Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

One of Kleon’s suggestions is to write what you “love” instead of what you “know.” Discuss how the book presents the boundaries between these two concepts and what it suggests about artistic freedom.

One of the things Kleon stresses is the importance of having a creative community. Analyze how your community inspires or helps your creative process. What things could you seek out to fill any gaps your analysis identifies?

Kleon draws his reader’s attention to barriers that might be holding artists back in their creative process. Explore the nature of these barriers as Kleon sees them and consider the extent to which you feel they are expressive of his personal identity as an author. You might consider his nationality, class, background, education, race, gender, age and generational experience.

Think about the types of advice Kleon gives to artists: Some is about changing our ideas, and some is about changing our daily practices. Analyze how the book presents these two types of “self-work” as complementary.

Kleon provides an exercise for examining our “creative lineage.” How does Kleon present his own “creative lineage” throughout the book and how does this affect his voice and authority as an adviser?

Kleon writes about the role technology plays in the creative process. Discuss the ways in which technology is shown to be both a hindrance and a help to being creative in the modern age.

Kleon argues that making art works best when it feels like “play” rather than “work.” Consider the ways in which the contemporary literary environment and marketplace has shaped the author’s presentation of the traditional concepts of “amateur” and “professional” activities.

Kleon’s title and main thesis is to “steal like an artist” (2-3). Analyze his use of the word “steal” and what this diction brings to the book’s tone and message.