If you are interested in writing an eBook, whether to sell on your own or provide as an opt-in bonus on your website or blog, there are certain steps you need to follow. By having a clear-cut plan, it helps you to make common mistakes new writers tend to make, and get everything done well before your deadline. Here are five important steps to remember when creating your first eBook.
Research
The first step to creating an eBook is to do your research. Don’t skimp on this step and simply start writing or you will be very sorry when it’s halfway done, and you’re not really sure what direction to go next. Make a simple outline of the basic topics you want to cover, then start researching each individual topic. When you do this, you not only have plenty of notes to use for the writing itself, but it also starts to help you create an outline that ultimately becomes the Table of Contents for your eBook. Research is a great way to come up with more angles and content for an eBook, as long as you have a general topic to start with.
Organize
You may have already started to organize your information during the researching step, but elaborate on it for the second phase of the eBook creation process. Take all those notes you created during your research and put them in a more detailed outline. Organizing the information lets you put each section or module in the right order so that it makes more sense to the reader. This is the step when you truly hammer out the details of the book before you actually start writing it. Perhaps you decide that you want chapters, or you originally started with chapters, but while organizing the information, feel like modules or a step-by-step format would work better.
Write
Finally, it is time to write your eBook! As long as you have done your research, organized the information, and have a clear outline, the writing part shouldn’t be too difficult. When writing your first eBook, don’t try to make every sentence perfect the first time. That is what proofreading is for! Right now you just want to get the information written in your own voice. Try to be consistent with the tone as you write, whether you choose a conversational tone or want to write with a little humor or stick to a more voice.
Proofread and Edit
You may be a little intimidated about editing your own work, but it is easier than you might think! With some basic knowledge of grammar and sentence structure, you can get most of it done on your own. Always read through your own work, preferably out loud. This helps you catch a lot of errors you didn’t see before. You will catch common typos, as well as sentence structure problems and odd word choices. After you have proofread it, read through it once more to look for additional errors, such as accidentally typing ‘there’ instead of ‘their’ or missing a comma where you need one. You can also pay someone to edit it if you feel more comfortable with it.
Format
Finally, it is time to format your eBook if you haven’t done so already. You should be consistent with the font, using just one style throughout the entire book. Select an average size, such as 11 or 12 point and a standard font. For your headings, make sure they stand out, either by bolding them or making them a larger size. Save the book, then convert it into a PDF format as most eBook websites and stores require this format.
