The Taste Gap

Why it’s hard to make things we love

April 04, 2022

Hey there —

Creators always start projects with a vision for where they want to take things.

Maybe they have a great idea for a viral YouTube video. 🎥

Or a crime novel that just has to be written. 🔪

But what happens when you open up your laptop and things don’t go according to plan? The vision you originally had doesn’t come out the way you intended. It’s a little bit wonky, a little bit basic, a little bit… meh.

So what gives? Why isn’t your work as good as you dreamt it would be?

Are you not talented enough? Are you out of your depth? Should you give it all up and go back to your cubicle to push paper with Jim Halpert for the rest of your life?

Of course not.

The problem is that your skills haven’t caught up to your vision. Yet. This is what Ira Glass calls, "The Taste Gap."

“We get into this because we have good taste. But there’s a gap for the first couple of years – what you’re making isn’t so good. It’s trying to be good, it has ambition to be good, but it’s not quite that good.”

So how can you close the gap between your skill and your vision? And how can you create like the people who inspire you?

Keep going.

Great work takes time. There’s no race to the finish line, and no deadline for producing your best work.

Plenty of creatives didn’t hit their stride until later in life:

  • Clint Eastwood directed his first film at age 41.

  • Ridley Scott didn’t see success until he was 42 with his hit Alien.

  • Ava DuVernay was 42 when she broke through with Selma.

These directors didn’t just wake up one day and decide to make an award-winning film. They worked at their craft for years, learning the basics. Then they learned how to do it better, until their skills matched their vision.

Some people never start because they’re afraid they won’t be as good as they dream.

And you won’t. At least, in the beginning.

Success comes to those who keep going (and create a load of 💩 along the way).

Don’t be afraid of your big ideas. Use them as a North Star to guide you.

And the next time you feel frustrated and ready to give up, remember it’s only because you know how good you can be.

The Creative Process in 43 Hayao Miyazaki Screengrabs

Twitter thread | by Mason Currey

You may know him as the creator of Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or My Neighbor Totoro — childhood classics that still keep us smiling on sick days in bed.

Miyazaki has been creating remarkable stories for almost 60 years, but still suffers through the same creative stages as the rest of us: frustration, distraction, naps, food, gardening, and taking all day to write a single page.

Next time you’re in a rut, remember that you’re in great company.

An Ad a Day Challenge

Creativity prompt | by Jeremy Carson

Can you make an ad a day, every day, for one month?

That’s Jeremy Carson’s challenge for aspiring copywriters, designers, and creative directors. Pick a brand, start the clock, and smash something out. You might be surprised by what you can come up with!

Some will be terrible, some will be great – some may even be worth putting into your portfolio. Best of all, you’ll clear out the cobwebs and get creating.

Written by Becky Carruthers