How to Design And Launch Your eBook in Just 7 Days

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Everyone has at one time or another thought about writing and launching their own ebook. You don’t have to be Dickens or Hemingway; you simply have to have something of value to say. Whether for promotional purposes, to get yourself published or to make a profit, writing an ebook is a terrific way to engage a wide range of audiences and get your message and voice heard.

Now, while the idea of writing an ebook may seem daunting to some, the truth is, producing a thoughtful and potentially profitable book is actually quite easy. From coming up with the idea to formatting for Kindle, we can show you how to become an ebook author in the span of just one week.

The Rationale Behind The eBook

As previously noted, there are a number of reasons why someone decides to pen and publish their very first ebook. And depending on your motive for writing, the book itself can assume a variety of forms.

- The Promotional eBook: A great tool for marketing your business’s services, offering insider insight into some facet of your industry, or providing helpful “tips and tricks” to your core client base, the promotional ebook can serve as a great handout to give to customers, or even offer as a bonus for subscribing to your email list.

-     Ebook as End Product: Of course you don’t have to give your ebook away. The book in and of itself can certainly be a way to earn some extra money. If you have a subject in mind that seems current, topical and especially one that may be trending, by all means write about it! Many an ebook author has made decent money by marketing and selling their books through the giant that is Amazon, for example.

- The Starving Artist: So you haven’t quite gotten that big break. Penguin Press hasn’t come knocking at your door…yet. Self publishing your own ebook is a terrific way to start your writing career. Pour your heart out, unleash your inner Tolstoy, and then proceed to publish and sell. Several truly talented authors actually got their start this way.

Of course the above list isn’t all inclusive. There are many reasons why people write ebooks. You just have to figure out yours. And that’s when the fun can really begin….

Choose Your Topic Carefully

Choosing your ebook topic is perhaps the most critical point in your authorial journey. Ensuring that it is going to be of interest to readers, that it is a subject about which you have some knowledge and one that can be sustained throughout the course of the book are all important factors to consider. Figuring out how to write your ebook is as much about what type of material you’re going to tackle as it is about the writing itself.

  • Do your research. If you’ve gotten to the point where you are ready to write yourown ebook, then odds are you’ve frequented a number of blogs, online forums, andsocial media platforms. The hot topics are out there…What are people postingabout? What subjects are garnering the most comments? And what blog themes pop up again and again? This is a great way to approach your own project. Become a digital stalker (not in any sort of creepy way of course) and find out what’s trending.

  • Survey Your Audience. Creating a quick and easy survey to present to your clients or those  subscribed to your email list is an excellent way to gauge your reading public’s tastes. Just flat out ask them what they’d like to read about, find out where their interests lie? Certainly can’t hurt.

  • What are you passionate about. We all have that topic about which we can wax poetic for hours on end. If you’re writing for the love of it, for the opportunity to share your passion and knowledge with the world, then most definitely go for it. Just make sure that you make it engaging and above all else, interesting.

Get Your Shakespeare On and Start Writing!

Here’s where you get to let your inner ebook-writing genius loose. Perhaps begin with an outline or mind map. This will help get the creative juices flowing and provide some needed order and structure to your project.

Everyone approaches the process of writing in a different way. Maybe you’re a night writer. Your best thoughts tend to be of the vampire variety. Maybe you rock the early morning; cup of coffee in hand, laptop open, you like to hit the ground running. Regardless of when or how you write, just write! Organize your ideas, divide them into chapters or ebook sections and let your masterpiece unfurl.  

Remember, good writing is all about keeping your readers’ attention. You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if the writing falls flat and the text is not engaging enough, audiences will likely stop reading after just a few pages. Consider your use of language. Think about how the sentences flow. Also, keep in mind that your content should be both interesting and in some fashion, useful. You got this!

What’s in a Name…

The title of your ebook project is in some ways more important that the content itself. If your title lacks punch, if it fails to grab a user’s interest, it won’t get read. Let’s face it, attention spans aren’t that long, especially when it comes to the rapid pace at which our eyes and fingers scroll through the digital universe. You want your title to standout. It has to shout: Read Me! I’m interesting!

Spend a couple of days thinking about it. Some find it helpful to name the ebook once the bulk of the content has been written. You tend to have a better sense of your project after you’ve fleshed it out. Stuck? Maybe a fresh set of eyes is what you need here. A freelance content writer can take a look at your book and help you come up with that money-making title and supporting “blurb”—also a component not to be overlooked.

Edit...Then Edit Again

A crucial step in writing your ebook, editing and proofreading your text will mean the difference between a winning ebook and one that remains on the proverbial shelf. Grammar, punctuation, overall structure and flow need to be spot on. You’re presenting yourself as the expert here, the writing must reaffirm your expert status. Flawed prose simply won’t cut it. This is almost always thepoint at which enlisting a little help never hurts.

You’ve spent a great deal of time and energy writing your ebook, you’re invested in each sentence, every word--you know it by heart in some ways. Most ebook writers actually tend to be a bit too close to their projects to effectively edit them. An outside pair of eyes can fix the flaws and perhaps even offer you insights you’d previously not considered. That freelance proofreading expert will enable you to sharpen up the text and prepare your book for its digital debut.

Formatting, Cover Design, Illustrations: Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty

The hard part is done…well, almost. Formatting your ebook for Kindle is not that difficult, but it can be a little detail-heavy. There are plenty of services available online that assist you in the final formatting of your book project, and certainly a content freelancer experienced in this niche is always a great investment.

You also want to think beyond the page here…What is the first thing users will encounter: your cover of course. And yes, despite what we’ve been told, most will in fact judge a book by its cover. As with the title, you want to make sure the cover is an ambassador for your content. In other words, it really needs to sell the heck out of your ebook. This is perhaps one area in which you definitely want to think about hiring a talented graphic arts freelancer to help you create the ultimate book cover.

Let’s Market This Thing!

You’ve got a tremendous ebook on your hands, now it needs to get read. If you intend to distribute to clients and email subscribers, then the marketing component will be a bit easier. But if you are actively trying to sell your ebook and ultimately make some money, then it’s time to oil the old marketing machine.

Marketing your ebook is really very similar to how you would go about marketing anything else. It’s all about exposure, exposure, exposure. You have to let people know what you have and what value it will add to their lives. Create a Facebook page, a website, start an email campaign. Whatever you need to do to get your project out there, do it! Start by offering free “samples” on your site. Give users a small taste and make sure it’s good enough to leave them wanting more. Professional freelancers who specialize in ebook marketing can most definitely help you create that necessary buzz around your book. Together, come up with a marketing game plan, and execute!

Writing an ebook is a project that virtually anyone can undertake. The key is to have an overall plan in place and just get started! And with the help of the ultra-talented content writers, editors and graphic designers on Freelancer.com, the process of writing your own ebook is made that much easier. Post a project today!   

It really can be done in just 7 days. We can’t wait to see your next ebook creation…Be sure to keep us posted!

 

Gepostet 30 Januar, 2017

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