E-zine

The hardest part of writing is the first sentence. When you look at the whole project, it seems like an impossible task. That’s why you have to break it down into manageable tasks. If you create a step-by-step approach the tasks become easier to do.

The first thing you have to do is get organized. You need to organize your thoughts and there are many steps you need to take before you begin. Once you go through the list below, you will be ready to begin writing your ebook. Take a look at the steps below and let’s get started.

Joan Clout-Kruse
International Marketing and Book Coach

1. Identify why your target market buys.

You need to find the right target market that is willing to pay for your informative information. Some of the reasons that people buy information ebooks are to:

• make money
• save money
• save time
• avoid effort
• build a business, attract clients, etc.
• improve health

Can you identify why your target market will buy your ebook from the above information? If not, what other reason do you think they will buy your ebook?

2. Pick your Niche/Target Market.

Who is your target market? This is extremely important. Here are some questions to help you identify your target market and the purpose of your ebook.

• Age range of your readers.
• Gender
• What are their interests?’
• Socio-economic group? Do you want entrepreneurs, homeowners, corporate business, etc. It is important also to write for readers who can afford to buy your ebook.
• What do they read? Will they read your ebook?
• Do they buy on the Internet now where you will be promoting and selling your ebook?

Once you know whom you are writing this book for, it will be much easier and faster to get your ebook done.

3. Identify the Purpose of your Ebook

What are the reasons that you are writing your ebook?

• To promote your business
• Bring quality traffic to your website
• Get recognition as an expert in your field
• Attract more clients
• Sell a quality info product that your target market wants to buy

Once you decide the purpose then you will determine your publishing goals.

• Do you want to sell it on your website?
• Do you want others to sell it on their websites?
• Do you want to offer it as a free gift for answering a survey, signing up for your newsletter, or ordering a product?
• Do you want to create an e-course using the chapters of your e-book?
• Do you want to use it to attract affiliates from around the world?

Deciding on your publishing goals early before your write an ebook will give you a clear and concise picture of your ebook.

4. Pick your Topic: Give your Ebook a Working Title and Sub-title.

Remember to include keywords you identified in Tip #2. Try several different titles, then pick the one that you feel will entice your readers to order your ebook. The title will help you stay focused on your topic. Be clever, but make sure the title makes sense and you are attracting the right kind of client for your ebook.

I get ideas for titles from the tabloids at the grocery store, Prevention magazine, and Bottom Line Secrets newsletter. For example, a Bottom Line title is, “Tricks to Keep Burglars Away From Your Home: Former jewel thief reveals his secrets.” I could create a title that says, “Tricks to Write an Ebook Fast: Ebook expert reveals her secrets.” Do you get the idea? Now grab those attention getting headline magazines and start creating your own titles.

5. Develop your Premise Statement.

The premise is a sentence or two stating exactly what problem you are addressing and how your ebook will solve that problem. All your chapters will be developed from your premise statement. Once you’ve built a premise statement your ebook will easily grow chapter by chapter.

For example, a premise statement could read: “We’ve all experienced Writer’s Block at times, but there are 18 techniques and methods you can use to overcome Writer’s Block and help you get your ebook done quickly.”

Once you have your premise statement, before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to write your ebook. Ask yourself some questions:

• Does your ebook provide information that is relevant and useful?
• Will your ebook positively help your readers?
• Is it a page turning ebook and keep your reader’s attention?
• Will your ebook answer questions that are helpful to your readers?

If you answered, “yes,” then you are ready to write your ebook.

6. Select 10 or More Tips.

Write at least 10 tips you are going to give your clients. Tips that will help them solve a problem in your area of expertise.

7. Table of Contents.

Those 10 topics will be your guide to writing your book and will become your Table of Contents. Of course you are encouraged to have more than 10 topics/chapters if it will add value to your ebook.

8. Create an Outline.

A good outline like the list that follows is one of the best ways to avoid writer’s block: the more you know about your book the easier it is to write.

This will take you some time so get started right away. Your guideline will look something like this:

TOPIC/SUBJECT (main working title):

Tip #1 (use keywords)
Tip #2
Tip #3
Tip #4
Tip #5
Tip #6
Tip #7
Tip #8
Tip #9
Tip #10

For example, a topic for an Automobile Shop could be, “10 Tips to Make Your Car Run Smoothly.” Tip #1 is, “Change the oil every 3,000 miles.” The writer will elaborate and explain why changing the oil is important (benefits) and how to do it later when writing begins.

9. Start Writing

Now that you have the basic concept and you have written 10 tips, it’s time to start writing. Don’t worry about sentence structure, spelling, etc. You just want to begin getting your ideas down on paper. On your second draft you will then improve it and fix the sentence structure, or hire an editor to do this for you.

There is a lot of information in this article to grasp at one time. Just take it one step at a time. Don’t move to the next step until you finish the one you are working on. Your steps will look like this:

1. Identify why your target market buys
2. Pick your niche/target market.
3. Identify the purpose of your ebook.
4. Pick your topic: Give your ebook a working title and sub-title.
5. Develop your premise statement.
6. Select 10 or more tips.
7. Create your Table of Contents.
8. Create an outline.
9. Start writing.

Stay focused. Be perseverant. Overcome obstacles that prevent you from developing your ebook. Believe that “inch by inch it’s a cinch.” In no time at all you will  accomplish writing an ebook.

Our next issues will cover such things publishing, marketing and selling your ebook. Don’t miss an issue! Tell a friend to sign-up for our newsletter at www.words4money.com