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Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice for Creatives Paperback – October 3, 2017

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 538 ratings

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From the Publisher

Things Are What You Make of Them by Adam Kurtz
Life advice for anyone who makes anything. From the Author of 1 Page at a time & Pick me Up
Things Are What You Make of Them by Adam Kurtz
Things Are What You Make of Them by Adam Kurtz
1 Page at a Time Pick Me Up Things are what you make of them You Are Here (For Now)
1 Page at a Time Pick Me Up Things Are What You Make of Them You Are Here (For Now)
365 prompts to help readers tap into their creativity by encouraging them to draw, write, list, reflect, and share. An intimate and engaging journal for anyone who loves to explore ideas, record thoughts and feelings, and capture those fleeting but amazing moments of everyday life. Insights and inspiration for anyone who makes art (or anything else). A collection of essays and artwork that explores mental health, identity, handling setbacks, and more.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Funny, wry, straightforward advice" -Adweek

"Pursuing art in all its forms, whether professionally or not, requires so much resilience and faith. Adam J. Kurtz's 
Things Are What You Make of Them is full of pick-me-ups and reminders that you are more than your self-doubt, and certainly you aren't alone in them. -BuzzFeed

"Serving up optimism and hope" 
-NYLON

"All of Adam J. Kurtz's words are filled with wit, warmth, wonder and wisdom." 
-Alanis Morissette

"Advice from someone who's been there" 
-Teen Vogue

"This brilliant, life-affirming book is chock full of audacious advice to help creative people make sense of rejection, failure, false starts, fame, happiness and collaborations." 
-Debbie Millman, host of Design Matters podcast

"Kind, generous and empowering" 
-Cool Hunting

"Highly relatable and will make you laugh, cry and feel less crazy than you think you are. You're actually fine!" 
-Man Repeller

"A colorful, encouraging companion" 
-Forbes

"In 
Things Are What You Make of Them, Kurtz shares mini-essays of how he deals with the intangibles that can keep people stuck, overwhelmed, or afraid to move forward. He also confronts the idea of what concepts like happiness and success look like to people in creative or more traditional industries." -Refinery29

"Delivers the big pep talks you need" 
-HelloGiggles
"The book is divided into 12 color-coded sections, which run the gamut from the practical -- 
How to Stay Sane When You Work from Home and Working with Friends and Family -- to the existential -- How to Begin Again and How to be Happier. The advice is geared towards creatives, but honestly, these nuggets of wisdom are valuable mood boosters for people in any career path." -Bustle

"This life-affirming book has the feel of a personal diary, with hand-lettered text and heartfelt but practical advice. The perfect handbook for the creative soul in need of a gentle kick-start." -The Advocate

About the Author

Adam J. Kurtz is a designer, artist and author of 1 Page at a Time and Pick Me Up, which have been published in over a dozen languages each. His “very personal” work for clients like Strand Bookstore and Urban Outfitters has been featured in NYLON, PRINT, VICE, BuzzFeed and more.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ TarcherPerigee (October 3, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143131516
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143131519
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.2 x 0.42 x 6.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 538 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
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Adam J. Kurtz (aka "Adam JK") is a designer, artist, and speaker. His books have been published in more than a dozen languages, and his offbeat creative work has been featured in Nylon, Adweek, Vice, The New Yorker, and more.

Kurtz's OK Tarot deck, an indie hit, was re-released by Penguin Random House in September 2022. Follow @adamjk for art and updates.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
538 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 6, 2017
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5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for creatives, but relatable for EVERYONE!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 6, 2017
I have always been a fan of Adam's work because it is sarcastic, funny, inspiring but my favorite part is that it's relatable. He does an excellent job at reaching to his audience and making us feel like we are friends without even personally knowing each other. I have read this book twice since I got it and it's by far, one of my favorite books (& I read A LOT). I believe it to be an essential for creatives, but anyone can relate to it too. I am a photographer & every single word touched home, but my best friend is nowhere near the art side of life (she's a chemist) & she liked it too. This book gives us answers to the typical questions like "How to be happy?" by telling us very straight forward that there is not such a thing as an 100% happy life, but instead happy moments. It can be an easy read or a more deep one depending on how you feel at the moment, which is one of my favorite parts. This book also allows you to tear up the pages and either give them away or display them on a wall, as you'd desire. Lastly, this book makes you want to share it with others (I have already bought a copy to give to all my friends for the holidays).
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 2, 2018
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5.0 out of 5 stars Meaningful, helpful, and comforting advice...
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 2, 2018
This book is great. Reading it is like listening to that sarcastic but really kind and wise friend who always knows what to say. It’s like a guide for creatives of all kinds because it’s soooo relatable. The creative industry is crazy competitive so it’s wonderful to see someone like Adam offer real advice and share what he learned with others. The book is great for people who are trying to make it AND ones who have already made it. I loved it so much, I ordered more copies for friends, who also enjoyed reading it. The coolest physical feature about the book is that you can tear out the pages you like most and frame them or hang them on your wall, which is something I love to do. To sum it all up, this book is a collection of meaningful, helpful, and comforting advice and you should definitely get it!
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2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 2, 2018
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 5, 2018
11 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 1, 2018
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 18, 2018
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Roberta Kaori Kassama
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Madison Veitch
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