There is an ebook reader on almost every smartphone, and with e-readers like Kindle, Nook, and Google Play Books, consumers have easy access to thousands of books. What’s more is many titles are completely free, allowing readers to try before they buy.
With the explosion of the e-book market, self-publishing platforms like Amazon and Smashwords have seen a rise in popularity. Self-publishing has become a viable option for anyone who wants to write and publish a book, and with the right guidance, your story can be told in an engaging way that will keep readers interested.
Here are some tips on how to write an e-book that will grab readers and compel them to turn the pages.
1. Incorporate Video Into Your Ebook
While there are many benefits to writing in an eBook, including being able to publish your book immediately and having all the content you create available for everyone to access at any time, the biggest perk is that you can engage with readers through videos within the text of your book.
Incorporating video into your book is easier than you think. All you need is a simple webcam, a good backdrop, and some witty banter. With just a few quick videos, you can tell a compelling story about your book and engage with your audience.
The videos will not only entice readers to continue turning pages, but they also offer a fresh perspective on your book. Incorporating video into your e-book gives the reader a different view of the text and keeps things interesting. It also allows you to experiment with new storytelling techniques and see how your story is presented from a different perspective.
2. Choose A Simple And Minimalistic Theme For Your Book
If you are new to writing an e-book or want to ensure it has a minimalistic theme, then go for a clean white background with just the text on it. Avoid using bright, distracting colors or patterns as they may hurt your eyes and prevent you from focusing on the text, particularly in the long term.
Having a minimalist design makes your book much more readable as there is less going on everywhere, preventing eye strain and allowing you to quickly focus on the content. Furthermore, choosing a clean background makes it simpler for you to edit and re-purpose the content in the future. Finally, a minimalist design makes your book less intrusive; readers can quickly understand what they are supposed to be doing while reading it.
3. Keep The Reader In Mind
When you are writing your book, picture yourself as a reader. Ask yourself questions such as, ‘What would I want to know about this topic?,’ and, ‘What do I want to see/hear in relation to this topic?.’ These are both extremely useful questions to ask yourself as they will help you see your book from a reader’s perspective. This will then compel you to write the type of book that they want to read, rather than the book you want to write.
The more you can incorporate into your book that will appeal to your intended audience, the more likely you are to succeed as a writer. Having a clear idea of who your book is for will help you choose the right writing style and content to engage them. If you are still unsure of who your book is for, then consider writing a few sentences about yourself in the first person. This will then become your voice throughout the entire piece, guiding the reader along and keeping them interested.
4. Create A Product That People Want
If you want to write a best seller, then go for something that is already popular in some shape or form. If you are writing for entertainment purposes, then choose a topic that is already known to be interesting and funny. However, if you want to use your book to teach readers something new, then go for a topic that is currently relevant and making headlines.
While it is nice to aim for a general audience, you should write your book with the knowledge that a certain group of people will enjoy it the most. Choose a topic that you are an expert in and can educate other readers on. Let your personality shine through in your writing, but ensure that your book is of good quality so that it can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.
5. Use Diverse Language
To truly encompass all the benefits of an e-book, you want to ensure that your text is presented in a way that is easy to understand, regardless of the reader’s language skill. Incorporating a variety of language will benefit you in several ways. First, it will expand your audience by allowing more people to read your book. Second, it will make your book more interesting to a wider range of people. Finally, it will make the language easier to understand for both you and your reader. Consider using an online translator to ensure that your text is presented in a way that is easily understood.
6. Find Your Niche
To ensure that you become best-selling, you want to choose a topic that is already well-established, but is still considered a ‘super-category’. If you are writing for entertainment purposes, then go for something that is currently trending. However, if you want to write for educational purposes, then go for a topic that is already well-established and is still considered a ‘classical’ topic.
Once you have selected a topic, take some time to research the niche. Consider the demographics, interests, and psychographics of your intended audience. This will then allow you to craft an authoritative piece that will attract and retain your audience.
To ensure that your book is unique, find the special something that sets it apart from other books on your topic – whether it is the content, narrative structure, or both. Incorporating this special something into your book will then allow you to stand out among your competitors.
7. Add Images Where Relevant
While it is great to have text on text, adding images where relevant is an easy way to further engage the reader. Incorporating relevant images can help you tell your story in a unique way that will grab the reader’s attention. Furthermore, having images in your book that are relevant to the story can add a personal touch that will make the reader empathize with the characters or relate more to the events that happen.
To add a personal touch to your book, consider using images that are relevant to the story. If the image adds to the story, then add it! However, if the image is irrelevant to the story, then consider cutting it out as it may distract the reader from the text.