Looking for ways to make money from home? Want to be able to spend more time with your family? Worry no more because this article is going to teach you ways to make money from home using the power of ebooks and the iPhone.
The Four Steps To Ebook Publishing
So you’ve decided to write an ebook. Congratulations! You’re among the millions of people who have decided that this is the future of books. While the idea of creating a digital document on a smartphone may sound daunting, the steps to doing so are very simple and can be easily followed.
In order to write an ebook, you’ll need the following:
- A smartphone (the better the processor and the more memory, the better)
- A WiFi connection
- A computer with an internet connection (laptop or desktop)
- Ebook writing software (I’ll discuss these later)
- An ebook reader (e.g., Amazon Kindle or Apple Books)
- A good microphone (for video)
Step one: Choose A Niche
Choosing a niche is one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make as an indie writer because it will dictate the styles of books you’ll be able to write and the genres in which you’ll be able to experiment. In general, I would advise against choosing a broad niche because it’s very difficult to become an expert in a broad field. On the other hand, specializing in a small area makes it much more likely that you’ll become an expert in that area and be able to write books on related subjects.
When choosing your niche, consider the following:
1. Your own experiences
Instead of just accepting the first idea that comes to mind when you think of becoming an author, go through a list of things you’ve done in your life. Think of all the unique experiences you’ve had and all the stories you’re capable of telling. These are the raw materials you need to create new stories and help others through your writing. Specializing in non-fiction will give you a greater chance of marketing your books through platforms like Amazon because there’s already a mountain of content on the platform in regards to business and management. If you decide that business and finance are your specialties, then you can target the financial services industry, which is a goldmine for consumer books.
2. The Types Of Books You Already Know
If you’re writing a traditional book, the next thing you need to do is figure out what kind of book you should be writing. As an indie author, you have a greater degree of freedom than traditional authors do when it comes to choosing your topic, but you still need to determine whether or not this is something that will be useful to people. Thinking about your target audience will help you establish what types of books they will value and benefit from reading. A classic example of this phenomenon is Michael Joseph’s (The Marketing Secrets of successful Indie Authors) The marketing secrets of successful indie authors.
If you don’t have a lot of experience in a certain area, it’s a good idea to research the types of books that already exist in the market along with reading as much as possible. Familiarize yourself with the different sub-genres in your niche and what is currently popular among your target audience. Knowing what is currently popular helps you establish the types of books your audience would value and benefit from reading. It’s also a good idea to look at the types of books that have been the most successful in your niche and incorporate what you’ve learned from reading and researching these books into your own work. Traditional books are still extremely relevant today, especially considering the fact that many people still prefer to read physical books rather than digital copies. Luckily, you have an alternative to choose from when deciding what type of book to write.
Step two: Determine The Overall Book Style And Tone
Before you start writing, you need to figure out the overall book style and tone. This is important because it will dictate the kinds of words you should use and how you should write. You want to make sure that your overall message comes through clearly in every part of your book. Keep in mind that your goal is to provide value to your reader. With this in mind, you don’t want to use overly formal language because everyone will think you’re trying to pull off a snooty attitude.
Consider the following guidelines when deciding on your book style and tone:
1. The basics:
You should use simple, everyday language that a five-year-old can understand. Avoid using big words that are not common knowledge. For instance, you wouldn’t use trichotillomania in everyday English, so it is best not to use it in your writing either.
In terms of book content, make sure that you cover the basics: Who, what, where, when, why, and how. When writing non-fiction, you should add a bit more content than you would for a fictional story. The more you can include, the better. Throwing in some interesting tidbits here and there is enough to keep your reader engaged.
2. Vary Your Sentences
Varying your sentences is important because it gives your writing texture. The easiest way to do this is to use different types of phrasing. One way of doing this is to vary your verb tenses. For example, instead of using the present tense, “I am reading,” you could write, “I have read,” or “I will read.”
Using different verb tenses gives the passage a more natural, conversational flow and makes it sound less like you’re simply retelling someone else’s story. The same concept applies to nouns and adjectives. Instead of saying, “He was wearing a black hoodie,” try out these variations:
- “He wore a black hoodie.”
- “He had on a black hoodie.”
- “He will wear a black hoodie.”
- “He is wearing a black hoodie.”
The more you can do to vary your language, the more interesting your writing will sound.
3. Use Active And The Right Words
If you’re able to use active verbs, a good rule of thumb is to make them the subject of the sentence. Consider the following example: “The ball was active in his hands as he chased after it.” The subject of this sentence is “active” because it is a verb. You could also say, “The ball was in his hands as he chased after it.” While the meaning is the same, the first sentence is more interesting because it uses an active verb.
Along the same lines as varying your verbs, you can vary your adjectives and adverbs. These words can be used to modify nouns or other adjectives. Consider the following example: “She was wearing a bright red dress,” or “The red dress became the center of attraction.” In the first example, the dress is modified by the adjectives “bright” and “red.” In the second example, the adjectives “red” and “attraction” modify the noun “dress.”
4. Consistency Is Important
When writing a book, you need to keep the overall tone and style consistent throughout. This is especially important when writing non-fiction because it will help prevent the material from coming off too much like an ad or sales pitch. In other words, you don’t want to sound like you’re just trying to up-sale something.
The easiest way to ensure consistency is by using the same format every time you write. This doesn’t mean you need to use the same words or go through the same motions every time you write, but it does mean you should use the same format and layout. Consider the following:
- The same font (e.g., Helvetica, Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman)
- The same text size (e.g., 1 inch = 96 points)
- The same space between sentences (e.g., 1/4 inch = 6 points)
- The same page layout (landscape or portrait)