As part of your writing motivation, what does it mean to go for the jugular? It means to go for what you really want to say right from the start,
without any filter on it. No filter on your words, no filter on your emotions as they come out on the page.
Hemingway said, “Write hard and clear about what hurts.”
Conversely, go with what gives you extreme joy and inspiration.
It is a part of the whole writers thing where we are expected to rage against the world and point out all the shortcomings of everyone and everything and to be apoplectic about what happened to us in our past and how terrible things are now, etc etc.
So that standard advice of going for the jugular is what is being followed in this case. But if you have any sort of “gratitude practice” in your life then you most likely are able to go in an opposite direction, where you can express joy and inspiration and gratitude for living and all things around you.
Writing in a Flow State
The best writing with this is also done in a flow state, where you really let that joy out.
One way to practice this type of writing is to make yourself smile a big smile for a few seconds and then start writing. I know that sounds crazy and extremely fake but it works. When your body and mind feels that smile on your face it changes something inside if you let it and those feelings of joy and gratitude and inspiration can start flowing out through your words.
There is a “go for the jugular” sort of element here too which is go for the joy in its extreme, the gratitude in its extreme, the inspiration in its extreme just as far as you possibly can go with it. Write as fast as you possibly can and let that all flow and know that as you’re doing it when people read it that they will be feeling that joy and gratitude and inspiration just like you did when you wrote it and that it will be a blessing to the world.
In case you are interested, this sort of writing is in huge demand and there really isn’t much of it compared to the doom and gloom go for the jugular style of writing, which is what the news media specializes in. They have a phrase: “If it bleeds, it leads”.
Personally I’m very weary of that sort of approach and love the feeling that I get from writing opposite to that.
No Pollyanna
The thing to do though is to avoid the whole frogs and snails and puppy dog tails sort of pollyanna-ish approach that might be a temptation when writing with joy and gratitude and inspiration.
It can be avoided by simply not monitoring what your output is. Just let your mind flow and let whatever comes out come out. This will make it fresh and new and make it where it will connect with your readers. This sort of writing doesn’t have to be Dr Seuss-sounding at all.
Note – I love Dr Seuss. But there is a time and place for that type of writing.
People need and crave joy and inspiration in their lives and if you can give it to them from a genuine place then you will be giving them something that they can pass on to the world.
So go with that beginners mind, go with that flow and put yourself in that joyous inspired place and then start writing. Go to the heart of what you are feeling, don’t be afraid to let that heart come out even though it might sound or seem crazy.
We need wild beautiful craziness in this world. we need people standing up and saying I believe in this I love this I have joy in my life I am thankful for this breath I am thankful for this amazing opportunity to be here on this earth right here right now. I’m thankful for this food in front of me I’m thankful for this pet I get to touch I’m thankful for this smile that I can give to someone.
Now take that generalized thankfulness and then apply it to whatever subject that you want to apply it to and you will really have something. I am looking forward to with joy and anticipation to hearing about what you do with this.