Author

Austin Kleon

24 key ideas across 3 books, each explained in our own words.

Keep Going

IDEA 1
Treat each day as fresh
Kleon suggests living as if every day is Groundhog Day: forget past successes and failures and focus on doing today's work. A daily routine and a simple list help carry you through uncertain stretches, one day at a time.
IDEA 2
Build a bliss station
A bliss station is a time and place where you are cut off from the world and can focus on your work. Kleon recommends protecting such a space every day, especially from the news and phone notifications.
IDEA 3
Forget the noun, do the verb
Kleon advises forgetting job titles and chasing the activity itself. Wanting to be called a writer is less helpful than wanting to write. Paying attention to the doing keeps work playful and less tied to status.

IDEA 1
Creativity grows in a scenius
Kleon prefers the idea of scenius, a whole scene of people sharing and learning, to the myth of the lone genius. You do not need to be brilliant to contribute; being a generous member of a creative community is enough.
IDEA 2
Amateurs have an advantage
Kleon encourages people to share as amateurs, learning in public. Beginners are curious and unafraid to show rough work, and others often learn more from someone just a few steps ahead than from a distant expert.
IDEA 3
Share your process, not just results
Instead of hiding work until it is finished, Kleon suggests showing the process: sketches, notes, mistakes and progress. Documenting how you work builds a connection with people who become interested in what you make.

IDEA 1
All creative work builds on others
Kleon argues that nothing is completely original; every new idea mixes earlier ones. Good artists study and borrow from many sources and transform them, while bad copying means taking one source and passing it off as your own.
IDEA 2
Collect influences and their influences
Kleon suggests building a family tree of your heroes: study someone you admire, then study who inspired them. Gathering ideas from many branches gives you a richer mix to remix into something that is yours.
IDEA 3
Start before you know yourself
You do not need a clear identity before making things, Kleon says. By imitating heroes and practising, you gradually discover your own style. Making work is how you figure out who you are, not the other way around.

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