Author R.D. Cumming once said, “A good book has no ending.” Like all great quotes, what Cumming was trying to say is open to interpretation. But books are awesome, and that is not open for discussion.
For aspiring authors, however, the insular and hyper-competitive publishing world has always been among the hardest industries to break into – until now. Electronic books, or eBooks, have opened countless doors for talented wordsmiths who have the ability, have the drive, and have the ideas, but maybe lack the resources or connections to get published.
Here’s why you should write an eBook.
The advent of the eBook has made it possible for every potential author to go for his or her dream.
It’s Doable
Historically, most “authors” wind up with a manuscript printed out on 8 1/2 x 11 printer paper in a binder in their desk drawer, boring everyone at the barbecue to death about their “novel.” It’s really tough for an average person to get a book published. An average person, if they’re a talented writer with ambition and good ideas, can publish an eBook and even make a little money doing it.
Read Before You Write
The eBook industry is booming, and for good reason. Like YouTube did for amateur videographers, eBooks have opened the door for the common man – and they’re flooding the gates. Not only don’t eBooks require a publisher’s approval, but they don’t require paper, binding, barrels of ink pumped into presses that are run by union labor. Publishing a book is expensive. Publishing an eBook is not.
So before you sit down to write, read. There are a million different strategies, and you need to settle on one. There are some great books on the subject. If you don’t want to invest even in that, check out some of the many free sites that delve into the subject.
Write Your Passions
There are ways to find out which eBooks are selling and which ones aren’t. Resist the urge to pick a hot topic and run with it, hoping to cash in on a trend. No matter how seemingly small or off-beat or quirky, you have a niche. Write about your passions. If you do, your personality, your creativity – your talent – will shine through, and at the end of the day, that’s what sells.
Write
No one can tell you how to be a creative person. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is about as close as anyone can get to tell you how to write. Whatever you do, don’t look at an eBook as making you an author-lite. It’s a difficult, arduous endeavor. Take it seriously. Set deadlines for yourself and meet them. You’re a writer. Act like one.
Strategize to Sell
Here’s where not having a publisher gets tough. You must become your own marketing and advertising team and learn on your own how to sell your eBook. Your strategy will need to incorporate social media, but that’s a given – and it’s not nearly enough.
Many authors break their eBook up into sections. Give a chapter away for free and then, if readers like it, they have the opportunity to buy the rest. Some offer a free version and a more complete pay version.
There are a million different strategies, but the only one that’s right for you. Here is an awesome seven-part tutorial that can help you get started.
Make some money and pursue your passion – write an eBook!
There has literally never been a better time to be a writer. Doors that have been closed for the average person since the invention of the printing press were kicked open by the Internet. Writing an eBook is difficult – marketing and selling it, even more so. But for the first time in history, it’s doable. All you need to do is find the time and fill the pages with the right words.