“You cannot profit from small techniques when full armor is used.”- Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings
Traditionally, the element of fire represents passion and inspiration. But fire also represents action. In writing, these representations combine. Passion is the fire that inspires and moves us into action.
Musashi’s section on fire in the Book of 5 Rings deals directly with various strategies involved in Japanese swordplay. Each technique has a name and a specific set of moves that apply.
In writing, you’re not cutting down or outwitting an enemy. If anything, you’re trying to gain readership and influence people. So how can you stir the passion of your fire and use it to fuel your actions as a writer?
Small techniques won’t do when you need to make grand gestures to gain attention. Fire does nothing halfway.
Crossing at the Ford
Musashi titles his lesson well, teaching us to have faith in moving ahead and learning how to blaze our own trail. Musashi says, “It means setting sail even when your friends stay in the harbor.”
Following the crowd is fine, but sooner or later, you have to trust in your skills and say good-bye to the rest of the pack. You aren’t abandoning those who helped you along the way. Instead, you’re taking the lead.
You might be surprised at who follows.
Become the Enemy
Musashi teaches about the strategy of warfare. Writers don’t have any enemies but they do have competition. Study your competition and learn what makes them great.
What are the big-name writers doing right? What makes them so successful? How can you use the techniques they do?
Then do better. Add your own unique spin on the strategies and become the enemy.
Mingle
Network! Get out there and mingle with your peers. Pick their brains and learn from them. Find a mentor who has been there before and learn from that person. Get coaching and training to improve what you have so that you can be better.
Before you know it, people will be asking you what your secrets are.
Renew
In nature, fire brings new life. We view natural disasters as tragic events, but they do offer a very important renewal in life’s cycle. Fire burns dead trees and debris to make way for new growth, creating a healthy forest. Without destruction, forests smother themselves and limit their potential.
The same concept applies to your ideas and projects. If something isn’t working right, tear it down. Start over. Don’t be afraid to scrap an article, a chapter, or a website in order to make it better.
The Body of a Rock
“When you have mastered the way of strategy you can suddenly make your body like a rock, and ten thousand things cannot touch you. This is the body of a rock. You will not be moved.” – Oral Tradition
Rocks cannot burn and be eliminated by fire. When you remain focused on your goals, nothing sways you from that path. Stick to it, don’t give up, and achieve your dreams.
I like this series of articles you’re writing – a person can take this advice and apply it anywhere in their lives. I especially appreciate the reminder to not follow the crowd. If everyone was following everyone else, we would have NO variety.
This was good inspiration for starting my day!
RLD: Taekwondo Happiness’s last blog post..Invincibility
That was my point when writing this series. Our lives are more than just writing, or graphics, or whatever we do. Once you know the basic principles of what it takes to be successful, you can apply them to anything, whether it’s self improvement or business.
Hey Harry,
Mid day lunch break and I stopped in to say hi. I like your series.
“What are the big-name writers doing right?” You can also turn this around and ask what are they doing wrong.
Who are the big name writers anyway? Koan for you.
E
Ellen Wilson’s last blog post..The Long Haul
@Ellen: Sure, you could turn it around. There’s a lot to be learned from looking at it from both sides. As for the big name writers, that changes on a daily basis in my mind. As each day goes by I see myself and my writing in a new light and suddenly the big names don’t seem so big anymore. For all I know, people are looking at me as one of those big names.
Who are your big names?
Harry – first I’d like to say, damn! When I went to this page today your site looks really cool. That is a great picture and blends reeeeeeeeeally well with your site.
I too love this series for the reason that you can apply these teaching to anything. I’m not a content writer (though I have a blog), however, as a business owner all these things you’ve mentioned are essential to being a good entrepreneur.
@Ellen – that idea popped into my head while I read that section as well. Like Harry said, become the enemy. Then like you said, what are their weaknesses? What needs are they not fulfilling for their customers? How can you fill that need?
I really like the last sentence of this article, “Stick to it, don’t give up, and achieve your dreams.”
There is a time and place to know what to give up, but you should never give it all up and quit. Quitters always lose.
A business associate of mine mentioned a quote to me the other day which I really loved: “Shoot for the moon, because if you miss, you’ll be among the stars!”
John Hoff’s last blog post..Create Yourself A Shortcut – How To E-Mail, Blog, and Text On The Go!
Really, I don’t know. I learn from everyone. Online: everyone mentions Seth Godin (sp?). I really don’t get it. It is good to remain a little dumb. We all move towards what we like and away from what we don’t like. Like amoebas.
Yes, infinite variety gives rise to the evolution of new ideas.
I hope there is more of your series, because I will be unable to check back with you today.
Ellen Wilson’s last blog post..The Long Haul
Amoebas? Oh man. I’ve never been compared to an amoeba before
John Hoff’s last blog post..Create Yourself A Shortcut – How To E-Mail, Blog, and Text On The Go!
Cripes! Why do I always miss out on the convos? No wonder I thought it was too quiet today…
@ RLD – I agree. At first, I was thinking, “Martial Arts?” *makes face* But Harry’s presentation has made me think quite a bit.
@ Ellen – We’re the big names
Stay tuned. You too could be part of our success story! (After all, it’s all about the readers.)
@ John – I still like the “Sexy Content” pic myself… but Naomi gets upset. Great quote, by the way!
@ Ellen again – Um, well… I don’t like Seth myself. I stayed subscribed for six months trying to figure out what all the hype was. I’m still wondering. Maybe I missed that train.
@ John again – What?! Never compared to an amoeba?! All I’ll say is this: You really need to get out of the house more. Because amoeba is where it’s at.
@John: As Bruce Lee said in Enter the Dragon, “It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory.”
As for today’s image, I photoshopped that myself. The flames were added with a filter to that great shot of the katana.
@Ellen: I have two more posts in this series that will show up over the next couple of weeks.
@James: Just keeping you on your toes, bro.
@James – RIGHT! I think the Sexy Content was the one I read quickly so my wife wouldn’t give me that look.
John Hoff’s last blog post..Create Yourself A Shortcut – How To E-Mail, Blog, and Text On The Go!
“Don’t be afraid to scrap an article, a chapter, or a website in order to make it better.”
Be relentless with this tip, and you’ll see kick-ass results.
/this comment was scrapped and rewritten five times.
Dave Navarro – Million Dollar Leverage’s last blog post..How I Boosted My Confidence In 5 Minutes And Made Over $5000
@Dave: That’s one tip I use often, and here’s the proof.
Wow, I just found this series and need to go find the previous articles. I love how you compare good writing to being a warrior. Everyone can find excellence by walking the path of a warrior.
My favorite quote of this article is “Fire does nothing halfway”.
I mentioned the Book of 5 Rings a couple blog articles ago, and wish I had know about this series to link to it.
Looking forward to the next installments…
Hello boys,
The scent of Naomi’s blog post and your sexy comments drove me to take a closer look and I’m liking what I see very mucho.
Keep up the great writing, love your humor and will be back -that’s a promise.
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Is Writing For A Byline Really Good Enough?
@ Monika – Bring it on. We’ll be happy to see you join the gang. Can’t always promise sexy comments – would you settle for personal attention and fawning?
@ Sterling – If I would’ve known how popular this series would have been, I would’ve made Harry write it a year ago
@ Dave – Me too, bro. Me too.
@ John – Might do your wife good to look too
@Sterling: I’m glad you found us and that you’re enjoying the series. Give us a link to the article you mentioned? I’d like to read it.
@Monika: Sexy comments, eh? Not this early, that’s for sure. Give me a few hours to wake up.
@ John: If you thought that photo was hot, just wait a couple more days, we’ve got another for you.
@Harry – Thank you for your interest. The article just briefly mentioned the Book of 5 Rings, but like this series it applies lessons from the Warrior’s path to other paths in life.
5 Cage Fighting Tips for the Self Employed
@Sterling: Now I remember seeing that post. I think the warrior’s path is so easily related to life in that at one time being a warrior was a way of life. Unless you’re in the armed forces, you don’t see it so much today. It’s been years since I’ve done any martial arts, but the lessons I learned while training I’ve never forgotten and I still use them every day.
Great advice – especially ditching stuff that just isn’t working out. Now we have computers, we don’t need to worry about wasting all that paper anymore.
CatherineL’s last blog post..Entrepreneurs Who Ignore Emails and Middleborn Children
@ James: fawning ey, does this mean I have to wear my high heel leather boots now? Damn, there goes the fantasy – I’m not considered influential just yet?
Your new theme looks great BTW. I’m using the same on my local niche blog and loving it.
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Is Writing For A Byline Really Good Enough?
@Monika: give us a link, I’d like to see it.
…um, not the boots. The niche blog. Although I’m sure James wouldn’t mind seeing the boots.
@ James: I know you want to, here is the link: Sexy Boots (sorry just put them up on Ebay)
@ Harry: http://www.yeppoonchronicle.com
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Is Writing For A Byline Really Good Enough?
Mmmm… sexy boots… no thigh highs?
@ James: well, the other ones would make even you blush. I was saving you from getting too worked up.
Monika Mundell’s last blog post..Is Writing For A Byline Really Good Enough?
To me, the thrust of your post was to be bold. Let your success or your failure happen as they may, but be bold about it. When you sail out of the harbor, don’t look back. It may be that some will follow. It may be that none will. But you, you my friend, set your own sails and whether others follow or not will never matter. The only ones that matter are the ones on board your ship, setting her sails to your orders.
Bill in Detroit´s last blog post…The Other Night, Dear
I read from Clayton Makepeace that people will rally for a good cause, but what they really LOVE is to rail against a common enemy.
So yes, you can create that fire about a despised enemy – like that sadistic dentist who rips everyone off.
Joe