Every once in a while I'll speak with someone who believes that they can't possibly write an e Book. They're convinced that they just don't know enough to be able to create an e Book that anyone would want to read.
And they're usually wrong.
Writing an e Book is not easy. No one who was being honest -- either with you, their reader or themselves -- ever claimed that writing an e Book is easy. But it's also not as hard as most people make it out to be.
Generally speaking there are only seven things you need to know to create an e Book. And all of them are well within the reach of almost anyone.
1. You need to know how.
Let's get something straight. The reason writing an e Book looks so hard is because it's so often done haphazardly. Anything is hard if you're not prepared. Part of the preparation for writing an e Book is learning a system to help you do everything you need to, when you need to do it. Sorry to disappoint but the Sistine Chapel did not appear magically. Michelangelo spent most of his time sketching and designing the work. If he hadn't, even the great Michelangelo would not have created such a masterpiece. The same is true with any type of writing.
2. You need to know who your audience is.
You can't write an e Book for everyone and expect anyone to buy and read it. You need to target a particular group of readers. And to do that you need to define a specific reader and then talk to that one individual. You need to have a conversation with that individual and record it. The recording is your e Book.
3. You need to know what will motivate your audience.
Without a reader your e Book will be a waste of time. Without a purchaser you will never have a reader. You can't motivate anyone. It can't be done. You can't make someone buy and read. What you can do is identify what motivates your customer, your reader, your audience and then focus everything you do to feed that motivation.
4. You need to know how you can help.
In order to feed their motivation you need to solve their problems, help them achieve their desires, or avoid their fears. In short you have to have a solution to what ails them. And you need to turn that solution into a system which they can use to solve their own problems.
5. You need to know what you are expecting.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to start doing without having determined what you are going to do. Write an e Book. Cool. But what do you mean by an e Book? Are you talking about a glorified white paper? Or are you talking about a digital book? Are you talking about a casual helping hand? Or are you talking about a formal textbook? What are your expectations for a book to solve your reader's problems?
6. You need to know what you are going to say.
Okay, I admit it. This is really part of the creation process. In fact, you might say it is the creation process. But unfortunately, many people believe that you should just sit down and write. They're wrong. Before you start any writing project you need a detailed, complete outline. At the paragraph level.
7. You need to know a good editor.
I debated at first if I should make the seventh point, the ability to write. But we all make mistakes. And usually we can't see those errors. It really doesn't matter how well we write in English. The only solution is to have a third party polish our work for us. That's why a good editor is the seventh item you need to know.
And they're usually wrong.
Writing an e Book is not easy. No one who was being honest -- either with you, their reader or themselves -- ever claimed that writing an e Book is easy. But it's also not as hard as most people make it out to be.
Generally speaking there are only seven things you need to know to create an e Book. And all of them are well within the reach of almost anyone.
1. You need to know how.
Let's get something straight. The reason writing an e Book looks so hard is because it's so often done haphazardly. Anything is hard if you're not prepared. Part of the preparation for writing an e Book is learning a system to help you do everything you need to, when you need to do it. Sorry to disappoint but the Sistine Chapel did not appear magically. Michelangelo spent most of his time sketching and designing the work. If he hadn't, even the great Michelangelo would not have created such a masterpiece. The same is true with any type of writing.
2. You need to know who your audience is.
You can't write an e Book for everyone and expect anyone to buy and read it. You need to target a particular group of readers. And to do that you need to define a specific reader and then talk to that one individual. You need to have a conversation with that individual and record it. The recording is your e Book.
3. You need to know what will motivate your audience.
Without a reader your e Book will be a waste of time. Without a purchaser you will never have a reader. You can't motivate anyone. It can't be done. You can't make someone buy and read. What you can do is identify what motivates your customer, your reader, your audience and then focus everything you do to feed that motivation.
4. You need to know how you can help.
In order to feed their motivation you need to solve their problems, help them achieve their desires, or avoid their fears. In short you have to have a solution to what ails them. And you need to turn that solution into a system which they can use to solve their own problems.
5. You need to know what you are expecting.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to start doing without having determined what you are going to do. Write an e Book. Cool. But what do you mean by an e Book? Are you talking about a glorified white paper? Or are you talking about a digital book? Are you talking about a casual helping hand? Or are you talking about a formal textbook? What are your expectations for a book to solve your reader's problems?
6. You need to know what you are going to say.
Okay, I admit it. This is really part of the creation process. In fact, you might say it is the creation process. But unfortunately, many people believe that you should just sit down and write. They're wrong. Before you start any writing project you need a detailed, complete outline. At the paragraph level.
7. You need to know a good editor.
I debated at first if I should make the seventh point, the ability to write. But we all make mistakes. And usually we can't see those errors. It really doesn't matter how well we write in English. The only solution is to have a third party polish our work for us. That's why a good editor is the seventh item you need to know.
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