Are You Misunderestimated?

Political pundits have recently been debating something that, for many of us, is a question whose answer has been evident for some time: is George W. Bush sorely lacking in intellectual depth or merely inarticulate?

Like we said, the answer to that question has been rather obvious for many of us for a good long while. (Take a wild guess: it's kind of hard to ascribe too much cerebral muscle to anyone who uses the expression "misunderestimates". But, from the perspective of a Yawp, it does raise a provocative issue: how important is it to be articulate when Yawping?

That, unlike the question regarding El Presidente, poses no obvious answers. On the one hand, a Yawp naturally implies intelligence or a degree of insight. That, in turn, suggests at least an element of articulate expression. Put another way, if you've thought something out and wish to Yawp about it, that unto itself would mandate a clear, understandable means of communication.

But a Yawp doesn't mean just clarity. A Yawp is about passion, about that sort of gut reaction that comes from instinct, not necessarily from reasoned thought. And, that suggests that articulate expression may be secondary—the passion and emotion of the message are what matter.

Like we said, no evident answers. But certainly something to weigh as you develop and bring your Yawp to full expression.

Leave 'em laughing, or tick the sh** out of 'em

Sometimes, a great Yawp leaves everyone giggling.

Sometimes, an even greater Yawp also leaves a few teeth gnashing.

A perfect illustration of the varied dynamics that make a solid Yawp is a recent blog by Ken Jennings. That name should be familiar to many—he was the elfin wunderkind who won so many Jeopardy matches that he likely had to pay host Alex Trebek rent just to keep standing behind that podium.

You would assume that, having won all that cache from the show, Ken would be eternally grateful and never utter a word that would fall anything short of unqualified love.

Not so. In a recent blog entry on his website, Ken penned a “letter” to Jeopardy in which, among other topics, he talks about his view of the show’s varied drawbacks. To wit:

∑ That Trebek had, in fact, died in an accident a few years back and had been replaced by Trebektron 4000, an automaton which Ken criticized for not having gotten Alex’s moustache quite right.

∑ That Alex, like fellow host Bob Barker, should inject a “cause” into his signoff from the show. As Barker makes his pitch to spay or neuter your pet, Jennings urges Alex to plug the legalization of marijuana.

∑ That the show would do well to introduce an element of danger to the “Clue Crew’s” ramblings:

“You know what would be awesome? Suddenly the Clue Crew is reporting from some dark forest. The “Brain Bus” or whatever ran out of gas and they’re looking wan and emaciated. Then, one show, one of them disappears (I’m thinking Jon, but we should discuss) and the other four are looking a little better-fed. The clues they read are now like, “This rugged, isolated forest stretches for miles somewhere in the eastern United States, with little game or fresh water.” And then she looks at the camera and adds, “No really! We don’t know where we are! Alex, for the love of God, send help!”

To read the entire blog, go to http://ken-jennings.com/blog/?p=70. It’s the July 19 entry.

For everyone who found Ken’s thoughts hilarious, a seemingly equal number of readers objected to what they saw as utter ingratitude. As best as one reader can determine, it seems as though Jennings was just trying to have a few yuks and, along the way, subtly suggest that the show would do well with a fresh coat of paint.

Take what side you will, it’s an example of a terrific Yawp. No matter if it leaves you rolling on the floor in hysterics or searching for pins to stab into a Jenning’s lookalike doll, it elicits emotion, response and strong opinion.

What more could you want from a Yawp?

Blow it off!

One of the greatest challenges facing bloggers at all levels is “the cramp”—by its clichéd name, writer’s block.

Here’s where, no matter what you try, nothing but nothing (at least that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to show to anything short of recycling bin) is coming down the pipe. Pure, 100-proof crapola.

Conventional wisdom often urges you to work through this—in effect, morphing yourself into a Roto Rooter of the verse, forcing free whatever clog is in place.

Don’t try. Instead, blow it off--in a big way.

By that, take a break and do something physical—the more physical, the better. For many it may mean a run or a walk. If you prefer, bike, do an aerobics class—the point is to give your mind and body real physical exertion, the most physically demanding break you can.

There is a physiological rationale behind all this—release of endorphins or something to that effect—but, whatever happens, it really does work. It works because it refreshes you and takes your mind’s attention completely off your stuck writing.

So, don’t try to push your way through writer’s cramp. Instead, go around it, get a sweat going and tackle things afresh later on. The results will speak for themselves.

Attention for attention's sake

To grow and prosper, a Yawp must get attention. After all, that’s why you’re Yawping—to share your thoughts and emotions with others.

But, be wary of attention for attention’s sake.

Recently, a very right wing columnist and “author” grabbed major league attention by referring to 9/11 widows as “broads” who, in effect, were capitalizing on their husbands’ deaths.

It’s genuinely hard to believe that a sane person would genuinely believe that anyone—no matter how political—would take pleasure in leveraging a loved one’s death. That makes the pundit either certifiable or simply so hungry for attention (and the book sales they bring) that all bets are off as to what’s fair to say and what crosses the line into mercenary madness. Even fellow conservative commentators are somewhat open mouthed at her audacity.

An extreme example, but it does illustrate the importance of keeping your Yawp in its proper perspective. Again, we all want people to pay attention to what we have to say. But, going over the edge—however that may manifest itself—may prompt others to question the legitimacy of your voice. Saying just about anything is easy—living with the consequences of what you say is another matter entirely.

Sell with Sense

There are scads of websites that, in addition to offering small businesses and entrepreneurs advice and guidance, are trying to sell them something along the way.

Fair enough. In one way or another, we’re all trying to sell something.

What differs is the way you push it.

First, readers are not stupid. No matter how thoughtfully you think you weave a product or service reference into your Yawp, anyone reading it is going to spot it for what it is—an ad. And none of us really are into ads that much. Watch a television cop show, get deep into the plot, only to be jerked away at the height of the drama to watch someone hawking Whoppers or panty liners.

Going to rush right out to Burger King or Aisle 7 of Safeway? Nope—in fact, you may make a resolution to avoid doing those very things. The same holds true with even seemingly subtle product references in Yawps—put them in there, and readers immediately sense something foreign, an unwanted break in something they’d rather be doing.

That brings up another caveat. Not only are product or service references annoying, they’re simply ineffective. Since you’re effectively pushing something into someone’s face without their consent, they’re not going to be open to considering what you’re offering—no matter how worthy. Circumstances kill whatever appeal they may have.

Instead, focus on ideas, provocative lines of discussion that engage a reader’s interest. Establish yourself as something of an authority, a person who knows the subject at hand and is capable of addressing it from a number of angles. At the same time, keep a product or service in its own special corner. For a website, that may be a separate page. For a blog, if you’re going to talk about your product or service, do just that. Don’t try to be coy and slip it in amid a discussion of a wholly disparate topic.

Several things occur. First, you position yourself in the best possible framework—an authority, someone in the know. That can naturally lead to a reader’s interest in what you do for a living. If you’re a plumber whose website talks about effective, cost-conscious ways to prevent leaky basements, that’s the guy to call if your toilet had suddenly morphed into a bidet.

And, just as important, you show your readers and visitors respect. Sure, you may be there to sell something, but you’re committed to doing it candidly and in an open framework—not through some clumsy segue that’s as subtle (and effective) as a haymaker delivered by a fourth-rate boxer.

And, remember the same idea holds true for other Yawps. If you’re looking to promote an opinion or solicit members, don’t mix messages. Talk intelligently about whatever you want to discuss and mention elsewhere that you have something to offer your readers and visitors.

Go Where it Takes You

One of the joys of blogging is that, once you begin, you’re never entirely sure of what might actually end up on the paper (or computer screen.)

To some, that may be unnerving. But, for a Yawp, it’s glorious.

We’ve talked about the essential importance of passion in a Yawp—and, in turn, how critical it is to find what yours truly is.

Sometimes, the best way to do that it to just start writing and see just what comes out at the other end.

In part, it’s a process of self-discovery—exploring and identifying those ideas and opinions that truly mean the most to you. But it’s also an essential, practical element of your Yawp—knowing exactly what your passion is and, in turn, communicating it to others in the most compelling, engaging way possible.

So, don’t be afraid to use your Yawp for a bit of exploration. To do that, take a topic that relates to the basic message of your Yawp. Start writing. Think as you write—don’t just put words down in an effortless stream of consciousness. Begin with a basic thought, the think of the next logical step in the progression of that idea. Work the process and follow it along.

This is neither easy nor a lazy way to fill space. We’ve all endured newspaper columnists who somehow think themselves unique and singularly funny when they write a column when they say they have nothing to write about (“I went home, watched Leave it To Beaver, etc.”)

Here, you definitely have something to say. But it’s a matter of muscling your way through your thoughts to find it—and to share it with others.

You may find something brand new to say (or a new way to say it.) You may come across something that you’ve known all along, but with a welcome recollection of its presence.

But, if you take your Yawp—and its potential for self-discovery—seriously, you’re bound to find something valuable. And, in the end, that’s eminently practical and valuable—nurturing and fueling the passion that drives your Yawp and, as a result, drives readers and visitors back to your site time and again.

Fill your Yawp with Passion

MyYawp is about passion. So are blogs.

So, let’s talk about ideas to help your blog absolutely crackle with the passion of your ideas and opinions.

As often as not, Rule Number One you’ll see about blogs is to just write them. Apply gluteus to a chair and produce. Continuity and quantity are everything.

But only to a point. Granted, readers won’t return to a blog without regular injections of fresh material. But underscore the word “fresh”—if the blog, however regular in its appearance, isn’t compelling and provocative, even the most ardently updated blog will lose readers faster than Metamucil shoots through a goose.

Check out that last phrase. Hope you laughed. Whether you chuckled or not, chances are good you noticed it.

That’s the sort of language you should pursue with your blog. Make sure it’s fresh, vital—even disturbing, if circumstances warrant it. Likely you wouldn’t have noticed the phrase in question had “faster than the speed of lightning”replaced it.

Cliches, worn out phrases and out and out dead language are a blog’s fiercest enemy. Their pictures should be up in every blog’s post office around the world. To express the passion of your ideas and your beliefs—no matter what they might be—use the freshest language whenever you can.

That means two things. First, examine your blog writing. Dissect it. If you see something you don’t like (or as Oscar Wilde said, “Never write something you’ve already read”) change it. Make it more alive. Make it different. Look and taste for the power and imagery of the right words. Read them out loud. Don’t settle for “Today is hotter than hell.” Go for “Today is hotter than Steinbrenner’s forehead after a Yankees loss.”

That means a second tip. Never sacrifice the quality and passion of your blog for speed. Sure, update it, keep it new—but don’t let your readers see something dead when a little bit more time can produce an entry that moves and absorbs them. If need be, trim back your blog entry schedule. Post a little less often—but with a great deal more passion.