How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part One

New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon has been called one of the most interesting people on the Internet by The Atlantic Magazine, and he stopped by The Writer Files to chat with me about creativity and the writing life.

Austin is the author of three illustrated books — Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! — guides I recommend to all writers seeking insights for tapping into your endless reserves of creativity and innovation.

In addition to being featured on NPR s Morning Edition, PBS Newshour, and The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Kleon speaks about creativity in the digital age for organizations as varied as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist.

In the first part of this two-part file, Austin Kleon and I discuss:

• Why You Should Read More Than You Write
• How a Paper Dictionary Can Improve Your Writing
• The Difference Between Little Writing and Big Writing
• Why You Should Research Out in the Open
• How Your Daily Ritual Can Save You from Failure
• 3 Symptoms of Writer’s Block and How to Cure Them
• Why You Should Print Your Work and Read It Aloud
• How to Harness the Power of Productive Procrastination

The Show Notes

• How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part Two
• Here s How Austin Kleon Writes
• AustinKleon.com
• Clive Thompson, The Pencil and the Keyboard: How The Way You Write Changes the Way You Think
• Elizabeth Gilbert: “Your elusive creative genius”
• Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
• Austin Kleon on Instagram
• Austin Kleon on Twitter
• Kelton Reid on Twitter

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