How to Write an eBook
BY KAREN MARTIN
The hardest part of writing is the first
sentence. When you look at the whole project, it seems like an
impossible task. That's why you have to break it down into manageable
tasks. Think of climbing a mountain. You are standing at the foot of it
and looking up at its summit vanishing into the clouds. How can you
possibly scale such an immense and dangerous mountain?
There is only one way to climb
a mountain - step by step.
Now think of writing your
eBook in the same light. You must create it step by step, and
one day, you will take that last step and find yourself
standing on the summit with your head in the clouds.
The first thing you have to
do, as if you actually were a mountain climber, is to get
organized. Instead of climbing gear, however, you must
organize your thoughts. There are some steps you should take
before you begin. Once you've gone through the following list,
you will be ready to actually begin writing your eBook.
Beginning Steps to Writing an eBook
First, figure out your eBook's
working title. Jot down a few different titles, and
eventually, you'll find that one that will grow on you. Titles
help you to focus your writing on your topic; they guide you
in anticipating and answering your reader's queries. Many
non-fiction books also have subtitles. Aim for clarity in your
titles, but cleverness always helps to sell books ? as long as
it's not too cute. For example, Remedies for Insomnia: twenty
different ways to count sheep. Or: Get off that couch: fifteen
exercise plans to whip you into shape.
Next, write out a thesis
statement. Your thesis is a sentence or two stating exactly
what problem you are addressing and how your book will solve
that problem. All chapters spring forth from your thesis
statement. Once you've got your thesis statement fine-tuned,
you've built your foundation. From that foundation, your book
will grow, chapter by chapter.
Your thesis will keep you
focused while you write your eBook. Remember: all chapters
must support your thesis statement. If they don't, they don't
belong in your book. For example, your thesis statement could
read: We've all experienced insomnia at times in our lives,
but there are twenty proven techniques and methods to give you
back a good night's sleep.
Once you have your thesis,
before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to
write your book. Ask yourself some questions:
-
Does your book present useful
information and is that information currently relevant?
-
Will your book positively
affect the lives of your readers?
-
Is your book dynamic and will
it keep the reader's attention?
-
Does you book answer questions
that are meaningful and significant?
If you can answer yes to these
questions, you can feel confident about the potential of your
eBook.
Another important step is to
figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of
people you will be writing to, and this group will dictate
many elements of your book, such as style, tone, diction, and
even length. Figure out the age range of your readers, their
general gender, what they are most interested in, and even the
socio-economic group they primarily come from. Are they people
who read fashion magazines or book reviews? Do they write
letters in longhand or spend hours every day online. The more
you can pin down your target audience, the easier it will be
to write your book for them.
Next, make a list of the
reasons you are writing your eBook. Do you want to promote
your business? Do you want to bring quality traffic to your
website? Do you want to enhance your reputation?
Then write down your goals in
terms of publishing. Do you want to sell it as a product on
your website, or do you want to offer it as a free gift for
filling out a survey or for ordering a product? Do you want to
use the chapters to create an e-course, or use your eBook to
attract affiliates around the world? The more you know
upfront, the easier the actual writing will be.
Decide on the format of your
chapters. In non-fiction, keep the format from chapter to
chapter fairly consistent. Perhaps you plan to use an
introduction to your chapter topic, and then divide it into
four subhead topics. Or you may plan to divide it into five
parts, each one beginning with a relevant anecdote.
How to make your eBook "user friendly"
You must figure out how to
keep your writing engaging. Often anecdotes, testimonials,
little stories, photos, graphs, advice, and tips will keep the
reader turning the pages. Sidebars are useful for quick,
accessible information, and they break up the density of the
page.
Write with a casual,
conversational tone rather than a formal tone such as textbook
diction. Reader's respond to the feeling that you are having a
conversation with them. Break up the length and structure of
your sentences so you don't hypnotize your readers into sleep.
Sentences that are all the same length and structure tend to
be a good aid for insomnia!
Good writing takes practice.
It takes lots and lots of practice. Make a schedule to write
at least a page a day. Read books and magazines about the
process of writing, and jot down tips that jump out at you.
The art of writing is a lifetime process; the more you write
(and read), the better your writing will become. The better
your writing becomes, the bigger your sales figures.
In an eBook that is read on
the screen, be aware that you must give your reader's eye a
break. You can do this by utilizing white space. In art
classes, white space is usually referred to as "negative
space." Reader's eyes need to rest in the cool white oasises
you create on your page. If your page is too dense, your
reader will quit out of it as soon as their eyes begin to
tear.
Make use of lists, both
bulleted and numbered. This makes your information easy to
absorb, and gives the reader a mental break from dissecting
your paragraphs one after the other.
Finally, decide on an
easy-to-read design. Find a font that's easy on the eyes, and
stick to that font family. Using dozens of fonts will only
tire your readers out before they've gotten past your
introduction. Use at least one and a half line spacing, and
text large enough to be read easily on the screen, but small
enough so that the whole page can be seen on a computer
screen. You will have to experiment with this to find the
right combination.
Of course, don't forget to run
a spell and grammar check. You are judged by something as
minor as correct punctuation, so don't mess up a great book by
tossing out semicolons randomly, or stringing sentences
together with commas. (By the way, that's called a "comma
splice.")
Last of all, create an index
and a bibliography. That's it! You've written a book! Now all
you have to do is publish your eBook online, and wait for
download request from your website visitors.
Karen Martin is the Sub-Editor
of 'The Internet Affiliates Resources Directory' where
subscribers have the opportunity to have their Affiliate
programs promoted absolutely free and on a permanent basis.
Email to get the details & free sample subscription.
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