If you’ve ever thought about writing an e-book, but haven’t done it yet, this post is for you. In it, you’ll learn about the ins and outs of writing an e-book, including what you need to know about the market, platforms, and distribution. You’ll also learn how to write an efficient query letter, and find out if self-publishing is right for you.
Why E-Books?
The rise of e-books isn’t a recent phenomenon. As early as the 1960s, people were publishing books as e-books because of the convenience for readers and the efficiency for writers. E-books are digital, which means they’re stored on a computer or in the cloud. This makes them accessible from any device with an internet connection, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you’ve ever tried to find a book at the library, you’ll know how tedious and time-consuming it can be.]]>
What Kind Of Content Should I Include In My E-Book?
This is a question that you need to ask yourself. What do you have to offer that will be relevant and useful to other writers? A good question to ask is: What would I do if I weren’t scared of not selling enough copies? Think of the kinds of things you might include in your e-book, and how you could make them useful to other writers. You can put together a list of topics you think might interest potential readers, and see how others have answered this question in their own e-books.
The Difference In Quality
A common question among beginning authors is: How do I write a quality book? The short answer: You don’t. It’s not a matter of quality, however, but rather a matter of time. The longer you spend on your book, the greater the chance of it being filled with typos and careless errors. These are the things that make a book unreadable. So while you’re dreaming of that best-seller list, keep in mind that your book might not be worth it in the end. Don’t be afraid to delete words and phrases that are cluttering up your book. You can always go back and replace them. Better to leave them out and keep your focus on writing your story.]]>
Keep A Reader’s Attention
The best way to write an e-book is by keeping the reader’s attention throughout. This means using a variety of techniques, including but not limited to:
- High-quality writing
- Good plot twists
- Character development
- Use of contrasting settings
- Interesting themes
The best way to ensure that your e-book keeps the reader’s attention is by using a high-quality custom-made writing program. These types of programs will let you insert special characters, such as accented letters and numbers, and fix any typos you may make while typing your book.
Make It Memorable
When someone buys a book, they often do so because they remember certain things about it. If you’re writing a book about becoming a writer, for instance, you might want to include something about the creative process, as well as the people and places that you met along the way. Think of a memorable story or moment from your own writing experience, and include it in your book. You might also consider looking into writing short stories for enjoyment, and possibly even publishing them in a collection.
Keep It Short
While there is no hard and fast rule regarding the length of an e-book, the general recommendation is to keep it under 200 pages. It’s a quick and easy rule to follow, as long as you’re not afraid of losing potential readers due to too many pages.
How Many Print Copies Should I Make?
This is a question that you need to ask yourself as well. How many printed copies do you need to make? The answer depends on your sales goal. If you’re just looking for a way to discover readers, you can start with just a few copies and see how many people are actually interested. If you want to go the self-publishing route and are looking for tips on marketing and pricing, you can find out how many copies to make based on your projected sales.
Create A Marketing Plan
An e-book is only as good as its marketing. Like any other book, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to market your e-book, and what you’re going to say about it to potential readers. When deciding on a book’s cover, for instance, color is incredibly important, as it helps the reader better understand what the book is about. In addition, think about the type of content you have inside, and what the cover should showcase. An easy rule of thumb is: Keep it simple and keep it eye-catching. Don’t be afraid to experiment with covers, as long as you keep the theme consistent throughout your marketing materials. If you have a specific theme in mind, such as fantasy or science fiction, you can use this to your advantage by creating an e-book around it. In addition to marketing materials, you’ll need to create a cover letter and synopsis to submit to book publishers.
Distribute It To All The Right Places
If you’re looking for a way to publish your book, your first stop should be a library. Almost all libraries have e-book platforms these days, and if your book is available for purchase, you’ll be able to add it to your own e-book collection. After you’ve added it to your library’s collection, take some time to explore the rest of the internet for online bookstores that sell both new and used books. Looking for a place to publish your book? Try Lulu or Amazon Kindle.
Self-Publishing Versus Traditional Publishing
If you’re looking to publish a book, you have several options. One option is to go the traditional route and find a publisher who can take on your book. If, however, you’ve written a book that you feel is worthy of being read, you can take the self-publishing route and find an online bookstore that will help you get it out there. Self-publishing may be less expensive in the short term, but you’ll have to do all the marketing yourself. Think about what you’re looking for in terms of sales volume before committing to self-publishing, as you might end up having to go through several rounds of edits to get it ready for publication.
Bottom Line
An e-book isn’t something you can easily fake. If you want to write an e-book, you need to be willing to invest the time required to create a high-quality product that will hopefully convince potential readers to pick up your book. So before you start writing that best-selling novel, be sure to do your research on the market, and decide how you’re going to go about reaching your sales goal. It might be easier to start small and build up from there, but the world isn’t ready for your masterpiece just yet.