On Writing Books

Through the course of my life, I have written so many books, it is impossible for me to count, or even remember, them all. That's because only three of them have been published, and only one of them is still in print.

Here are the three (the last one mentioned is the one still in print):

1. Who Will Be My Teacher? (my response to the "A Nation at Risk" federal report in the mid-1980s, in which no mention of teachers was made despite it being a report on the need for education reform);
2. Kids with Character (a book of stories about how to raise children who are prepared to make good choices in life); and
3. Habits of a Child's Heart (with co-author Valerie Hess), a how-to guide for parents on raising children with the classic spiritual disciplines.

I have considered writing a book that mirrors the Book of Job in modern times via my own life but have not yet decided how honest I could be in a book like that. Writing it would involve other people's stories beyond my own. I have considered writing it anyway and not seeking publication, just for the catharsis of it and my own spiritual benefit. This is still an option I'm toying with.

Writing is hard work. It is also very gratifying. All good writers need an even better editor. My favorite editor is Liz Heaney who worked with me on books #2 and #3 above. She suggested I take one story out of Kids with Character that I insisted on leaving in. I have learned to listen to Liz in all things. That story is now my least favorite part of the book. But her friendship is my favorite takeaway from writing Kids with Character.