nothing can trash who you are and what you want to be like a discordant other in your life. Fortunately, I ain’t dead yet.

  23. this is a lovely amalgam of many other important (but slightly less interesting) messages going around the world wide web currently. i’m passing this on to my husband who teaches in the art and design program at finlandia university. i think he will find it a wonderful example of digestible inspiration for students (and everyone)

  25. @:ANONYMOUS -April 1st, 2011 at 6:04 am

    Nicely done. I wanted to blast back at Anna myself after reading that comment she left. -April 1st, 2011 at 3:14 am

    In regards to the “Nothing is Original” debate going on, you said:

    “This isn’t a clause to be lazy, it’s a statement for us to just let go and do things naturally”

    And you’re right, it’s not a CLAUSE, and to be fair to poor CHARLIE, I don’t believe he ever put it with that term.
    You did.
    Here you’ve given his comment a different sentiment than that which the original post -April 1st, 2011 at 12:44 am conveys.

    And that’s exactly the bane of the “Nothing is Original” statement itself. It ‘can’ seem to imply a state of apathy.
    You’ve show that there is simply an inverse of that as well.

    The thing with statements is that they need to be short, blunt and direct, so that the stick.
    The problem with this is they can often be left hollow and unclear in terms of how one should interpret the given sentiment.

    I think that’s the general point being made between the comments left by MATTHEW BELL & CHARLIE.

  27. Quite the BEST thing I’ve read in a long time. Some home truths came to light IMMEDIATELY when reading this. Thanks for a great post, and thanks for helping me understand my own strengths and weaknesses…!

  28. Thanks, Austin! This is well-put. In terms of originality, I agree: nothing is original. Everything has pretty much been written. The goal, as I see it, is to present my non-original thoughts in an original/authentic way.

  30. Wonderful. So many truths. I will be reading this again many times and sharing this as a “must read” w/ my friends! Thank you!!

  32. Wow Austin! Wish I read this yesterday morning BEFORE I spent an hour with my therapist trying to figure out why I can’t organize myself to get my buckles into the right markets to be noticed and not feeling worthy of the notice I do get!
    Off to my studio to do more of what I love and less time worrying!
    Thank you for posting this!

  33. What a great read. I usually try to look at other peoples artwork for inspiration. This has gave me more ideas than I have ever had.

  35. Well said. I am a visual artist, and not only love the writing, but the visuals are great. Likewise the citations.
    And the “SUM OF THE PARTS” I have already committed as the title for a solo show of my work this July, so you hit a common thread. Thanks.

  36. I heart this: The best way to vanquish your enemies on the internet? Ignore them. The best way to make friends on the internet? Say nice things about them.

    Also, I’m stealing this! I’m giving a workshop to teens on writing, and I’m going to tell them, “A smart man said, Don’t wait until you know who you are to make things.”

    Thank you.

  37. This is one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever read in a while, in fact, it gave me motivation to do push-ups and learn coding and just pick my guitar and play some and go outside and run and many more things. Thank you, sir. :)

  38. I love this! It’s so true that the side projects are the ones that blow up. My job has lately felt more like a day job than a professional career, thanks to a bookbinding hobby blown up.

  39. Wow! That’s was just the cup of tea I needed. I hope this little compilation of wisdom thrusts those creative geniuses out of their dormancy and encourages them to be break the bonds of social monotony.

  45. if you dont know you are stealing are you still stealing? what about global consciousness?
    have you heard of the monkeys experiment on a far east island? how the all did the same thing without knowing that the other group did the same. thoughts are energy.when people put them out there the create ideas in other people. soemtimes the same ideas. are they stealing? maybe instead of stealing you can say get inspired by such and such. like Gauguin and van gogh.

  46. Incredibly inspiring! Thank you for this. I’m in the process of writing three books at once (a block on one turns into an opportunity for another one), and my side projects are ALL blowing up at the same time. I’ve always thought I didn’t have a market, or that my market was very small, but you’ve assembled here all the reasons why I should do it anyway – and it’s turning out that there’s a bigger market out there for what I’m producing than I’d ever imagined! Cheers!

  47. Great work :) I have #11 for you:

    #11 – Everything is Art

    Everything, but everything, is Art. Speaking to people is Art (The Art of Public Speaking). Science is Art (The Creative process in Science). Business is art. Economics is Art. Absolutely everything we do that creates/destroys anything, of any kind, is Art. If you bring the creative process into everything you do, since everything we do IS creative, you’ll have a better handle on good results (you won’t fail QUITE so much, and your successes might be more solid and lasting).

  50. This was a very inspiring read — and completely and utterly TRUE! Art was always a hobby for me and it kind of blew up in my face. Now I make as much $ from my art as I do from my day job which – to this day – amazes me! The fact that anyone wants to pay me to create something from my hands is a blessing, and I thank God for it everyday.

    Loved reading this – thanks!

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