Source: The Van Gogh Gallery
Thought for the Week: How to Hit the Creative Bullseye
When you’re “a creative,” i.e., a person who creates original works of any type, you struggle continually to make something meaningful. Your art form—writing, music, photography, whatever—probably has some kind of “rules.” But following those rules, or breaking them for that matter, doesn’t guarantee a meaningful result. Does anything? Yes! And I can sum it up in a single word:
Nazz.
I’m guessing you want an explanation. When I was young, as a member of “the next Beatles,” I was constantly trying to figure out what made a song memorable. And then I stumbled on a singer-songwriter named Todd Rundgren who’d written and produced a string of infectious singles. Like me, Todd had sought to find that “something.” He found it, and went on to be one of the most influential music producers in history.
Analyzing what he found, I realized that, literally, all memorable songs ring three bells, as it were, and I dubbed this combination “nazz” in honor of Todd’s first band, The Nazz. Later, after spotting it in Van Gogh’s paintings and in a jazz ballet by Alvin Ailey, I realized nazz was the “something,” the bullseye for virtually all creative forms.
Creating nazz means creating something that, to your viewers, listeners, or readers:
- Is unexpected, a melody that juxtaposes notes or chords in a way they didn’t anticipate, or a story with a plot turn they didn’t see coming (the transitions in “Yesterday,” the set-up for Les Misérables, or the ending of The Sixth Sense), and yet…
- Instantly feels “right” or necessary when they see, hear, or experience it (which means bell #1 can’t simply be random or meaningless), and therefore…
- Surprises them, creating a sense of delight or fascination that lingers, and maybe even haunts them long afterward.
And there it is. Easy to say, hard to accomplish. But hopefully now, as a creative, you’ll at least have a little better sense of what that bullseye looks like. It looks like, well…
Nazz.
Great insight! Thank you!
My pleasure, Frank!
Some days, I got no Nazz. 😄 usually means it’s time to take a break.
;>)
Nazz sets the creativity bar high, for sure!
You summed it up beautifully and succinctly! I only wish it was as simple to achieve. :}
Still, no problem for us creative geniuses, right, Teresa? ;>)
I think nazz is especially important when you are creating something that folks will tend to think is some kind of rehash of existing art; like a story that seems familiar or a scripture they think has already been interpreted every possible way or a connection between one ‘common’ thing and another… And may the nazz be with you.
May the nazz be with you. ;>) I like that, Ed!
How interesting. I actually came to many of the same conclusions on my own parallel analysis. The reason “Luke, I am your father,” works so well is not just because it was unexpected, but because in spite of being unexpected, it immediately rings as more true than the version of the story we had before, and it opens up the narrative ahead to go to more exciting and meaningful places.
Contrast that to the subversion in something like The Last Jedi, which discredits all that came before and narrows the narrative into something less magical and hopeful. It doesn’t have nazz!
Great observation, Abe!
Love this! Thank you, Mitch! 💝
My pleasure, Vicki❣
I wanted to be clever here, but alas, I hazz no nazz at the moment.
;>) But you does hazz wit, Nancy.
Great post. You nailed it! Thanks!
Mitch, love how you coined the word “jazz,” with a new creative meaning. There are creative forms that capture my attention. Van Gought always had my attention.
Nazz, actually. And thank you, Hazel.
Yes, Mitch, knew it was nazz but autocorrect changed it to jazz. 🥹
Good old AutoCorrect. 😣
Yep
The ability to hit the nail on the head, and really get it!
Blessings
Thanks, you too, Pete.
This profound recipe for success also applies to art, although like everything else, beauty and perfection is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone need agree on the final product. Thanks as always for your wise words.
My privilege, Christopher.
Wonderful advice! Nazz. I’ll remember that. 😊
👍 ;>)
Brilliant. van Gogh would be smiling.
🧡
Art comes out of nothing. Its a fog. An Idea. And a trap; when you come in these dead end street: Building pictures, records, movies, – but nobody cares…
So some people are killing the artist inside quickly in there youth – and choose the 9 to 5 job and get bored themself to death… (I don’t know, is this the grammatical right sentence in english. But I know very well, what am I writing about.)
🙂 Nazz means Nazz-areth to me. One of my favourite Bands. And “Snazz” is a big live-Album.
But Todd Rundgren – hm. As Producer of “Bat out of hell” okay, a giant.
As Producer of Hall&Oates third Album before – nope.
So I wasn’t interessted in his own records. … hm … should I get into it?
Check him out, Bludgeon. He’s had a long and incredibly varied career.