I read an interesting tweet the other day that said:
“You can write an eBook in 1 day with no fancy tools or tricks. All you need is a laptop and some time off work.”
I thought that was an incredibly inspiring statement and the perfect push to complete an eBook I’d been putting off for months. I felt strongly that any statement that facilitates creativity and productivity should be celebrated!
Since I work from home, I took that as a personal challenge and set out to prove the exact opposite. I wanted to see if I could write an eBook within a day and without any special software or tools. Turns out, it’s not as hard as you’d think. And thanks to some well-executed hustle, I was able to complete my eBook in just 3 hours and 38 minutes.
The Journey So Far
As the name implies, an eBook is a digital book that you can read on a variety of devices, including phones, tablets, and laptops. Essentially, an eBook is just like a regular book—you have text and images on a page. The difference is that an eBook is usually shorter and more concise.
The original format for eBooks was PDF, which is short for Portable Document Format. Created in 1991, the PDF format allows for high portability and legibility on a variety of devices. Most people have seen and worked with PDF files. If you’re reading this on a device that supports PDFs, you can click or tap here to open the file in a new window or tab.
Why an eBook?
The idea behind an eBook is to provide value to your audience while encouraging them to buy your products or services. In the eyes of the consumer, value and trust are highly ranked. Essentially, when they see that you’ve put in the effort to create a PDF file that is easy to follow, they’re more likely to feel that you’re trying to be helpful and that your product is good value for money.
What You’ll Need To Create An eBook
To write an eBook in 1 day, you’ll need only a laptop and the discipline to get the job done. There are a few things you’ll need to consider, though.
First, make sure that you have the talent to write an eBook. You’ve got to be able to draw interesting anecdotes and sprinkle in just the right amount of interesting facts. To give you an idea of how a typical eBook will look, here’s a small sample from one of my own books:
The Biggest Obstacle
The biggest obstacle to creating an eBook in 1 day is the formatting. When you write a regular book, you’ll need to format it for a variety of devices, including e-readers and mobile phones. In an eBook, you only need to format it for e-readers. This means you’re going to have to condense all the content down to a tighter version that will fit the e-reader screens.
For example, when I wrote my book, ‘How to Be the Successful Woman You Were Born to Be’, I originally wrote it as seven individual eBooks. I had to go through each one and crop out anything extraneous, like chapters or appendixes. Once I did that, I put the seven eBooks together into one larger file and exported it as a PDF. From there, I was able to upload it to Amazon’s Kindle program and publish it as one large eBook. This was both time-consuming and tedious. It wasn’t fun. Plus, it was extremely tiring – especially since I had to do all of this while working on other projects.
How To Create An eBook In 1 Day With No Fancy Tools Or Tricks
Creating an eBook in 1 day without any special tools or tricks is possible. It just takes a little bit of planning and some elbow grease. Here’s how you can do it.
Day 1
On the first day of the project, you’ll want to do the following:
1. Read as much as you can about eBooks and the industry as a whole. This will help you understand what you’re getting into and give you a leg up on the competition. You don’t need to have all the information yet, but you should have enough to get the job done. If you’re struggling, try watching YouTube videos or listening to podcasts to learn more.
2. Take a break from working on other projects. This is especially important if you’re trying to multitask. You don’t want to be switching back and forth between tasks, because that will cause you to make errors due to fatigue. Take a walk, get a coffee, or go for a drive. Do whatever you can to get away from your desk for a little while.
Day 2
On the second day of the project, you’ll want to do the following:
1. Take a break from working on other projects and get your eBook written. You can start by outlining the general plot of your book. Be sure to leave plenty of room for unexpected twists and turns. You might want to start with a few chapter names or short section headings to help you organize your thoughts. By doing this, you’ll be sure to keep your story concise while also providing your readers with a clear idea of what is going on. You don’t have to be perfect; just get the first draft done as soon as you can.
2. Proofread your work and make any necessary corrections. Be sure to do this carefully and without any haste. Once you’re happy with the way it looks, you can begin the final step. This is where you’ll go through the manuscript and cut out any unnecessary text or extra material. Remember that your goal is to create a more concise version of the book that will fit better on the Kindle.
3. Export your eBook to PDF. This is an incredibly important step, because without it, you’ll be unable to send the file to be printed. PDF is a portable document format that was designed to be compatible with a variety of devices, including e-readers and mobile phones. It was originally created for a personal computer, but the format is now also supported by iPad, Android, and many different e-reader apps. Once you’ve exported your book to PDF, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
Day 3
On the third day of the project, you’ll want to do the following:
1. Cut up your PDF and re-import it into a single eBook file. You’ll have to do this on a document by document basis. It can be a tedious process, but it’s worth it in the end. When you’re importing the individual files, be sure to keep the chapter headings or section breaks that you used while writing. This will help you keep your place throughout the entire process.
2. Format your eBook for the Kindle. You can use a variety of tools to format your book for the Kindle. One of the simplest ways is to use the Kindle’s own device manager. All you have to do is connect your Kindle to a Wi-Fi network and click on the Kindle icon on your phone’s home screen. If you’re on a computer, open the Kindle program that you installed earlier and sign into your Amazon account. Once you’re in, click on the Manage my Kindle button at the top right corner of the window.
3. Upload your eBook to the Kindle Store. Once you’ve uploaded your book, you can set the price and description to your liking. If you want to create a buzz about your book before it is even officially published, you can leave the price as is and set the description to something that will draw potential customers into the store. Make sure you don’t leave any spelling errors or outdated information in the description, because these will be corrected by the publishing company before the book is available for purchase. You can also add a photo of yourself or an interesting headshot of a family member or friend to further promote yourself or the book.
Congratulations! You’ve finished your first eBook, which takes a lot less time than you’d think. Be sure to enjoy the fruits of your labor while they last—an eBook is not self-contained like a DVD or Blu-ray; it requires you to continue uploading new content to maintain its value.