Easy Author Studio

Writing your own program is just not as difficult as some folks anticipate. In many cases, you will already have much of your program already written in notes, workbooks, or scripts and creating that first draft can be done very easily and quickly. Some folks enjoy working with their own software to generate more detail during the initial Key/Micro-lesson drafting stage while others prefer to do all their work on the Easy-Author Software. Whatever works best for you will work best for Concept Keys. We would like to quickly familiarize you with the software and show you how easy the editing process can be.

*Area A: The Key List*

Once you are provided the link location, simply follow the basic directions and it can quickly be accessed in your program list area. The software was designed to ease the burden of creating and editing drafts into the form acceptable for publication within the Concept Keys System. There are three areas of the software that serve different functions:

Storage and Movement of Key/Micro-Lesson Units
Inputting and Editing your Key to Success (Understanding) and your Micro-Lesson
Observing Exactly What each Participant will See

Area A consumes the left section of the software. Here is a picture of that area partially completed. As you can see, the Keys are listed in order of presentation to participants. At the bottom of the area, you will see buttons that allow you to easily rearrange that order as you may determine during the editing process.

*Area B: Editing Area*

Area B is in the upper right section of the software. This area displays basic program information (i.e. Title, Author, Copyright) and provides the text boxes where you can enter and edit your Key text and Micro-lesson text bullet by bullet (each bullet typically represents a short paragraph). Entering text can be done by either typing it into the appropriate box area or by using the copy and paste function if you have already generated the text elsewhere. Once entered, the text can be edited simply by using the keyboard in the normal fashion to change the text. You will also note the buttons that allow you to add, delete, and move each bullet as part of your editing process. Finally, there is a Certification area where you select one of your bullets to be used in the event that your program includes the Concept Keys Certification Model option at some time.

*Area C: Preview Area*

Area C in the lower right section of the software simply displays how the final version of the Key/Micro-lesson will look to the participants. Authors indicate this area is quite helpful in locating areas that need further correction or development. If you copy and paste from other software, sometimes the computer code in that software is also transmitted and negatively impacts the grammar, punctuation, or appearance of your text (e.g. apostrophe's might become question marks). This does not typically happen if you first save your files as .txt files or use WordPad prior to the copy/paste function.

At the top of the software, there are several menus:

File - allows you to start a new program or review examples of segments from previously authored programs, an operational manual, and an area that provides easy access to any program files you have previously created.

Edit - allows you to add/delete a Key or a Bullet in your Micro-lesson

Navigate - allows you to access the previous or the next Key/Micro-lesson

Tools - allows you to activate the "validation" process to assure your program meets the Concept Keys technical requirements

Help - allows you to access the Easy Author Studio manual, Authoring Suggestions, and the Program Submission process

There are also several tags in this area that perform a number of the above functions for those of you who like shortcuts. A validation examination will occur whenever you open or close your program file. Easy corrections for validation are needed when one simply overlooks an Empty Key or Empty Bullet area or forgets to select a bullet for the Certification option.

If you have any questions during your authoring process, just contact us. We are dedicated to making your authoring process a quality one that produces a product you will be very proud of developing.

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