So you’ve decided to write an ebook. Congratulations! You’re among the growing number of people who see the benefits of digital distribution and are keen to get their ideas out to a larger audience. Perfect! Now what?
An ebook can be a wonderful way to distribute your content. You can write on a variety of topics and have the added advantage of being able to add your own illustrations and images to the book. You don’t need to be limited by chapter lengths like with a traditional book and can put whatever you want in whatever order you want. This makes it extremely flexible and, depending on your writing style, it can be a very effective way to communicate your point of view. For instance, if you’re a very visual person, you might decide to use PowerPoint or Prezi to illustrate your points in your book. The possibilities are endless!
The Biggest Obstacle In My Way Was…
One of the biggest obstacles I faced when I was first putting together my ebook was keeping it short. Truth be told, I don’t like to write very much and wasn’t exactly sure where to start when it came to composing my own novel. In the end, I probably spent a total of about three hours on this particular project. If I had known then what I know now, I would have spent a little less time worrying about the length and a little more about the story itself. However, that’s neither here nor there. The point is that sometimes the solution is simpler than you think, and in this case, the answer was surprisingly easy.
Get A Few Good Friends To Beta-Read
Inevitably, you’ll need some help with polishing your work and getting it ready for prime-time. Luckily for you, I have some great news. I have some amazing friends who are willing to help me by reading your manuscript and giving you some advice on the best way to improve it. What’s more is that they’re all professional writers and editors who have extensive experience in their respective fields. Together, we’re sure to give you a polished product that will delight your readers.
Getting a few good friends to beta-read your manuscript is an incredible way to improve your work and ensure that your customers are satisfied with your product. By having several sets of eyes look over your book, you’ll be able to catch all the little spelling mistakes and inconsistencies. You shouldn’t be afraid to ask friends and family to test out your book either. They’ll be able to point out any areas in which you could have done a better job and you’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments before your book is released.
What Type of Reader Do You Want To Aim At?
Just to be clear, you’re writing an ebook for readers, right? That’s kind of the whole point. There are different types of readers out there and, as a writer, it’s your duty to figure out exactly who you’re writing for.
Do you want to write for a general audience and hope that they like your book enough to buy it? That’s a common scenario and, for the most part, it’s a valid one. However, if your book is going to be successful, you might consider writing for a more specific audience. Otherwise, you could end up with a larger audience but with a relatively lower percentage of actual readers interested in your particular topic area. Believe it or not, this is a somewhat common scenario and, as a writer, it’s your job to find out who your target audience is so that you can craft your book and messaging specifically to them.
Don’t Forget The Legal Aspects
As I mentioned before, an ebook is a type of digital publication, which means that it is, in a sense, copyright protected. This is similar to the way traditional published books are protected by copyright. It doesn’t mean that you have to be concerned about legalities when you’re writing your book, but it also doesn’t mean that you don’t have to. The publisher you work with may ask you to sign a certain number of pages and, depending on the agreement you make, you could be required to assign copyright to the company once your book is finished. You don’t want to sign anything without reading it first though, especially if it’s non-negotiable. Something else to keep in mind is that you don’t have to publish your ebook with just any old company either. There are tons of amazing independent book publishers out there who are more than happy to work with authors like you.
A Little Bit Of Everything In One Place
Speaking of independent book publishers, one of the brilliant things about them is that they often specialize in certain topic areas. This means that, instead of having to sort through a ton of different magazines and journals to find the one that suits your needs, you can often find everything in one place. For instance, the Huffington Post publishes not only articles but also books, and vice versa. This is a great way to find exactly what you want and need if you’re looking for material on a certain topic area.
Publish On All The Major Platforms
Ebooks can be published on a variety of different platforms, which means that you don’t have to limit yourself to just one particular outlet. Truthfully, this probably isn’t the best idea anyway. There are pros and cons to releasing your book on multiple fronts. For example, if you decide to go the self-publishing route, you’ll have complete control over the content and the design of your book. This means that you can make everything exactly the way you want it to be. On the other hand, if you decide to go the traditional route and release your book through a traditional publisher, you’ll need to work within the confines of what they have established and, depending on your contract, you may not have full editorial control over your work. You also won’t be able to change the design of your book, which means that it will essentially look the same no matter what platform it is released on.
Try To Stay Objective
As I already said, an ebook is a type of digital publication and, as a result, it’s not exactly like penning a traditional book. This is why it’s important to keep a bit of objectivity when evaluating your work. Just because your book isn’t printed on paper doesn’t mean that it’s without value. Remember, we’re in the midst of an amazing technological shift and, even though ebooks aren’t exactly the same as their physical counterparts, they’re not exactly worthless either. Your book will still be relevant years from now and, for better or worse, it will continue to have value. Trying to remain as objective as possible will help you determine how well you did with this particular project. Were you able to effectively convey your point of view? Did you do a good job presenting yourself as an expert in your field?
All in all, writing an ebook isn’t as difficult or scary as you might think it is. If you’ve ever tried to write something significant in your lifetime, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Sometimes, the solution is simpler than you think and, in some cases, all you need is the will to do it. Good luck out there.