Writing an eBook (electronic book) and selling a copy of it online is an effective and low-cost way to self-publish. E-books can convey your goals; good for offering useful advice, selling a product, or even if you just want your opinion to be known to the public. Read the steps below and publish your first ebook successfully.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Writing your ebook
Step 1. Think of the idea
eBooks are no different from any other type of book except in the medium of publication, so the first and most important step in writing one is to define and develop an idea. The best way to come up with an idea is to write a short phrase or sentence about the information you want to include in your book. Once you've done that, expand the sentence to create a complete product.
- Writers planning to make fiction books will spend more time defining ideas and plots. Read this article on how to write a novel for more targeted tips.
- The ebook format has its own advantages. This format is not only open to private publishers, it is also free, which means that “books” that are too short to be published on paper fit perfectly into the eBook format. Therefore, do not hesitate to use a simple idea.
Step 2. Develop your idea
Start with the initial idea that you have written down, and think about the different aspects related to it. Draw a network of conceptual ideas to help you with this. For example, say you want to write a book on how to sell in the real estate business for beginners. You can write down things like “permits and fees”, “sales techniques”, and “costs vs. expected income. Connect the specifics that relate to each of these aspects, and keep going until you have enough detail to imagine the proper wording structure for your book.
Different types of books require different approaches. Memoirs and self-improvement books are better designed with a vertical concept; books on common household problems or fixing things may be better designed with a network of ideas
Step 3. Arrange the details you have
After thinking about and developing your main idea, you will have a lot of information about the main topic you have written about. Rearrange it in a vertical layout so that it looks easy to understand and fits the storyline you want. Think about what the reader will first want to know, and list these basics at the beginning of the book. After that, add in-depth concepts. This will help keep the reader from getting bored.
Each step you take in writing a line of words will lead you to create a chapter in your book. If you can divide these chapters into groups (for example, if your book is about home improvement, it could include chapters that can be divided by room type or problem), expand these groups into larger sections. which contains several interrelated chapters
Step 4. Write the book
Don't worry about headings, table of contents, or other display elements at this stage. Sit down and start writing. It may be easier for you to “start from the middle of the book” by writing a chapter of your choice first; You can also choose to write from scratch and continue. You don't have to pick a particular method and stick with it. Use whatever technique you need to finish the book.
Writing a book – even a short one – will take time. The important thing here is your persistence. Take time each day to write, or write until you reach a certain number of letters. Don't leave your desk until you reach your target. Even if you are stuck, the act of writing “something” will help you relax, and – without realizing it – the words will flow again. Continue writing as long as possible
Step 5. Review and rewrite
Once your book is finished, leave it for about a week, then re-read it critically. See the order of the chapters and sections that exist first. Does this order make sense? Oftentimes, you'll notice that some pieces will fit better in a different place than the one you've previously defined. Once you are satisfied with the order of the book, read each chapter in sequence and then edit and revise as necessary.
- Like writing, editing also takes time – although not as much as writing, but still a significant amount. Speed up your editing process by targeting a specific number of words or chapters each day.
- Often you will find that certain words or chapters have to be rearranged. Make sure the related ideas will stay connected, and don't forget to adjust the existing sentences so that the new arrangement matches the existing text.
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Often we hear that “deletion is the soul of editing.” If you feel a chapter looks out of place, rearrange the chapter through its text flow by removing extra details that aren't needed.
If the information in the chapter is important, consider creating a separate section, or try to incorporate it into the existing text so that the chapter will still read well as an integral part of your book
Step 6. # Add details
Once the main body of your book is solid, determine the title of the book and the sections at the beginning and end (such as a preface or bibliography) that you want to add. Titles will usually come naturally when you write a book; if in doubt, a clear title (such as “How to Sell Property”) is usually a good choice.
- If you choose a very simple title, consider some other alternatives in case the title is already in use. Adding an adjective or even your own name (such as “The wikiHow Guide to Selling Property”) are easy ways to do this.
- If you use information from other sources, be sure to cite it in the bibliography. If your sources are your friends, create at least a welcome page to thank them by mentioning their names.
Step 7. Add the cover
Just like printed books, book covers are an important marketing tool. Even though this cover is just a virtual cover, potential buyers will see it first. Consider hiring a professional cover designer, or do it yourself if you think you can make something that looks good and will bring in sales. Always make sure that you get permission before using copyrighted images.
Even small parts or snippets of images that are copyrighted require permission. If you have any doubts about this, seek permission from the copyright holder
Step 8. Give the ebook to your friends
Once you've written a great ebook, share it with friends, family, and neighbors. Ask:
- How's the book?
- What did you like most about the book? What do you dislike the most? What don't you like?
- How can I improve the book?
Step 9. Take note of their feedback and improve your ebook before you publish it
Consider all responses and try to accommodate all issues that arise. Don't be afraid to mix things up and rewrite your entire ebook. The end result will be a significant improvement when compared to what you make yourself. Otherwise, you can choose to use what is already there.
Method 2 of 2: Publish Your ebook
Step 1. Prepare the relevant information
The clearer the information you provide about your ebook, the better chance you have of publishing and marketing it successfully. Write your book title and chapter/section, number of letters, and approximate number of pages in a separate document. When you're all set, make a list of descriptive terms or "keywords" that relate to your book, and a short statement sentence about your book's main theme (thesis) if needed.
#* Contrary to what you may have learned in high school, not all writing requires a thesis sentence. However, most non-fiction writing will require a clear thesis sentence by the time you finish writing it
Step 2. Think about your target audience
Analyze the types of people who will be interested in reading your book based on the title and description of the book you are writing. Are they young or old? Do they own their own house or rent it? What is their annual income, and do they choose to save or spend the money? You don't need to hire an expert to determine this; make your own version of the best estimate. This information will help you market your ebook later.
Step 3. Select the appropriate publisher
There are several options for publishing your ebook, which vary in their respective policies regarding piracy, royalties, and target audience. Consider all of them and choose the one that has the most potential to generate the greatest income for you.
Step 4. Also publish to e-Readers with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) from Amazon, which is one of the most common ways of publishing eBooks
KDP gives you the freedom to organize and publish your ebooks to the Kindle Marketplace for free. Anyone with e-Readers from the Kindle family can buy your books and read them on their Kindle. With this method, you get 70% of the price of each copy of the book you sell, provided you set the price between $2.99 and $9.99. The main drawback of this method is that KDP doesn't publish books to those who don't use Kindle e-Readers, so the range of readers you can reach is limited.
Step 5. Consider other book publishers
Some service providers such as Lulu, Booktango, and Smashwords can also accept your manuscript and publish it in eBook format. In general, their basic services are free (and you shouldn't have to pay to publish your ebook, since there's no cost to do so), but they do offer premium packages and services, such as marketing and editing, for a fee. Be careful about spending money that you shouldn't need if you choose these premium services. The advantage, with existing premium services, is a larger reach of readers, and sometimes will result in more royalties. An example is Lulu, who pays a royalty of 90%!
Step 6. Be wary of unexpected costs
For professional eBook publishing service providers (including KDP), certain formats must be used. There are people who can edit your book, but they don't work for free. It's cheaper to do it yourself, but you should also pay attention to the rules of the publisher you choose, and then download and learn the software program you need to convert your document. If you choose a paid service, never pay more than a few million.
Never work with a publisher that doesn't allow you to set your own prices. Pushing a certain price can be bad for you and result in higher production costs. As a general rule, ebooks will yield maximum returns if they are priced between $0.99 and $5.99 per copy
Step 7. Publish your own book with special software
If you prefer to publish your ebook on the Internet widely, instead of using a specific page, there are several computer programs specifically designed to do this. These programs vary in cost and features, but all of them will help you write your ebook to completion with no restrictions on where or how you will sell your work. Be aware that the anti-piracy safeguards provided by these programs are usually less effective than the services of authorized publishers.
- Caliber is a new program that is fast, powerful, and easy to use. Caliber converts HTML documents (and only HTML documents) to EPUB format (the standard format in the eBook industry) easily and for free, although Caliber's creators accept donations. Most word processing programs can save your manuscript in HTML format.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro is the gold standard program for creating PDF documents, which can be read on almost any computer or device. Acrobat provides a password feature so you can protect your PDF documents when you save them, although if you give this password to someone else, those who have it will be able to open the book. This software is good and flexible, but not free.
- OpenOffice.org is a free office processing program similar to Microsoft Works. OpenOffice.org's Writer program can save documents in PDF formats such as Adobe Acrobat. The writer tools that OpenOffice.org provides aren't as advanced as Acrobat, especially when it comes to creating covers, however, it's still capable of securing and encrypting your PDFs just like Acrobat.
- There are several other programs available to help you publish your book, both free and paid. If the options provided above don't interest you, browse the internet and find one that can answer your needs.
Step 8. Promote your ebook
Once you've published and saved it for a paid download from the Internet, it's time to tell the world about your book. There are several paid services that can help you with their marketing; it may be a good investment if you think your book will sell well. However, even with the help of a professional, you should still promote your own book.
- Use social media to promote. Write about your book (and provide a link to buy it!) on every social media site you use: Twitter, Facebook, etc. LinkedIn is even a good place to add a link to your book on your profile page.
- Think creatively to maximize marketing. Don't just tell other people about your book; think intelligently and thoroughly. Link to StumbleUpon, take a photo of your computer screen and upload it to Instagram, or even shoot a short video and talk about your book on YouTube. Use every available medium.
- Rely on yourself. People love it when authors are easy to contact. Advertise certain times for a Q&A session about the book, or send free copies to bloggers who review the ebook and request an interview.
Tips
- Be careful when paying for certain services such as editing and marketing. Make sure everything is written clearly, black on white. If you can't determine how much it will cost you, don't buy the service.
- Make copies of all your work. Print a copy or two, if you can, and be sure to always keep at least two copies of the completed document. This will ensure that your script remains safe even if a disaster strikes – for example when your computer crashes.
