I'll Be Back, I Need to Finish My Book.

Certain inspired thoughts only come to you when you are far from home. This recently happened to me during a trip to Buenos Aires.

But before I share what that thought was, I need to tell you a secret: since August, I’ve been writing a book. A novel. I’ve been pouring my soul onto the page almost every morning for months on end.

I’m currently in the rewrite process, working through the second draft. But the story is there in “rough cut.”

It’s been slow to finish for many reasons.

First off, I want it to be timeless. I want it to be a great book. This takes time.

Additionally, I’ve written it from the heart, one word at a time. Generally speaking, I’m in favor of using AI to edit and identify grammar mistakes, but using it to actually write seems deeply wrong to me, which is why I don’t do it.

Like, I can’t even imagine how much AI slop gets inappropriately used to create fiction stories. This is also foolish, because the main value of writing is the act itself.

But more than anything, the reason it is taking so long for me to finish is that my attention is a bit scattered.

I’m trying to write a book that will be a pleasure to read, and yet I’m also writing essays and filming videos, all while working a corporate sales job, staying committed to the gym, and maintaining a social life.

Now, I enjoy all of these activities. Juggling it all is far from impossible. And I’ve been managing for quite some time.

But writing a book is my top priority and I need to treat it as such. It has been my dream for as long as I can remember.

I need to finish the damn thing and get it published for you. The best thing right now is to lock in and eliminate as much as possible that doesn’t have to do with finishing the book.

So I’m deleting X, YouTube, and Instagram off my phone. I probably won’t make many videos. And I don’t know how many blog posts I will write. This comes from the thought I had in Argentina—that I’m pursuing too many things at once and my attention is dispersed in too many directions. The thought basically said: Dude, lock in.¹

That said, I’ll give you a few hints about the actual book.

It is called Fools at University.

Two simple ideas drive the story: American universities are important institutions where brilliant minds do important work and seek truth; and American universities are corrupted institutions full of radical dogmas and bad ideas.

At its core, it is a blend of philosophical reflection and political satire.

It tells the story of an inner-city kid who cons his way into Halbridge University, a prestigious school that he thinks will give him an exciting intellectual life and a bright future. But one ridiculous, hilarious experience after another makes him disillusioned by the absurdity of the university. That is, until he meets a wise professor who changes everything.

I’m so compelled to write this book that it would be more accurate to say that I feel like I'm meant to do this. I don’t care if that sounds dramatic. It is how I feel.

So in the meantime, look out for updates. Thank you as always for reading.

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Thank You For Reading

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With gratitude,

Jeff

1. Or as LeBron James would say: Zero Dark Thirty-23 activated