How to Create OER
For basic OER, such as slides or syllabi, simply add an open license to your resource and upload it to the web (make sure it is findable--see "How to Share OER" below).
To create book-length OER, consider using Schaffer's Manifold software / service.
For complex OER, such as textbooks, see Abbey Elder's OER workflow below:

Why Create Open Textbooks?
Creating OER textbooks may count towards tenure and promotion as a pedagogical publication. Some schools, like the University of British Columbia, are incentivizing the creation of OER by recognizing the creation of OER in their tenure and promotion guide.