Written by Michael Hyatt.
The team at BookBach have published a guide for writers who want to publish their work on the Kindle. The guide covers six steps to writing a successful Kindle book.
Set A Goal
The first step in writing a Kindle book is to set a goal. Are you aiming to have your book published traditionally or on Kindle? Are you looking for a quick (and maybe free) way to test the commercial viability of your book? These are all valid questions and it’s important that you set a goal for yourself even if you decide to go the traditional route eventually. One of the advantages of writing a Kindle book is that the commercial viability is already established. Your work will be reviewed by existing customers who can provide valuable feedback. It also has the added bonus of reaching more people.
Deciding to write a Kindle book is a big decision and you should take your time thinking everything through. Setting a goal will give you a clear direction to follow. It’s always good to have a clear goal in mind when writing. If you set a goal that is too ambitious, you may never get around to writing the book. Set a simple goal such as “I want to write a commercial success on the Kindle” and then work your way from there.
Understand The Platform
Before you begin writing your book, it’s important to understand the platform. Are you aiming to publish on Kindle or Amazon’s CreateSpace platform in particular? You should familiarize yourself with both platforms since you will need to develop an understanding of what makes each platform different. For example, Kindle is a bit nippy on the processor side so your work may experience a little snappiness when compared to other platforms. But in return, it provides a dedicated audience and a more streamlined distribution channel (via its built-in retailer).
When choosing which platform to use, you should consider your target audience, the cost of digital publication (if any) and the tools available to you.
Choose A Pseudonym
In literary circles, authors often use pen names to enhance their work’s brand and differentiate it from other works written by the same author. Using a pseudonym is a great way to build a brand and differentiate your book from others. It also provides a degree of creative freedom that can be invaluable.
As someone who uses pseudonyms for my own work, I can vouch for the benefits of using a pseudonym. It provides a degree of creative freedom that cannot be matched by using your real name. When someone wants to discover more about you, your bio will provide the information they need. Additionally, using a pseudonym provides an element of intrigue for potential readers. It can be a bit of a game to see if your work can be associated with a particular author. (And if you’re worried about your privacy, you can always use a VPN to ensure your personal data is kept private.)
Choose A Niche
With so much competition, it’s important to choose a niche. The niche can be literally anything (though it’s usually advice or how-to-related) and it should be something that you’re passionate about. Niches are one of the great things about the self-publishing world. There will always be people looking for help with a problem or trying to achieve a certain goal. By choosing a niche, you’re essentially advertising your ability to help and guide others towards success.
For example, if your niche is parenting, you could advise people on how to raise their children or teach them how to breastfeed. If your niche is dieting, you could advise people on which foods to avoid or help them lose weight. Whatever your niche, you should be able to find a small audience who is looking for reliable and trustworthy advice.
Choosing a niche can be difficult. You’ll want to make sure that there isn’t already someone out there who is advising on the same topic. Otherwise, it can cause potential customers to question your expertise. But as a writer, you’re always expected to be something of an expert in your field. So, by picking a niche, you’re essentially advertising your expertise to potential customers. Who knows – maybe you’ll even end up teaching someone else in the process.
Create A Table Of Contents
A table of contents is essential for any book. It provides the reader with an easily digestible overview of the content. This overview is known as an index and it can assist the reader in finding a topic they are interested in or help them navigate the content more easily. In creating a table of contents, you should consider what kind of reader you’re aiming for. Are they an experienced reader who wants to dive into the content quickly or do you need to provide a brief overview for someone who is new to the topic?
As an author, you’re used to writing articles for magazines and newspapers. Although digital publication is a whole different ballgame, the process still applies. The key is in breaking down the content into digestible chunks. This is where a table of contents comes in. It will help you organize your content and provide the reader with an overview of the content. If you decide to use an index (which I highly recommend), it will also assist the reader in finding a particular topic or concept.
Think Of Funnels
One of the biggest concerns for any writer is how to get my work out there for readers to discover. The truth is that you may not always get paid for your work, but that’s not the point. You’re doing this for the love of writing, right? Putting your work out there for free is a great way to build an audience and gain recognition. But, you need to be thinking about how to get that work out there to be read. This is where funnels come in.
A funnel is essentially a series of steps that a user goes through in order to get from point A to point B. The steps vary depending on the software being used, but they usually include: (1) discovering the content, (2) reading the content and (3) taking action (e.g., buying a product or subscribing to a service).
The key to making money from a funnel is in optimizing the steps. You can have the greatest content in the world, but if you don’t know how to get it in front of the right audience, it’s all for naught. This is where a successful author invests time
Even if you’ve written an amazing book, if you don’t know how to get it in front of the right audience, it’s all for naught. You can have the greatest content in the world, but if you don’t know how to get it in front of the right audience, it’s all for naught. This is where a successful author invests time.
The steps to writing a successful Kindle book are relatively easy to follow. Once you’ve determined that the hobby is for you, the next step is to set a goal. After that, it’s important to understand the platform and the potential pitfalls. Then, you can begin to select a pseudonym (if desired) and populate the table of contents with key points and highlights.