Episode description

In this episode of the Wired Educator Podcast, Kelly shares what he has learned from the numerous authors he has interviewed about how to write and publish a book. Kelly also leans on his own experience in the writing and publication of his book, Along Came a Leader.

Kelly will share the tips, tricks, strategies, plans, tools, and resources, as well as some potent motivation, to help you become a published author.

Kelly emphasizes not only the 'how-to-do-it' but he clearly illustrates why you will want to publish. Kelly addresses many benefits of publication that most educators don't even consider.

Whether you think you have a book in you or not, this episode is just what you need.

Mentioned in this podcast: 

The following resources are about to save you years of guessing. Outlined below is the culmination of my intense reading, studying, and testing to become a better writer.

Here is a list of inspiring and fun educational books that will help you make an incredible impact in your classroom, school, district, and well… life. You are going to love this list! Click here for an annotated list of the best educational reads for you! 

• Scrivener:  The best writing tool on the planet for numerous reasons. This program is the best way to write anything period. I have tried them all. This is the one. Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for writers that allows you to concentrate on composing and structuring long and difficult documents. While it gives you complete control of the formatting, its focus is on helping you get to the end of that awkward first draft.

• Learn Scrivener Fast:  Get the most out of Scrivener. This course is quick, easy, and will make you master Scrivener. It is essential. You will be amazed at all you can do, the time you save, and most importantly the writing you create. A must!

• On Writing by Stephen King: If you are going to read only one book on writing, this is it. King holds nothing back and tells you what you need to hear. Read it. You will want your own copy. While this is aimed at writing fiction or novels, I believe what King says in this important work is something every writer needs to hear.

• On Writing Well by William Zinsser: This is a must-read for any aspiring author who wants to write nonfiction. This is a classic and it is full of the best advice. Skip the others. This is the one you want to read.

• Do the Work, The War of Art and Turning Pro by Stephen Pressfield: Choose any of these great books to get you motivated and believing that your message needs to be heard and that you can accomplish the task. I found each of these incredibly helpful. After writing awhile your brain will begin to tell you to take a break, stop, quit, and even abandon your work. These books will arm you with the necessary defenses to these age old hurdles and career killers.

• Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury. This is a short wrting but by one of my favorite authors. Bradbury delivers hope and encouragement in this work that every writer should hear. I hope you will give it a read. The image of writing that Bradbury conveys will stay with you as steadfast soldier guarding your dream.

• Michael Hyatt’s GET PUBLISHED Program: If you want the insight on how to get published, you will want this course. Michael Hyatt is both a successful publisher and a successful writer. Don’t guess at the world of publishing. This program will tell you everything you need and save your years of research as well as preventing you from wasting money on useless products and services. I admire Michael. This program helped me publish my book.

• GoOnWrite.com: This is where I get my book covers.  They are super-affordable and they look great.

• Evernote: This is my digital vault. I use Evernote on my iPhone, on my iPad, and on my MacBook. This is where I save all that I need. I save notes here on projects I am working on, my daily affirmations, my to-do list, web clippings, information on my family and friends. It’s completely searchable and easy to use. You can even easily add photos, scans, voice memos and more.

Moleskine Journal: If it’s worth writing down, put it in your Moleskine. Don’t use napkins, sticky notes, or scraps of paper. Put it where you can find it. This is the exact notebook I use as my day to day journal.  I love absolutely everything about it.  This is where I record my ideas and anything of importance.  If you read my posts and hear me speak, you know how important a journal is to my lifestyle and productivity. I don’t go anywhere without my Moleskine.

Kelly's Weekend Retreat: Scheduled for a weekend in February 2018. Will fill quickly. Check it out here.