In Keep Going Kleon offers solid advice on staying creative, true to your work, and on avoiding burnout—all of which can be applied to life across the board however your creativity is expressed. I found his 10 tips basic but important to hear and well laid out. Don’t just give this to artists! Everyone who finds themselves trying to maintain their passion and drive in whatever field could use this.

I just think that every body who likes to be creative or already doing creative things should read this book. The book is written in a way that the author proves his point concisely aides with illistrations, quotes, and witty prose.

This is the first book I’ve read written by the author. I find this one really good that I would like to read the rest of his books.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest view.

As a creative person, as an artist, and as someone who frequently deals with the doubt/anxiety that accompanies both of those personalities, it becomes increasingly evident to me that I need a list of books that are will feed my survival. It will grow—this list—, certainly never diminish, and this is one such book.

This is the first book I have read by Austin Kleon. I am familiar with his work through social media because my sister led me to him after she read his previous books. Apparently I must remedy this error immediately, any excuse to buy more books and to read more ART encouraging words… yes please, sign me up.

From the beginning his words captured my attention for their simple, straightforward, and soul quenching honesty. I could easily have devoured this book in a matter of hours. However, I wanted to savor the ideas and for the book to not end. When I wasn’t reading it I found myself dwelling on his ideas and encouragement throughout my day; so much pondering and self-reflection. His chapter titles alone could be enough to read and find moments of creativity hope.

I took an amazing amount of notes while reading ‘Keep Going’. Austin even states at the beginning of the book that many of the ideas come from other artists, or rather he ‘stole’ them and he hopes you will steal them too. Reading felt like one continuous huzzah moment and “oh wait let me write that down and oh that too”. In other words be prepared to jot and jot some more.

He captures a practice I came across in one of my favorite podcasts so well. On the podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text (Book 2, Episode 18) they discussed Florilegia and one such element of it being the ‘book of sparklets’. The reader would look for the sentence or words that sparkled at them while they were reading. Collected over time and bound in the form of a book, eventually this became their Florilegium. This is a monastic medieval practice, but in every sense of the practice Austin not only practices it in his own life (whether he knows of this or not I just made this connection while enjoying his book), he causes you, the reader, to begin to capture your own ‘sparklets’. You will create a Florilegium, you will Keep Going, you will have many aha moments, and ultimately I trust (I promise) you will find this an incredibly encouraging read.

Our world needs more light and more art.

“You start each work not knowing exactly where you’re going or where you’ll end up. ‘Art is the highest form of hope,’ said painter Gerhard Richter. But hope is not about knowing how things will turn out – it is moving forward in the face of uncertainty.”

This definitely is a book for my survival list and it is absolutely one I believe should be reread and gifted, to artists and non-artists alike.

Thank you to NetGalley and Workman Publishing Company for sending me this book to review, but most importantly thank you to Austin Kleon for doing what you do.

Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon will be available to purchase April 2, 2019.

More reading (and soon to be in my pile):

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon

Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon

I strongly encourage you *wink, wink* to purchase these from your local independent bookstore!

Austin Kleon's latest book comes in his familiar design and layout. It's a good little number to keep coming back to at times, but ultimately doesn't offer anything too different from his previous endeavours. Worth reading, if nothing else, at least as a reminder to keep going.

I LOVED this! It’s full of helpful tips to harness your creativity but also offers a piece of comfort. I feel like it’s one of those books that I will keep going back to & rereading often.

I love the cover & the font used. The little comics are quirky and I enjoyed the quotes.

I’d definitely gift this to people!

I am IN LOVE with this book.
It could very easily end up being my favourite book of the year, even at this early stage.

I think there's something about the world that we live in that just needs more positivity. More hope. And somehow in the short 200 or so pages in 'Keep Going' I feel revived and ready to take on the world anew.
I tend not to take these sorts of tip/self-help books so seriously, but THIS? My folks, THIS was brilliant. I feel so enlightened and inspired by not only Austin's words but all of the quotes that he included. I'm a quotes person, I am, but these were so meaningful that I'm here clicking my fingers and applauding like I was watching slam poetry. Plus all of the anecdotes of all the creatives - writers, artists, etc. were AH-mazing.
You know how people often ask you what is the one book you would recommend to EVERYONE? Y'all. This is the one. I feel particularly inspired to hand a copy to all the creative people in my life and also all of those who are in year 12 and beginning university. This was soul food and my soul is now FULL.
Needless to say, when this book hits the shelves I will be buying multiple copies.
Austin Kleon, sir, you have yourself a new fan.

Another gem from Austin Kleon full of wisdom, advice and inspiration! I can’t wait to get my own copy to read again and share with others.

Review unable to be fully written, as this expired before I had had a chance to read it in full.

That said, it came at a very important time in my life personally, and I look forward to purchasing this book to finish soon.

When I saw there was an Austin Kleon book coming out, I knew it was an occasion to celebrate. I was super excited when I got the approval email from netgalley, and not-shockingly, I read the whole wonderful book in one sitting. (I am sure he would tell me to slow down, savor, and appreciate the book. But I couldn't. I will just have to reread it so I can do that the second time around.)

I've read several of Austin Kleon's books and this has the same format as the others. It's a little book, full of wisdom. I highlighted so many parts of the book that I am not sure I can capture all of them here.

I am not a full-time artist, I don't make a living on art, or even make any money, but as someone who has stopped spending time being creative in the last year, I knew this book would help get me back on track.

And so much of the wisdom here is exactly what I am trying to implement to bring art/journaling back into my life. Here are some of the notes I took:
- a daily routine and observe, where are the spaces in my day (maybe i can book a 30 minute meeting at work to do art? could I pull that off?)
- choosing what I spend my time on (am I spending my time the way I want do, what am I doing on automatic?)
- make a list of all the todos, make a list of all the won't dos, make a list of all the want to learns
- i loved the journaling idea of thankful/"need help with"
- make a list of all i did that day, what i want from tomorrow, and then be done with the day (i love this as the ritual of letting the day go.) i also loved the idea of letting the day be (instead of crumpling it up.)
- "If you wait for someone to give you a job title before you do the work, you might never get to do the work at all." This is so true in so many areas. At my job, too!
- Practicing art is helps make your soul grow. so important for me to remember!
- i liked the idea about rereading my diaries. a bit scary, too :)
- i also loved the idea of visiting the past, reading old books, I should read some Seneca!
- i also loved remembering that art (like many things) happens in cycles and that maybe i was in a quiet cycle for the last year or so.

This is just a sampling of what I highlighted in this lovely book bursting with wonderful inspiration and quiet wisdom. It's a book I will keep coming back to again and again.

This book is brimming with original and practical advice on how to stay creative and focussed when the going gets tough. I loved the format of the book, and the layout was perfectly suited to dipping into when the need arises. The selection of quotes used were excellent and very relevant. A great book for any creative person to keep on the shelf as an easy rescue remedy or even just as a feel good read. Thank you

I'm a huge fan of Austin Kleon's books. I've read all of them and I'll read anything he writes. Keep Going is no exception. Highly recommended.

This is the most practical book on creativity I have ever seen! It is full of down to earth wisdom, peppered with just the right amount of humor. I’m going to buy this for every creative person I know when it comes out, including myself! Highly, highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Keep Going by Austin Kleon is an exhortation to anyone doing creative work. Life happens - people die, we get discouraged, distracted, hurt, ill and old, but in all these the author encourages creators everywhere to let go, develop routines, take walks, and seek solitude among other things. One of the keys to creating, regardless of what lie throws at us, is to focus on today. The author writes, "It is not the experience of today that drives men mad. It is remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday or the dread of what tomorrow may bring."

Austin Kleon warns that those who hide behind their creative work to make themselves and other people miserable are doing the world a disservice and are better off doing something different than art. He writes, "If making your art is ruining anyone's life, including your own, itis not worth making...find something else to do with your time, something that makes you and the people around you feel more alive. The world doesn't necessarily need more great artists. It needs more decent human beings."

Keep Going reads like a book from the heart. I recommend it to those jaded from years of work as well as those giddy from starting.

Many thanks to Workman Publishing for review copy.

I enjoyed Kleon's previous works. I appreciate his honest approach to being a creative type: It isn't easy, and it's what we are called to do, so it can take work to find balance, and continue creating when we don't feel like it.
I like Keep Going best of Kleon's books because it's broken down into 10 chunks that address different aspects off living a creative life. As always, there is humor, unique poems and illustrations, plus plenty of quotes and advice from other creatives.

This book is a to the point reminder of what we need to do to remain creative despite the chaos of the world around us. Entertainingly illustrated and peppered with encouraging quotes from other creatives. Kleon has pulled together the 10 things that creatives need to know about creating, but often lose sight of when we get frustrated or bogged down in the negativity that is so present at this moment. This lovely book is the perfect gift for a creative who seems to be struggling or second guessing their passion.

I liked Austin Kleon's first two works.
They were short and to the point, acting as a reminder of what, how and why we do art and creative work.
I also enjoyed Keep Going, which as a procrastinator, I do struggle with the most. He's making the reader reflect on why we do what we do and what we as individual artists want to express.
A cute compendium that fits on every artists shelf. The perfect SOS book to grab if you are in a slump and need a pick up.

I received a copy from Netgalley and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I thought this book was great. It's a short read that offers plenty of motivation to keep working on the stuff that makes you excited, and it made me want to continue my work. As any other artist, I often feel the sense of futility with my work. What's the point? Austin Kleon's book makes a resounding statement that we should care about our work, and that it is important.

I really liked the brevity of the book. Too often I think we have the tendency to try and expound forever on a topic, but sometimes it's worth being brief and to the point.

I highly recommend this book to any other person looking to do work that matters.

Full disclosure: I am a massive Austin Kleon fan. His writing has been influential in my professional, personal and creative lives.

Keep Going feels like an important book for everyone, not just creative people to read. Kleon distils so many positive suggestions into this square little book. The fact that it might be seen as a book for creative folk is a shame. It should be read widely.

We live in chaotic times. Kleon suggests ways to deal with the omnipresent dread of those times. There is frank talk about ways to find joy, and how to, as suggested by the title, keep going. Yes, it is a natural progression from his previous books, and suggests methods for sustaining one's creative work, but the magic of Kleon is that he doesn't delineate a border between your sense of creativity and your soul... This is a book for the whole human, reminding you to keep going.