This is by no means a comprehensive guide to stealing like an artist, as it is its own art form, and not one many master. Stealing like an artist does not mean plagiarism, copyright infringement, or intellectual theft. The phrase is misleading in that sense. It does mean taking elements of other people’s work that you really enjoyed and incorporating it into your own work. It does not involve using the same exact words, but it does mean adapting some things you really enjoy about the other author’s work to fit your own style and story. It is not illegal. Not even if you steal the entire premise of the book. It is perfectly okay to do as long as it is fundamentally your own, different from the original. It may involve new characters and a similar story but wildly different plot points and ending. It may mean incorporating a setting you love, or some details that stand out in your mind. It is truly using someone else’s vision as inspiration to help bring your own vision to life.
Just for fun, I have created a loose step-by-step guide to stealing like an artist for writers:
- Read fiction – preferably a lot of it.
Some writers say that they never read, but few (if any) successful authors will say that. Reading is how we get inspiration. It is how we learn new words and new ideas and new ways to bring characters to life. It helps us construct a better plot structure, understand the various methods of storytelling. Reading diversely will give better ideas on how to describe people, places, and things we are not normally exposed to in our everyday lives. It helps us recognize when we are writing well versus writing like an amateur. Most importantly, it helps inspire us to use elements of stories we love reading when we are writing. Stealing like an artist begins with finding the ideas you would like to adapt to your own story and style, so you absolutely must read. - Explore other kinds of art – preferably daily.
Writing is its own art, but we need to use words to paint pictures, and sometimes we can get inspired by looking at images that would fit into our stories. If your character is a modern art enthusiast, look at modern art daily. If you are worldbuilding, look at raw pictures of nature by stellar photographers. If you are looking to describe a character, scroll the hashtag ‘selfie’ on Instagram or investigate something like TikTok or YouTube where you can be exposed to a wide variety of people you do not know. If you are looking to set the tone for your scene, look up photography for similar moments. If you are trying to imagine things that are not real and having a difficult time, search sites such as Pinterest, Instagram, and DeviantArt for things visual artists have created. If you are writing fantasy, devour fantasy-based art and films. If you are writing historical fiction, dive into period movies and pay attention to the settings, the costumes, the hairstyles. If you are writing horror, watch a horror TV show, movie, or short video every day. Listen to podcasts on your subject matter. Immerse yourself in all the potentially inspiring things available. - Use the internet – no, really, do it.
I know so many people say that the internet is a distraction when you should be writing, and that can be true, but it can also be a useful tool. Dive into Wikipedia. Research everything you can for your story. Read collections of personal stories where people discuss defining moments in their lives, their most terrifying experiences, the supernatural, moments of faith – there is a wealth of these articles and they are a goldmine for writing inspiration. Get on Reddit and read short stories or even two-sentence horror stories and get down to what really makes a story compelling to read regardless of the person’s writing ability. Look at fan art or fanfiction for stories similar to what you are writing and see what it is the fans want to see the most. Read book reviews for similar stories and see what people do and do not like. - Talk to human beings – a tough one, I know.
The humans in your life are full of interesting stories, whether or not either of you realizes it at the time. If you have a character that is similar in personality to someone you know, listen to what they say about themselves and their past experiences. As long as you do not entirely rip off their story, simply adapt it to fit your character, you could have a gold mine around you. From insights into personality to minor details about small town life versus big city living, so much can come from talking to people who are different in most ways from yourself. It will make your storytelling more authentic.
The devil really is in the details when it comes to art. Details make art, especially writing, more believable, easier to get lost in. Having details that bring your story to life is critical to keeping the reader engaged, but coming up with those details on your own is incredibly difficult, which is why we must all learn to steal like artists from time to time.
What is your favorite way to steal?
— J.A. Steckling
