write an ebook
Writing an ebook can be easy but you have to be totally organised if you want to come out of the process with your sanity intact. Follow these tips for writing a quality ebook that people will want to read and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a published author.
1. Pick a subject
Which sounds like it’s stating the obvious but you’d be amazed at how many people either don’t do this step or set their subject matter too wide that War and Peace wouldn’t have enough space to tell you all about it.
You’re looking for a subject that people are interested in reading about. So if your chosen subject matter is more visual then you should consider whether an ebook is the best medium for your masterpiece – maybe a video instead?
2. Do your research
This applies whether you know your subject inside out or if you’re just starting out in your chosen area.
Go to forums and sites like Yahoo Answers to see what people are asking about. If a topic crops up on a regular basis, there’s a good chance that you should include it when you’re writing your ebook.
Then go to Amazon and use their “look inside” feature to see what the chapter headings are.
3. Make an outline
Notice that you haven’t launched straight into writing your book?
The outline is the next important thing you need to do with your work.
Start with the chapter headings. Most books have around a dozen chapters, so that’s a good target for your ebook. Sure, it can be shorter or longer but see what happens when you’ve done your outline.
If you run out of steam at a handful of chapter headings, maybe you’ve chosen the wrong subject.
If your outline looks like a J K Rowling novel then it’s too detailed!
4. Flesh out your outline
Each chapter will cover a number of subjects. Treat each chapter like you did with the outline – aim for a dozen or so short topics that you’ll cover in each of your ebook’s chapters.
Notice how your ebook is starting to come to life, even though you haven’t really written a word of it yet?
Also notice how your writer’s block (if any) is melting away because you already know the topic of near enough every chapter of your brand new ebook.
5. Now start writing
Your aim is a paragraph or two (or maybe three) for each of the items you did to flesh our your outline.
The good news is that a couple of paragraphs don’t take long to write. It’s not a daunting prospect to write out a hundred or two hundred words. You probably write as much when you answer a forum post. OK, it’s more than you’re confined to in a Tweet and it’s longer than a Facebook status update. But not much longer.
Whenever you’ve got a few spare moments – ones where you’d read emails or watch videos – tap out a couple of paragraphs.
But don’t edit while you type – that’s a different part of your brain and it stifles your creativity.
6. Edit as necessary
Editing your new ebook should be kept separate from the writing sequence.
It’s your choice whether to edit the whole book or each chapter at a time. There’s a lot to be said for editing each chapter in turn and then giving your new ebook a “once over” when you’ve completed that part of the process.
7. Publish your new ebook
Amazon lets you self-publish with its Kindle option. Apple does something similar with one of its iStores. Or you can use one of the print on demand services to let your book leave the computer and enter the real world.
It’s your choice where to publish but if you follow the simple steps listed above, you’ll have quickly written a top quality ebook. Go for it!
