How do you write your articles?

I have posted about 600 articles on note so far, and from those, I was able to publish one book. I have been receiving more and more questions from friends who have read my note posts and book, asking, "How do you write your articles?"

I am very happy and proud to be complimented by friends and acquaintances who say, "You have the skill to put your thoughts into words!" However, in reality, I am not using any special techniques.

Rather, I have come to feel that instead of writing, it is more like the task of extracting thoughts that already existed within me from the beginning.

In this piece, I will reflect on my writing method and how it is similar to the work of Buddhist statue carving.

What is Buddhist statue carving?

This may come out of the blue, but there is a profession called a 'busshi' (Buddhist sculptor). You shouldn't describe them with katakana words like 'artist' or 'creator.' It is 'busshi' in kanji.

Buddhist statue carving is the work of carving a Buddha out of wood. A master sculptor, often called a Living National Treasure, creates magnificent statues from a single log, and they always say this:

I am not creating the Buddha. The Buddha is already inside the wood from the beginning. We sculptors are just using our mallets and chisels to clear away the surrounding wood chips.”

When I heard about this process of creating Buddhist statues, it clicked for me that writing might be the same thing.

The process of writing

Generally, writing is thought of as the task of thinking about something and then putting it into words to make it visible. However, in my case, rather than thinking and writing, I have a stronger sense of things overflowing on their own.

About two years ago, when I started writing on note, I would scribble down what came to mind during my morning walks in my morning pages after returning home. Then, I would assemble the words and phrases that popped out without any logical connection to create blog posts.

My walks in recent years have evolved from those early days.

While walking, there are times when I suddenly enter a 'vague thinking mode' without my own intention. It's not that I turn on a switch myself, but before I know it, I feel like I am thinking about something.

I try to be aware of when I enter that 'vague thinking mode.' I make a conscious effort not to just enjoy unrealistic fantasies on my own.

I try to organize the events and episodes happening in the world that come to mind, and uncover the psychology and human behavior behind them. I adjust my thinking mode while controlling it so that the logic doesn't jump and my thoughts don't wander here and there.

By doing this, I have become able to organize the overflowing thoughts while walking.

Once my thoughts are organized, I record them using iPhone voice input while walking. After returning home, I correct any conversion errors and proofread the text on my MacBook. I then post that to note. Voice input allows me to complete an article in a short time with minimal corrections, resulting in an almost finished piece of writing.

As I continued this process, I began to feel that I am not creating articles from scratch, but simply extracting the 'verbalized thoughts' that were already inside me.

Just as a Buddhist sculptor carves a Buddha out of a log, I am simply expressing the writing that already exists within me, honestly bringing it out into the open as text, much like voice.

The 'Armor' That Hinders Writing

If the writing already exists within us to begin with, what is it that prevents those thoughts from coming out?

That which hinders us is 'armor.' We are wearing armor.

Because of this armor, the eyes of society, Japanese common sense, peer pressure... these invisible atmospheres cover our thoughts and prevent them from being expressed.

When I was a company employee, I would gauge my boss's mood when speaking in meetings and take care not to disrupt teamwork. Even if I had my own true feelings, keeping them to myself and going along with those around me was my way of surviving.

This was the 'armor' that was trapping my thoughts.

From Armor to Robes

It has been about three years since I retired and started enjoying my second life. Looking back, I feel that quitting the company was the biggest turning point in shedding that 'armor.'

After retiring, that sturdy, heavy iron armor eventually turned into a 'robe.' Because it is a robe, it is light, and I have become able to move freely. After all, it is made of flour. It is so fragile that it would dissolve if you poured water on it.

While I was protected by heavy armor during my time as a company employee, my freedom was taken away. However, I interpret it as having been released from that weight, allowing me to express my true thoughts honestly as they are.

Wow, I never realized that such heavy armor would disappear once I quit.

I was originally called 'My Pace Mako-san.' I was a character who couldn't really grasp other people's feelings or read the room. Even so, I spent my working life trying my best not to make waves.

Former colleagues might think, 'Even when you were trying to be considerate, you still had that rude attitude?' but at the time, that was me doing my absolute best as a company employee.

The spell of being a company employee might be like a prison that prevents even the thoughts and feelings that people originally possess from coming out.

What it means to write

Thinking about it this way, the answer to the question 'How do you write your articles?' is clear.

Like a Buddhist sculptor taking a Buddha out of a log, I am simply taking out the 'written thoughts' that already exist within me. I am by no means creating something from scratch.

If there is anyone who feels they cannot write or has no topics to write about, it may not be that you lack thoughts or ideas, but simply that your 'armor' is getting in the way.If you can shed that armor, I strongly believe from my own experience that anyone can naturally spin out their own writing.

Conclusion

Why don't you try living by letting out the words that are already inside you? It's easy once you take off your armor.

I can hear the question coming: "How do I take off my armor?"
My answer to that is to have a sense of self.

If you would like to learn more about having a sense of self, the following book will be helpful.
You can read it for free on Amazon Unlimited.

Book Title: "The Fear of Quitting Your Job, and the Happiness Found After Overcoming It"

Subtitle:
・A guide to staying happy for those in their 40s and 50s considering early retirement
・How Will You Live After FIRE? Side Story: Mako Edition: A personal account of escaping the competitive corporate world and reaching true happiness—let's do what we want to do
・You don't have much time left until your healthy life expectancy; you can be happy without beating anyone else; let's walk our own lives with a sense of self (FIRE Series)

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Published Books→ https://amzn.to/4czN51O