Keep Going – by Austin Kleon
Date read: 12/3/19. Recommendation: 7/10.
If you haven’t read any of his work before, Kleon’s stuff is great. It’s bite-sized inspiration for creativity and perseverance. You can get through the book in less than an hour. I dig into his books after a lull when I need to reengage myself with a creative jolt. The ideas that resonated strongest with me in this book were the importance of disconnecting, lowering the stakes, and creative reflection. To observe, you have to immerse yourself in the world. But being creative is also about retreating and tuning out the noise so you’re able to figure out what you’re trying to say. Kleon also suggests we think about our art as making gifts for people (à la John Greene), in the sense that the goal is to reach and connect with a single person. That’s what will keep you going.
See my notes below or Amazon for details and reviews.
My Notes:
Disconnect for Creativity:
“You must retreat from the world long enough to think, practice your art, and bring forth something worth sharing with others.” AK
“It’s hard to find anything to say about life without immersing yourself in the world, but it’s also just about impossible to figure out what it might be, or how to best say it, without getting the hell out of it again.” Tim Kreider
“The greatest need of our time is to clean out the enormous mass of mental and emotional rubbish that clutters our minds and makes of all political and social life a mass illness. Without this housecleaning, we cannot begin to see. Unless we see, we cannot think.” Thomas Merton
“Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads and idiots and movie stars.” Dorothea Tanning
“The phone gives us a lot but it takes away three key elements of discovery: loneliness, uncertainty, and boredom. Those have always been where creative ideas come from.” Lynda Barry
Lower the Stakes:
“The great artists are able to retain this sense of playfulness throughout their careers. Art and the artists both suffer most when the artist gets too heavy, too focused on results.” AK
This is similar to Derek Sivers idea of making your art your main relaxing activity.
Make gifts for people: “Don’t make stuff because you want to make money—it will never make you enough money. And don’t make stuff because you want to get famous—because you will never feel famous enough. Make gifts for people—and work hard on making those gifts in the hope that people will notice and like the gifts.” John Greene
Focus your attention on reaching and connecting with one person. This is the ultimate goal.
Do things that make you and the people around you come alive. If your art is making you and those around you miserable, stop. “The world doesn’t necessarily need more great artists. It needs more decent human beings.” AK
Reflection:
If you’re trying to determine what you’ve been trying to say, read through your old journals or work. Distill the themes. This will give you insight into what you’re trying to say and what you should do next.
Creativity has seasons. You’re not a robot. Allow yourself to live and embrace the influences of each season.