Dojo Wisdom for Writers: 100 Simple Ways to Become a More Inspired, Successful, and Fearless Writer

I keep this book on my desk, along with Elements of Style, the AP and AMA style guides a few other reference works. I'll turn to the others when I need to look something up. But if I need to motivate myself, I read one quick lesson in Dojo Wisdom. It's like having a personal trainer on my desk.

Even if you have a library full of writing books like I do, Dojo Wisdom for Writers, by Jennifer Lawler, is the one you need to karate chop those inevitable blocks along the way to certain victory. Or "Pilsung!" shouts Lawler, using the Korean martial arts saying. Other books tell you what to include in a query letter or how to tighten a sloppy sentence. This one identifies what holds you back. I'd tell you the lessons that struck me most, but you'll be challenged by others. Are you afraid to be yourself on paper? Worried about standing your ground during contract negotiations? Think you'll fail because no one says you won't? To succeed, warriors and writers need to believe in themselves in specific ways, Lawler explains. They have fears to fight, setbacks to survive, and rejections to rise above. "If you follow the lessons in Dojo Wisdom for Writers, you will make your writing dreams a reality, too," Lawler says in her introduction. When she tells you that if she can do it anyone can, you'll believe her. Had I found this gem years ago when I was a new freelancer starting from nothing, I'd have dog-eared the pages and scribbled on every lesson like an Emerson essay. Now, as a successful full-time writer for national magazines, I can only smile as Lawler nails my strengths and weaknesses - and those of my colleagues - in 100 simple ways. Kathy Summers www.healthwriting.com

"When the student is ready, the master appears" - is the first lesson of this magical little book.. and how true it is. I was looking for a writing coach and this book is it. Each lesson is important and clearly laid out. Read it once,read it again and then make sure you READ IT AGAIN - first time read it casually, second time do the exercise indicated with each lesson and the third time read it to make sure you are still applying the important lessons being taught to your writing. I hope that Ms. Lawyer writes many more such books and that I am lucky enough to read them Excellent piece of work and very useful not only for new writers but also experienced ones

Whether they know it or not, writers and martial artists have a lot in common. People ask 'why do you do that' to both groups. The rewards from each are only partly financial and both groups needs to find something deep within them to motivate themselves. The common predjudice is that you need a lot of talent to succeed at either but accomplished writers and martial artists know that no amount of talent is sufficient without the hard-work basics to convert it into capability. In 100 short lessons, author Jennifer Lawler takes the lessons she learned from years of martial arts practice and applies them to writing. Some examples: Flexibility is Strength; Self-consciousness prevents action; Protect the Beginner; Overcome fear by encountering it. Some of these are obvious but even there, Lawler provides a writing 'exercise' that goes with each lesson, extending the thought, applying it directly to each writer--whether the writer pursues fiction or non-fiction. Obligatory note: like Jennifer Lawler, I am both a writer and a black belt level martial artist and have long believed that the two are closely related--two art forms that complement one another. That said, you don't need to be a martial artist to find Lawler's 100 lessons to be useful and fun. DOJO WISDOM FOR WRITERS isn't a 'how to' book. Instead, it's designed as a source of inspiration, little hints from one writer to another, and some thoughts on how to make the lonely journey to becoming a writer (or a warrior) more fulfilling. DOJO WISDOM is a 'frosting' book. If you could only have three writing books, you'd probably want to start with something like TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER by Dwight Swain or WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Mass. But once you've got the basics, you'll want to add books that inspire, encourage, and motivate. DOJO WISDOM is a great choice for that list--and a great idea for a gift to your favorite author.

When I first saw the title of this book I thought, "huh?" I didn't know what a dojo was or how it related to writers. Okay, now I know. I was intrigued throughout the book about how the author weaved martial arts lessons with writing advice. It's a philosophy book, not a "how to" book, and I learned about the writing craft and business from examples that were not just writing related. The lessons apply to life, as well as to writing, so the book need not be for writers only. The author illustrated the book with examples relating to her own martial arts experience as well as her writing experience (and of course, the experience of others). It's an easy book to read - each chapter is only a few pages. You can read straight through or skip around. Some of my favorite lessons were `Be open to what happens next' and `The way is not always straight.' The advice was sensible and presented in a `can do' way.