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How to Write a Professional E-Book and Sell It on Amazon

What will you discover on this page?

This article will introduce you to the world of e-books. We will discuss what makes up a professional e-book, and provide some best practices for getting your e-book published on Amazon.com.

Why Write An E-Book?

The most common reasons people give for writing an e-book are:

  • to explore a new topic (especially if you are an expert in the field)
  • to provide additional information on your expertise
  • to build a portfolio of published works for your next job opportunity
  • to fund your next big purchase (e.g., house, car, or business equipment)
  • for fun

If you’re considering writing an e-book, here are a few tips from experts on what you should know before you start:

Focus On Practical Applications

When it comes to an e-book, your reader does not want to be bogged down by academic theory. They want to learn something new that will help them in their day-to-day lives. This is why it is important to tie your e-book teaching to something that the average person can relate to and use. For example, if you are an expert on SEO, and your e-book provides tips on how to become more visible online, your potential audience will be much wider than the average person looking for SEO advice.

Know Threshold To Target

The number one rule to follow when writing an e-book is to know exactly who you are writing it for. You want to ensure that they will be able to benefit from what you have to offer. In order to do this, you need to first define your target audience. This is a group of people that you intend to teach something to, and it is usually a very narrow group. You can also use your target audience to help you figure out what will make your e-book special. For example, if you are writing an e-book for an academic audience, you might want to write it in a way that is accessible to them all (even those with no knowledge of SEO). Alternatively, if you are writing for the business community, you might want to include specific examples of how the theory relates to their industry.

Determining The Right Digital Publishing Platform

As we’ve mentioned, your average Joe or Jane (henceforth to be known as “digital nomad”) is not interested in your academic theories. They just want to be able to read something that will help them in their daily lives. To ensure your e-book is as effective as possible, you need to decide which platform is best suited to publishing your book. The two most popular choices are:

  • Kindle
  • Apple Books

Kindle is the Amazon-owned e-reader. It was originally designed for people who want to read e-books on the go. With its lightweight design and large touch screen, it is very easy for someone to navigate. Moreover, the Amazon Kindle store offers a wide array of popular books, making it a one-stop-shop for all your e-book reading needs. The downside is that the Amazon Kindle is only available on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android). If you prefer to read on PC or Mac, you will need to purchase and install a Kindle app from the Amazon App Store.

Apple Books is the successor to iBooks and it was built from the ground up as a dedicated e-reader for the Apple platform. It was unveiled in March 2016 and it is available on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Like the Kindle app, Apple Books has a wide array of e-books available for download. It also supports the Open Dictionary Project so that words can be defined with their roots stored in the dictionary.

If you are a creative person who wants to write but also needs help getting your e-book published, the world is your oyster when it comes to digital publishing platforms. There are dozens of companies out there that can help you get your e-book (or e-zine) published. However, if you really want to do it yourself, you can use the services of a virtual assistant. They will help you choose a suitable platform, set up the e-book, and get it into iTunes or the Amazon App store. Moreover, they will help promote your e-book. You can find many talented and experienced virtual assistants on Upwork.com.

The Anatomy Of A Professional E-Book

Now that you have your audience in mind and selected the proper publishing platform, let’s take a minute to explore the anatomy of a professional e-book. An e-book is a collection of digital files that can be published and distributed in any form, including but not limited to, e-books, e-paperbacks, and e-mags. Every e-book has four distinct parts that make it unique:

  • TITLE – the title of your e-book is very important. It will appear in the metadata (data about your e-book) and it should be distinct, easy to understand, and relevant to your target audience. If you are writing for the mass market, you might want to choose an abstract or fanciful title that will attract a broader audience.
  • AUTHOR – the author of your e-book is an important consideration. This person will be responsible for writing the content of your e-book. Unless you are using one of the self-publishing platforms (e.g., Kindle, Apple Books, etc.), you will need to find an author who is willing to take on this responsibility. Remember, your author is likely to be your primary contact if someone wants to purchase your e-book. You can also consider using an author pseudonym if you do not want your private email address exposed to potential buyers.
  • RELATED WORKS – when someone is interested in purchasing your e-book, they will often explore your related works. This is why it is important to have a list of related books that are available for purchase. If someone clicks on one of your links to learn more about a particular topic, they will most likely be directed to a shop where they can purchase your book. A well-executed related works section will do wonders to increase your e-book’s value. Keep in mind that there is no set rule for how many related works to include. It depends on your resources and how much content you have available.
  • META-DESCRIPTION – your readers will want to know what your e-book is about before they decide to purchase it. The meta-description appears in the description area of your web page (or app) and it should be concise, engaging, and accurate. In some cases, a single meta-description may be sufficient. However, if you have something significant to say, you may want to write a longer description.

You will also need to decide how you want to present your e-book. There are many different ways to do this and it depends on your resources. A professional-looking e-book will cost you more money and it takes more time to create. If you are looking to quickly create a prototype for a business partner, you can do so for free using a tool like Notepad or Microsoft Word.

However, if you are looking to sell a professional e-book, you will need to consider investing in a quality cover design and figuring out how you want the content to look on the inside. There are a variety of tools online that can help you create a professional-looking cover for your e-book. Moreover, you can submit your e-book to be printed and bound in professional looking hardbound books.