I’m writing this at the Iowa State Fair while participating in the 8th annual Indie Author Book Expo here in Des Moines. After more than 40 years of residence in the state of Iowa, I have finally set foot one the state fairgrounds, which means I can finally call myself a proper Iowan now. I’ve talked before how sometimes I feel like I’m not a proper Iowa author because neither of the books I’ve released are set anywhere near Iowa, so this was one more thing to cross off my list. We shared the fairgrounds today with a flea market and some sort of cheerleading event, apparently.

I had a great time at the event, making connections and meeting with fellow writers on a quiet and mild Saturday. My wife Laura actually made it to the event and it was a great treat to have her there. I appreciated the company, and she was a great help as well.

Now that I set the stage and finished show and tell, let’s talk writing.

What I’ve Been Writing

There’s been a little bit of a lull in work on The Yank Striker 2, but I do think this will pick up soon. After I get done with the section of the book I’m on (an intriguing post-game night on the town DJ and one of his teammates have), I want to really review what I consider the essential scenes of the new book to be. Right now, I’m looking to produce something around 60,000 to 80,000 words, and I think I’ll want to keep The Yank Striker 2 on the lower end of that count. Such are the advantages to writing a series.

I’m going into new territory on this sequel. If I pull this off (writing a book essentially in a single calendar year), it will be the fastest turnaround I’ve ever had for a book. I definitely want to be more productive writing and put out more books in a shorter space of time. I got a late start on novel-writing, but I want to make up for lost time.

I’m sure there are several things which could complicate the process. Cover design is something I want to take a closer look at with this book. It may be a situation where I might contract out the cover design to someone. I’m happy with the design for The Yank Striker my publisher created, but I’m thinking I want to do something more specific to the story. Obviously there will be a time commitment for the design, so I have a feeling I need to look into this sooner than later. Also, from past experience, I’m going to have to (conservatively) dedicate perhaps three to four months for the revision process to happen, and it will likely involve sending the manuscript out for a proofreader, which will be another process.

Keeping all of this in mind, I want to make sure even the rough draft is relatively shirt. Some of the best feedback I’ve gotten on this series (from more than one person) is I have to beware of making the series too much about the world of soccer. While the series will be about my main character (DJ)’s progress in growth in the sport, I want it to be about him as an individual, about his personal journey. The television series Ted Lasso was a recent example of a fictional story set within the world of sport where the story was never dominated by the sport. It’s something I definitely want to emulate with my series.

What I’ve Been Doing Having to do With Writing

Some of this I mentioned up above, like the artwork and proofreading work for The Yank Striker 2, is part of this work. I’m also researching becoming a part of some more writing groups here in Iowa. Meeting, workshopping, and networking with various authors’ groups has been a big part of my growth as a writer in recent years.

My timetable for when all this is going to happen can be an interesting situation. As usual, I’m in the middle of a school year, and full-time teaching is a massive mental commitment. Unlike with many other jobs, it’s hard to explain how you have to be “on” mentally when you have seven different classes per day and you have to be engaged with them at all times to be an effective teacher. Frankly, teachers need the summer break just to recoup and recover mentally and physically from the experience of teaching for 180 or so days. You only have a limited amount of time to handle things not school related, and those are usually not times where businesses and the people who work for them are on duty. You have to make some adjustments, naturally.

Writing Observation (Rather Than Advice) for the Week

And speaking of school, I wanted to talk about a common misconception about writing shared by many of my junior high and high school students. I believe this misconception is fueled by how they typically approach academic work and how writing is an inherently different process than other academic tasks.

For most students (with the exceptions of those who couldn’t care less about their academic success), they are motivated to have good grades. They know they can attain these grades by providing the right answers to questions, and the right product for larger project-based learning tasks. In the least honorable cases, their intent is to obtain the right answers using any means necessary, including cheating or having someone else provide those answers for them. In most cases, it involves them wanting to get their responses, answers, and projects right the first time so they get the maximum possible grade.

The problem is writing doesn’t work like that.

As I’ve mentioned enough times on this blog I’m not going to bother with links, I am of the first opinion that revision is the most important part of the writing process. For students who are used to completing a process and being done with it, being told the “completion” of a process is just the beginning of their work is something they have trouble wrapping their heads around.

They want to get writing “right” the first time, just like they do with any other learning task. But you never get writing right the first time. By definition, it’s an impossibility.

The first version of what you write is always going to be garbage, as Papa Ernest told us back in the day, and it is just as true now as it was then. The first version of what anyone writes is always going to be garbage, whether they are a thirteen-year-old eighth grader, a relatively experienced teacher and writer, or a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist or journalist. It’s only when you first get the words on the page or in the electronic file that the work truly begins.

Usually, it’s a long and gradual process to get students accustomed to this way of approaching writing. Not every student comes around to this way of thinking. However, when I see students realize they can produce something even better than they ever expected the second or third time around, it’s such a rush for me.

Writing Quote(s) of the Week

Some based commentary from one of my favorite writers growing up.

We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art, the art of words.

Ursula K. Le Guin

And Uncle Ernest, as usual, with the simpler and just as true thought:

The hard part about writing a novel is finishing it.

Ernest Hemingway

Where You Can Find my Books

I’ve got links to my books in paperback and ebook format in the sidebar here, but you can get them in person at these fine Iowa bookstores:

• Beaverdale Books, 2629 Beaver Ave # S1, Des Moines
• Pella Books, 824 Franklin St, Pella. Pella Books is celebrating its 24th anniversary this month, and they’ve got more than a few events to celebrate. Go ahead and check them out.
• The Book Vault, 105 S Market St, Oskaloosa.

All three are great independent bookstores who deserve your support.

Final Thoughts

All you writers keep writing and everyone keep safe out there. Take care.

– 30 –

While I do appreciate you following this blog, I really would like you to subscribe to my Substack page. By subscribing to that page, you’ll not only be receiving my Substack newsletter, The Writing Life With Jason Liegois (the companion blog to this one), but you’ll also be signing up for my email list. Just click the button below.