Creating Your Ebook
First things first . . .
You tell a friend, neighbor, acquaintance that you're writing an ebook.
"What's an ebook?" they ask. Can you explain it to them?
Here's a definition from WhatIs.com:
An ebook is an electronic version of a traditional print book that can be read by using a personal computer or by using an ebook reader. (An ebook reader can be a software application for use on a computer, such as Microsoft's free Reader application, or a book-sized computer that is used solely as a reading device, such as Nuvomedia's Rocket eBook.) Users can purchase an ebook on diskette or CD, but the most popular method of getting an ebook is to purchase a downloadable file of the ebook (or other reading material) from a website (such as Barnes and Noble) to be read from the user's computer or reading device. Generally, an ebook can be downloaded in five minutes or less.
Now, before we get down to the nitty gritty about how to write an ebook, let me tell you that I'm making a few assumptions here:
- I'm assuming that you're an intelligent person with a good idea for an ebook.
- I'm assuming that you have the basic writing skills needed to write a book (good grasp of English, grammar, punctuation, etc.)
- I'm assuming that you have the computer skills to create an electronic document, create a basic website, and upload and download files to and from the internet.
If these assumptions don't apply to you, writing, selling and promoting an ebook is going to be a challenge. Not impossible, but certainly more difficult than someone who does meet these criteria. You may need assistance from a writer or internet consultant, which will definitely affect your profit margin.
DON'T GIVE UP!! NEVER GIVE UP YOUR DREAMS!!
But be honest with yourself . . . Sometimes hiring someone who knows what they're doing is more efficient and cost effective in the long run.
All you really need to get started, is a good idea.
Obviously, before you can write an ebook, you need to know what you're going to write about.
The possibilities are endless:
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How to Create a Website
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How to Sell on Ebay
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How to Get a Job
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The Best of Mizz Suzie's Casserole Recipes
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101 Ways to Save Money
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101 Ways to Save Time
Get the picture? I'm sure if you do a little brainstorming, you'll come up with a dozen different subjects to write about.
Choose something you enjoy or want to learn more about (and are willing to spend the time to research.)
If you'd like to get an idea of what other ebook authors are writing about, take a look at the PayLoadz estore.
Using a program like Microsoft Publisher or Microsoft Word, create an outline for your book and then start filling in the pages.
Writing content for a digital publication is different from writing for hard copy (paper) publications. Ebook readers tend to scan the page rather than reading every word.
Reading from a computer screen is 25-50% slower than reading from a paper publication. Therefore, the pages in your ebook should have 25-50% less word content than the pages of a hard copy book.
Keep these important principles in mind as you create your ebook:
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Follow the KISS Principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid!
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Write naturally -- as if you're talking to someone.
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Less is more. Keep your sentences short, simple and concise.
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Keep paragraphs short -- 4 lines or less is best.
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Use color and highlights to emphasize key points.
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Use graphics wisely and sparingly -- they add to file size and download time.
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Don't get carried away with fancy fonts. They can be difficult to read. Use a font that people are used to reading.
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Use white space as a design element. In other words, you don't have to try to fill in every blank space on the page.
If you don't have the time or skill to format your own ebook, you can find professionals on sites like elance.com who can help you out.
After you've created and formatted your ebook in a program like Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher, you'll need to convert the document to PDF format using Adobe Acrobat.
Why? Because a PDF file can be read on any computer -- PC or MAC -- just by downloading the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software. It also allows you to password protect the document and restrict whether the file can be copied, edited or printed.
When it comes to converting files to PDF, you have a few options:
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You can buy the Adobe Acrobat software for around $300.
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Subscribe to http://createpdf.adobe.com/ for just $9.99 a month.
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Hire a professional to convert the document for you. This should be very inexpensive and may be your best bet if you've never used Acrobat before. You can post your job on a site like elance.com.
Once you've converted your ebook to PDF format, you're ready to start selling this baby!