Resurfacing Some Old Posts on Stealing Creatively

12 Nov 2026 #misc

Art is theft, Picasso said.

And if art is theft, Steal Like an Artist teaches how to steal.
I stole that book concept, a collection of 10 related but separate ideas, for 10 Surprisingly Simple Ideas That Changed My Life And Could Change Yours Too. And that’s only one of the ideas I’ve stolen.

When starting out, it’s tempting to chase originality.
But it’s easier to fingerprint something or make something old new again, just like love songs. Originality doesn’t come from isolation.

Once you’re stealing, not only steal the art, steal the process too: how the art is packaged, launched, and sold.

Once you’re copying from others, don’t try to copy from yourself. That seldom works.