Many people think that writing an ebook is a difficult task, something that only takes a talented few, the so-called “j” writers, to accomplish. Truth to be said, it’s not as difficult as you might think, and with a little bit of effort (a little bit of work, if you will), you can put yourself in a position to write an ebook in the near future.
So, what are the steps you need to follow to write an ebook?
The Most Difficult Part
No matter which method you choose to write your ebook (whether you wrote it on your computer or on paper), the most difficult part will be the same: creating the story, setting the scene, and choosing the characters.
You have to find a way to make the reader invest in and care about your characters, whatever personality quirks and flaws they may have. The reader will identify with the characters and the story, so you have to make sure that they relate to the story as much as you do. It’s essential to find the right tone for your story, one that will engage and hold the interest of your target audience. You will find examples of “j” writers online, and you can learn a lot from their approach to writing.
For instance, “The Scorpio Rising” by Jonathan Kellerman is a great example of a short story with a high degree of tension and intrigue. The setting is a dark and dangerous place: a hotel in the middle of nowhere. A beautiful woman and a middle-aged man have checked into the hotel for a weekend of erotic adventure. While the woman, Karen, is exploring the area and looking for ways to spend the weekend, her husband, Richard, is eager to meet up with his best friend, Jeremy, who has made a reputation for himself in the underworld of New York City. When Richard and Jeremy meet at the hotel, their business relationship turns into a passionate one, and before long, the two are making love while Karen looks on, a bit disgusted, as she has never acted or felt before. In the end, it’s not Karen who ends up being the most disturbed woman of the story. You will have to read the story to find out what happens, but overall, it’s an engrossing read, a great example of how an ebook can be both exciting and enlightening. For more on this topic, check out
The Ultimate Guide to Ebook Publishing
Once you have your story, setting, and characters in place, the next step is to create the plot, which is simply the chronological sequence of events that take place in your story. You can use a blank ebook to make one to start with, or you can use a word processing program to draft one, adding and removing details as you see fit.
The goal is to make the reader want to turn the page, to know what happens next. To achieve this, you have to give the plot a smooth and swift pace, introducing an element of surprise or suspense along the way. Keep in mind that your plot, like your story, will need to be grounded in reality, so you should avoid overly fantastical or outrageous situations. This will make your story more relatable and easier to understand for your reader. A good rule of thumb is to “ground your fantasy,” as Kerry Greenwood, writing for Creative-Writing-For-Adults.com, suggests, in other words, make it real.
Publishing
The writing process, from the inception of the idea through to the creation of a publication-ready manuscript, can take a considerable amount of time. Once you have a complete manuscript, it’s a good idea to seek some literary help, either with editing or with getting it published. There are a lot of advantages to having a professionally edited manuscript.
If you decide that you want to go the self-publishing route, you will have to do a lot of the work yourself, including designing the cover and formatting the book for the e-reading devices you plan on selling it on. For the most part, you will have to invest in equipment to carry out this task, such as a good laptop or desktop computer, a printer, and possibly even a scanner. Self-publishing has become easier than ever. There are a wide variety of platforms available to budding authors, from e-book stores like Amazon and Bookbaby to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Many self-published authors report that they have made a good living from their work, and many more have built up a significant readership, leading to their books being considered for adaptation into films or TV shows. If you’ve got a dream to write the next “Game of Thrones” or “Lord of the Rings,” you might consider going this route.
Monetizing
When you finally publish your ebook, you will have to decide how you want to monetize it. You can do this through traditional means (through ads, for example, on your blog), through affiliate marketing (making money off of other businesses, who want to purchase a product or service, and mentioning your affiliate link in those businesses’ publications), or you can choose to sell and ship your own books through a traditional publisher (in that case, you will have to find a way to get the book into a physical bookstore, which can be a difficult task).
The choice is ultimately up to you and depends on what works best for you. Some people choose to do all of these things, while others choose to focus on one method and run with it. Once you have a large enough audience, you can experiment with different ways to monetize your content and see what works best for you.
If you want to write an ebook in less than 14 days, why not?