Reader’s Week II – Get Published on IkigaiWay!
Once upon a time I featured guest articles from members of IkigaiWay every day for a week. The submissions I received for that week were fantastic and the support from the community was equally fantastic. It was a win-win for me and for readers as we all got to see some fresh perspectives on this crazy sphere we call martial arts.
Due to the high engagement for the first “Reader Week”, I believe it’s time to run it again! I would like to receive submissions from all over the world describing ideas, thoughts, and experiences surrounding your martial arts training.
Click the big button below to submit your article or keep reading to find out how who is eligible to enter, what you get if your submission is selected, deadlines for submission, etc.
_
Who’s Eligible to Submit an Article?
You are! As you know IkigaiWay is not style-specific, so you can bring whatever experience you have to the table. Whether you’re a 30 year vet or a 2 year newbie, it doesn’t matter. If you have something interesting to contribute, go for it. Since I’ll be acting as your editor and assistant, you needn’t be self conscious about matters such as spelling and grammar.
What Should I Write About?
The door is fairly wide open regarding your topic. However, I can give you some general guidelines that will improve your chances of getting selected:
Avoid:
- Attacks on any specific person or organization you happen to dislike
- Promotional bragging about your organization or school
- Raw training schedules about your workouts or routine
- Self aggrandizing biography
Consider:
- Weird or unique historical studies
- Important lessons learned throughout your training
- Memorable experiences with instructors
- Specific concept analysis
- Broad scope trends and goings-on in the martial arts world
- Whatever else you can dream up!
How Long Should the Submission Be?
My articles tend to vary wildly in length. However I would suggest not dipping below three paragraphs. If you start to wonder if your submission should be an ebook, you might have gone on too long.
How Do I Submit?
Submission is easy. First, create your article in a file that is friendly with Microsoft Word, Wordpad, or Notepad (if this is impossible for you, let me know. We can probably make arrangements via Google Docs). Include the text of the submission either in the body of the email you send or as a separate attachment.
Once your article is prepared, click here:
If the link above does not work, email submissions to ikigai108@gmail.com or use the form below:
What Are the Benefits of Submitting?
If your submission is selected, you’ll gain exposure on an internationally recognized martial arts platform. You can use that as a writing credit or resume’ builder.
Furthermore, I will feature a small bio snippet of you along with your article which can link back to any blog or school website you happen to be associated with.
You’ll also receive an “IkigaiWay Guest Author” badge to place on your website.
Can I Use An Old Blog Post or Previously Published Article?
Although I ‘m not inflexibly opposed to older work, I prefer an original piece. In general, Google and other search engines don’t care for duplicate content. Duplicate Content tends to work against the reputation of both sites involved; not to mention that if IkigaiWay ranks higher than your original post, you’ll lose traffic for that very same content.
If published, you retain legal rights to your article, but I ask that you do not republish the work in full anywhere on the web for a year after it appears on IkigaiWay.
What If I Have Questions?
If you have any questions about the process or the validity of your submission idea, just email me at ikigai108@gmail.com. I’ll be happy to field any concerns you have.
What’s the Deadline For Submission?
I’ll be collecting submissions for the next two weeks. The earlier you submit, the better your chances.
Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you!
Welcome ThreeTearsKarate.com (Martial Arts Gifts)!
Every now and then I stumble across a cool company in the martial arts realm. While there is plenty of so-so stuff out there, some companies are doing their best to offer unique and high quality goods.
Companies like Crane Mountain, Karate Depot, and Karate Mart all cover the equipment side of things…but what about gifts? Every now and again you want to get someone a neat martial arts related gift that isn’t cheesy or that the recipient doesn’t already have five of (I’m looking at you plaques). Three Tears Karate is all about solving that problem.
When browsing around the selection offered by ThreeTears I was surprised and pleased by the attention to detail and originality of the items. While I can’t give you a full tour myself, know that there is a mix of expected items (keychains, picture frames, etc.) and unexpected items (suncatchers, hanko seals, etc).
Let’s take a quick look at some of the cool products just to give you a taste:
| Torii Gate Coat/Key Rack | Sun Catcher | Karate Kanji Necklace |
 |
 |
 |
| Kanji Wall Sconce | Dojo Clock | Personalized Hanko Seal |
 |
 |
 |
The personalized hanko seals are particularly interesting. They are a great way to add a unique and classic element to your diplomas, promotional items, and correspondence.
10% Off Coupon Code
IkigaiWay readers are privy to a special coupon code that will take 10% off the final price of any order. When checking out type in “newyear” (without the quotations) to get your discount. Visit ThreeTears now!
IkigaiWay New Year Giveaway!
Hello! We’ve made it to 2013, which is something to be thankful for. To start the year off right I figured we would have a fun little giveaway with some unique prizes.
If you’ve participated in some of my past giveaways you’ll know I never put up difficult barriers to entry. In fact, many of the giveaways have been as simple as sharing IkigaiWay with your facebook friends. Today will be just as simple.
Win The Subscribe Prizes
I have two major projects underway at the moment. The first is IkigaiWay, my ongoing home for articles, interviews, videos, etc. The second is a longer term book project called “Natural Karate”. I like to stay in touch with readers as much as possible, and one great way to do that is have new articles sent to your inbox. My updates for IkigaiWay come about once every two weeks, and Natural Karate updates come about once every two months.
To enter for the first two prizes all you have to do is add your email to my delivery list (I promise not to spam you). If you do, you will automatically be entered to win a copy of “Oldman’s Bubishi”. If you enter both delivery lists, you get two chances at winning.
About the Prize: “Oldman’s Bubishi” is a completely unique book created by friend of the site Mark Cook. Mark provides a humorous and elaborately illustrated look into bunkai concepts for the Pinan (Heian) series of kata. This book is enjoyable for newcomers and veterans alike, and would make a great addition to your personal library or as a coffee table piece for your dojo.
| Subscribe to: | Subscribe to: | |
 |
 |
|
| Prize: | Prize: | |
 |
||||||||| | |
I encourage you to enter both lists to double your odds of winning! If you are already subscribed to one or both I advise you to grab a friend and get him/her to subscribe.
_
Win the Three Tears Gift Prize
This next prize comes from an interesting company we’ll be hearing more from in the future. Three Tears Karate specializes in high quality, unique gifts and accessories. It can be tough finding a token of respect or gratitude for the martial artist in your life, but Three Tears offers a wide selection of items that should do the trick.
To be entered, simply travel to Three Tears Karate and browse around some of their offerings. Come back here and leave a comment about which kind of items caught your eye, and why. One lucky winner will be selected and will receive an item they discussed!
That’s it! Good luck and I will be announcing the winners in about two weeks.
