Austin Kleon Creativity Collection – Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work! & Keep Going – 3 Book Set

Three Essential Books for Building a Creative Life

Build your creativity, learn how to share your work and discover how to keep going when motivation becomes difficult with this three-book Austin Kleon collection.

The set includes:

Steal Like an Artist

Show Your Work!

Keep Going

Together, these books form Austin Kleon’s bestselling illustrated trilogy about creativity in the modern world.

Rather than focusing on complicated theories about creativity, Kleon presents practical ideas using short chapters, illustrations, quotes and straightforward advice.

The three books can be read individually, but together they create a natural creative journey:

Find ideas → Make your work → Share your work → Keep creating

Book 1 – Steal Like an Artist

10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Steal Like an Artist begins with a provocative idea:

Nothing is completely original.

Instead of waiting for a completely unique idea to appear, Kleon encourages readers to study the creators they admire, learn from different influences and transform those influences into something personal.

Hachette describes the book as an illustrated guide designed to help readers unlock their creativity in the digital age.

The book explores ideas such as:

• Learn from people you admire
• Start before you feel completely ready
• Create what you would personally like to see
• Use your hands
• Maintain hobbies and side projects
• Share good work with others
• Build useful routines
• Simplify your creative process

Book Details

ISBN: 9780761169253
Pages: 160
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Publication: 28 February 2012.

Approximate physical specifications for matching paperback stock:

Weight: 0.270 kg
Dimensions: approximately 15.2 × 15.2 × 1.6 cm.

Book 2 – Show Your Work!

10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered

Once you begin creating, the next question is:

How do people discover your work?

Show Your Work! focuses on sharing your creative process without relying on aggressive self-promotion.

Kleon encourages readers to make their work visible by sharing small pieces of the process consistently.

His approach focuses on generosity:

• Share what you are learning
• Explain how you work
• Teach useful things
• Give credit to others
• Tell stories
• Build relationships
• Avoid becoming spammy
• Keep producing work

Austin Kleon describes the book as especially useful for people who dislike the idea of traditional self-promotion.

Book Details

ISBN: 9780761178972
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Publication: 6 March 2014.

Approximate physical specifications:

Weight: 0.280 kg
Dimensions: approximately 15.2 × 15.2 × 1.8 cm.

Book 3 – Keep Going

10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad

Starting creative work is one challenge.

Continuing is another.

Keep Going focuses on what happens after the excitement of beginning disappears.

Creative people face:

• Burnout
• Distraction
• Self-doubt
• Lack of motivation
• External pressure
• Uncertainty
• Creative blocks

Kleon offers ten practical ideas for staying productive and continuing meaningful creative work.

The author explains that creativity is not simply a straight journey toward a finish line—it is an ongoing cycle that requires routines, attention and persistence.

Topics include:

• Building daily routines
• Creating a personal creative space
• Focusing on actions instead of labels
• Making things for others
• Paying attention to ordinary life
• Avoiding destructive creative attitudes
• Allowing yourself to change
• Tidying your workspace
• Going outside
• Thinking long term

Book Details

ISBN: 9781523506644
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Publication: 2 April 2019.

Approximate physical specifications:

Weight: 0.280–0.282 kg
Dimensions: approximately 15.4 × 15.4 × 1.6 cm.

How the Three Books Work Together

The trilogy follows a useful progression.

Steal Like an Artist

Learn how to develop ideas and start creating.

Show Your Work!

Learn how to share what you create and reach people.

Keep Going

Learn how to continue creating even when things become difficult.

This makes the collection especially suitable for:

• Artists
• Designers
• Writers
• Content creators
• Entrepreneurs
• Students
• Photographers
• Developers
• Social-media creators
• Small-business owners
• Anyone starting a creative career

Who Will Enjoy This Set?

This set may particularly appeal to readers interested in:

• Creativity
• Personal development
• Productivity
• Creative careers
• Entrepreneurship
• Art and design
• Writing
• Content creation
• Building an audience
• Motivation
• Creative confidence
• Overcoming creative blocks

The books are short, visual and easy to revisit, making the set useful both for complete reading and as an ongoing reference.

About Austin Kleon

Austin Kleon is a bestselling author and artist whose work focuses on creativity in the digital age.

His books include:

• Steal Like an Artist
• Show Your Work!
• Keep Going
• The Steal Like an Artist Journal
• Newspaper Blackout

Hachette identifies Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work! and Keep Going as his trilogy of illustrated creativity books.

Austin Kleon’s official site also confirms that the three titles make up the Steal Like an Artist trilogy.