Austin Kleon Quotes

In the end, merely imitating your heroes is not flattering them. Transforming their work into something of your own is how you flatter them. Adding something to the world that only you can add.

In the meantime, if you're not into the world you live in, you can build your own world around you.[...]Surround yourself with books and objects that you love. Tape things up on the wall. Create your own world.

If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.

When I’m stuck in the morning and I don’t know what to write about in my diary, I’ll modify the pros-and-cons list. I’ll draw a line down the middle of the page, and in one column I’ll list what I’m thankful for, and in the other column, I’ll write down what I need help with. It’s a paper prayer.

You have to remember that your work is something you do, not who you are.

We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.” — Walt Disney

Think about your favourite work and your creative heroes. What did they miss? What didn't they make? What could've been made better? If they were still alive, what would they be making today? If all your favourite makers got together and collaborated, what would they make with you leading the crew?

Art that only comes from the head isn't any good.

The worst thing a day job does is take time away from you, but it makes up for that by giving you a daily routine in which you can schedule a regular time for your creative pursuits. Establishing and keeping a routine can be even more important than having a lot of time.

you want attention only after you’re doing really good work. There’s no pressure when you’re unknown. You can do what you want. Experiment. Do things just for the fun of it. When you’re unknown, there’s nothing to distract you from getting better.

See something worth stealing? Put it in the swipe file. Need a little inspiration? Open up the swipe file. Newspaper reporters call this a “morgue file” — I like that name even better. Your morgue file is where you keep the dead things that you’ll later reanimate in your work.

Establishing and keeping a routine can be even more important than having a lot of time. Inertia is the death of creativity.

Marcel Duchamp said, “I don’t believe in art. I believe in artists.

It takes a lot of energy to be creative. You don’t have that energy if you waste it on other stuff.

Share what you love, and the people who love the same things will find you.