If you want to learn how to write an e-book , it pays to learn from someone who has experience writing (and successfully selling) multiple e-Books in the real world. In this ultimate guide to writing an eBook, we'll break down my exact process.
Based on my own learning experience writing an e-book (and selling those e-Books) both and as a hired consultant for multiple brands, this is my ultimate guide on how to write an e-Book (and sell it successfully) today .
How to Write an eBook in 2023
Want to learn more about writing and selling e-books?
You don't even need a large audience to start generating a significant amount of sales, as long as your e-Book really fills a clear need in a niche with proven demand.
That you have create your own blog or not…you can generate a substantial income by selling e-books on a social media platform where your target audience spend a lot of time.
Take for example former Amazon AWS developer Daniel Vassallo, who only recently quit his job to begin teaching the many lessons he learned as a developer (and now a self-taught marketer) all along the way. throughout his career. It's sold over $150 worth of eBooks almost entirely on Twitter, and is starting to expand into video courses.
If Twitter (or social media in general) isn't your thing, no worries…
Some of my blog readers write e-books and sell them only on Amazon.
You don't need a massive audience to write an eBook (and successfully sell it).
Before diving into this guide, I wanted to answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about eBooks.
Why should I write an e-Book (as a blogger)?
Many bloggers are taking the next step blog writing to write their own e-books. It's a natural progression for bloggers in particular, since we're already used to writing a lot of content.
Plus, after spending time cultivating and learning from your audience (regardless of size), you begin to understand what people want — and what kinds of topics might work well for an eBook. There are plenty of very compelling reasons for bloggers tolearn to write an e-book at the start of their journey, including:
- E-books help you attract visitors to your blog and establish authority: A huge benefit to writing an eBook is that it can bring new people to your blog — and it helps establish you as an authority within your blog niche. Even if you're already writing long-form content, an eBook feels like you've taken your blog to the next level. It is a more valuable asset than a public blog post, and therefore gives your readers a sense of accomplishment and expertise.
- Your eBooks can help further educate readers: An eBook allows you to take an idea that your audience might be interested in and give you the opportunity to dive even deeper into the topic via an eBook (and you can charge extra for that). The best way to come up with eBook ideas is to take a popular topic on your blog and evolve it into an even more useful direction as an eBook.
- You can grow your mailing list with an e-book (free): Growing your email list is something I always encourage bloggers to focus on once they are ready to think about how they will end up make money blog. When readers subscribe to your mailing list, you have a small access to their lives. Instead of just leaving your blog and forgetting you exist, they are kept informed about the relevant content you create. In order to attract new email subscribers, many bloggers like to offer something valuable to their readers. This is often called a "magnet" because people are more willing to give out their email address if they get something in return.
Starting at a high level, an e-book is a perfect example of a powerful lead magnet that can not only bring you more new readers, but also convert those readers into subscribers or customers — because a well-written e-book is something with high perceived value in a delivery format that people are already conditioned to buy.
Are e-books a good way to make money blogging?
Writing and selling an e-book can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to start make money with your blog, especially if you've already published a decent amount of useful content — and you have a steady stream of readers coming to consume your blog posts. A percentage of your readership will almost always be interested in taking their learning to a deeper level if the topic of your content is of significant benefit to them, and an eBook is a great way to provide deeper content.
As your credibility and credentials become more reputable in your niche, more readers will be willing to pay money for your expert advice (in e-book format).
What type of e-Book should I write?
For the sake of this in-depth guide on how to write an e-book, we will focus primarily on non-fiction e-books. Fiction e-books have distinct value and can generate revenue, but we'll focus on non-fiction content here — as the vast majority of blogging niches are geared more towards providing useful educational content in their industries (rather than than towards the direction less connected to fiction e-book companies).
On top of that, a transition to writing a non-fiction eBook is pretty much seamless for most bloggers. So what kind of non-fiction e-books could you write?
- Guide ( How To ) e-Book: A how-to guide is probably one of the most natural access for bloggers. Most bloggers usually share their top tips on how to do something in an article on their blogs — and an eBook that goes even further, answers all the most common questions with how-to tutorials, or provides more advice. than others in your industry, can translate very well into an e-book.
- Self Improvement eBook: A self-improvement book is also a common format that works well in many niches. Angles for this type of eBook could include how to reach your goals (as it relates to that particular niche), how to be calmer, fitness routines, healthy eating, etc.
- A great book of ideas: Another popular category of eBook is the “big idea” format. This is where you take a single concept that people can relate to (or be drawn to) and really drive home its relevance. The appeal of these types of books is that they are often easy to sell. People are generally more interested in books (and advice) that can solve their concerns with a major solution. Therefore, taking everything you know about a topic and making a compelling case is appealing.
- Interview Style eBook: Another type of e-book that has grown in popularity, structure around interviews with other notable people in your field. Instead of a few paragraphs from each contributor, you can expand their advice into an entire chapter devoted to the advice they shared and how it can be applied practically in the real world. This style of eBook can work in many different niches, and is one of my favorite formats because you can not only collaborate with people who have similar interests, but it also incorporates an element of promotion into your content. Those you feature are likely to share your eBook with their audience, giving it a lot more reach.
Before diving into this eBook writing guide, here are some startling statistics I found that will show you the value oflearn to write an e-Book this year:
- Electronic books represent approximately 19% of total book sales
- Global e-book revenues amounted to over $ 16 billion in 2021
- E-book revenues are expected to show a constant annual growth rate of 3,02% this year
- The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic increase in e-book sales
- Recently Surveyed Bloggers Report Ebooks Help Boost Traffic and Sales
These are just a few- motivates the benefits you can get from writing an e-book for your audience, whether it's a blogging strategy long term for generate more traffic , a free download to build relationships with new readers, or a way to make money from your blog. Your reasons for writing an eBook may be different from those presented here in this guide, but know that writing one can beaucoup to improve the efforts of Promotion of your blog .
Now, let's dive into my ultimate guide on how to write an eBook.
1. Choose a smart e-book idea to write about
The first step to learn to write an eBook is all about making sure you choose a smart eBook idea (topic area) that will not only resonate with readers, but also match your own interests and goals.
What types of eBook ideas in your niche have strong potential to drive sales or at least email subscribers (if you're writing a free eBook to use as a lead magnet)?
The biggest mistake to avoid at this point is making sure you're not writing an eBook on a topic that doesn't have real, proven market demand. So let's talk about how to make sure you're writing an eBook on a topic that will actually get people excited.
Here's my step-by-step process for choosing the best eBook idea to write about:
What eBook Ideas you most exciting?
When choosing an eBook idea to write about, you should always start by considering what topics you personally want to explore and write more about. Ask yourself questions like:
- What are an e-book idea or two I could write about for days, if I had all the time in the world?
- Of all the things I've written on my blog, what topics do I enjoy the most?
- What topics am I particularly qualified to write about (based on my own blogging skills and experiences)?
- What kinds of topics do you feel particularly comfortable speaking (or writing) about?
You will spend a lot of time with this topic when you start learning how to write an eBook. So know that if you're not enthusiastic about it, you'll be hard pressed to write an entire eBook on the subject.
What topics does your audience crave the most?
Just as important as making sure you're writing an eBook on a topic that's close to your personal heart, it's important to be sure that you're also choosing an eBook idea that will interest your target audience.
What kind of eBook idea would entice first-time readers of your blog to sign up for your newsletter, or get your existing readership to pay their hard-earned cash to read and profit from it?
Don't forget that it already exists a ton free information on the Internet, so what can you write that your readers are really looking for solutions for, but cannot easily find elsewhere (at least in the same level of quality, depth, value or uniqueness)?
Here are a few ways to discover the eBook ideas that are likely to interest your audience the most:
- Ask them. If you're considering writing an eBook, start by asking your existing audience (even if that number is small today) what would benefit them from having an eBook. You can ask this question via mass email through your newsletter, in a blog post, directly through one-to-one messages, and on social media. If you can't choose from a few eBook topics, try polling your readers with a short survey to see which topics resonate with them the most.
- Look at your top performing pages. Go back to your blog and analyze blog post ideas which worked best. Which topics got the most social shares and traffic? Which ones received the most comments? This might give you a good springboard for an e-book idea.
- Review past comments and questions. What are some of the questions your readers have consistently asked you, whether in comments, via email, or on social media? What is a general theme that keeps coming back? These questions can give you fantastic e-book ideas that meet the real needs of readers.
Ultimately, the best eBook ideas will live at the intersection of what you want to write about and what your readers want to learn more about.
If you can find that area of overlap, you'll have cracked the code to learn how to write an eBook that has serious earning potential.
That being said, you can also reach a point where over-analysis leads to inaction. If you still feel conflicted about choosing from a set of multiple e-book ideas that live at the intersection of your own interests and the desires of your audience, my advice is to follow your instincts and choose the topic towards which you you feel most drawn to.
For example, if you run a blog about vegan cooking, then one of the most impactful e-books you could possibly write for an audience looking for help in transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, would include a on the Vegan Grocery List for inspiration and a compilation of easy and doable recipes to get started.
Research the competition
This advice applies to every piece of content you create, from writing a blog post to the creation of e-books, courses, webinars or the like. Before starting a new project, research your competitors. It's always a good idea to see what others have already written, how they wrote it, and how successful it seems to have been.
Search Amazon for e-books on the topics you're considering to see how many results there are, how the titles are framed, and see the number of purchases (or reviews) of those books:
Browse the top ten blogs in your niche to see how well they have covered the topic as well.
- What exact topics did they cover in an eBook format?
- Do the e-books you have discovered seem well-written?
- Are there any obvious gaps or gaps you could do better at?
If you've just learned to write an e-book and this will be your first, I recommend that you stay away from topics in your niche that have been covered by hundreds (or thousands) of people in a book format. electronic.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't eventually write an ebook on a topic that has a clear demand, but rather than your efforts on your first e-book would be better spent on a more specialized topic (with lower competition) that you can learn from and build momentum.
For example, if a notable person in your niche has just published an outstanding e-book covering a topic you are considering, it will be much harder to outrank that person today. It's probably not worth taking the time to write a beginner's eBook to pursue the exact same topic, unless you're uniquely qualified to write an eBook that's significantly better.
However, you may find that e-books on a topic you are considering are not well written or provide very limited information. If so, this may actually be a great opportunity to write something that will truly bring a lot more value to the readers of this space.
- What is a relatively popular topic that does not have been well satisfied in your niche?
- What do you think people would be interested in, but nobody writes much about?
If you can understand this, then you have reached a point ideal with your subject to write an eBook.
A small caveat to this rule would be if you are converting a long blog post into a free eBook that can be offered as a downloadable resource on your blog.
The advantage of this tactic is that some of your readers who may be in a hurry often prefer to grab a PDF version of an eBook from a longer blog post that they can come back to later.
Do some keyword research to decide on your eBook title
Simply put, word search - keys is a quick search process that many bloggers (myself included) use to find blog post ideas which are almost guaranteed to generate traffic eventually,
Do a keyword research before you learn how to write an eBook and really dive into it, will help you identify what people are already searching for (regarding the topic of your eBook), and identify the best keywords or phrases to use in your title , in order to attract more readers.
When writing an eBook, you should definitely use keyword research during the planning process, but primarily to help you with the title of your eBook, not so much to determine the actual topic of the content (which, as we seen, should come more from the intersection of your interests and what your readers want more).
2. Develop the outline (and structure) of your eBook
The next step in the process of learning how to write an eBook is to think about the overall structure you want to aim for and develop your plan.
What type of format do you think will work best for the e-book you want to write?
While there's no one format that works for every type of eBook, here's an activity that will help you make your eBook accessible, logical, and easy to read.
Start with a preview of your eBook
Starting with a plan is a fundamental good start for toute writing business. Whether you are presenting a blog post, an e-book, an academic paper, an online course… you will always appeal to him. You will benefit from describing your project first.
Here's how to describe an eBook:
- Determine key takeaways for your readers
- Create a smart title (that will attract readers)
- Write down all the key questions you need to answer in the eBook
- Organize the main themes and sections of your eBook
- Ask more questions (research, research, research)
- Insert relevant additional studies, data and sources
- Revise, trim and clean up your eBook outline
- Write your eBook
The main benefit of starting with a well-researched outline is that it gives you a clear idea of what you're going to write before you dive into the writing process.
During this planning stage, you can decide which general themes will work well together and which can be removed and reserved for another eBook at a later date.
Writing an outline first also saves you from going totally off topic during the writing process…or losing all sense of reality when you wake up late at night trying to finish. one more chapter .
Choose a title that will entice people to buy your eBook
Just as people will always judge a book by its cover, they also choose a book by its title.
Here are some quick tips to help you choose the best title for your eBook:
- Don't be too generic. Write a title that will stand out among the sea of other e-books and not be a replica of a previously written book.
- Choose an interesting title for your readers. Exciting titles usually include these elements: an emotional appeal, a title that grabs people's attention, something that makes people curious, a humorous idea, or a pun.
- Choose an easy-to-remember title. If your blog readers (or shoppers on Amazon) read your eBook title, but don't buy right away, they may try to search for it later, so it pays off if your eBook title is memorable and catchy.
- Include your main keyword. Do you remember the keyword research you did when confirming the general topic of your eBook? Be sure to include at least the main (most important and relevant) key phrase directly in your eBook title, so readers know what it's all about instantly.
- Get inspired by other memorable titles. Are there any books you've read that have titles you'll never forget? Take inspiration from what works best with these titles and find a way to apply them to your own eBook.
Keep in mind that although the title of your eBook or, importantly, this is something that can also be changed later before your release date, so don't take too long to land on your final headline today.
You can write your entire eBook with just a working title, then come back to decide on the final name once all the content has been written. Plus, you'll have a much better idea of just what the eBook actually covers once you're done, anyway.
Write a killer introduction
One thing that almost all successful eBooks have in common is an introduction that really draws the reader in and sets up the rest of the book. Especially when it comes to eBooks on Amazon, where functionality Inside look allows potential buyers to preview the first pages of the eBook:
The introduction is usually a shorter section (compared to the rest of your eBook), which tells readers everything the book will cover.
In particular, you should use the introduction as a place to build the problem your eBook is going to solve and it's usually a great place to tell those challenges using a personal story that ties the narrative together.
Write coherent chapters
Another thing that great eBooks have in common are coherent chapters that do a great job of offering succinct ideas, arguments, or solutions in a step-by-step progression throughout the book.
This is another reason why you shouldn't just grab a bunch of random blog posts from your site and randomly bundle them into an eBook that attempts to cover several related topics. While each chapter should be distinct and come up with a new idea, they should also work together to get a point (or points) across.
You should also divide your eBook's chapters into subsections.
Although each chapter should address one main idea, consider the supporting components of that chapter as cohesive subsections that help make a compelling case for each chapter's big idea.
At the start of each chapter, you should write an introduction and then use subheadings to break down the main idea into smaller points that will soon be developed into the real meat of your eBook.
Conclusion with a CTA
At the end of your eBook, you should write a clear conclusion that will come back to your main idea. Seek to achieve these goals with your conclusion:
- Summarize the “big idea” you started the eBook with (the problem)
- Distill and reiterate your main conclusion, explanation or argument (the solution)
- Give clear instructions for a tangible next step that readers should take (call to action)
A successful conclusion to most eBooks should summarize all the main ideas and direct readers to clear actions to implement what they've learned in your eBook.
3. Set the ideal length and start writing your eBook
How long should your eBook be? This is a common question that many people ask when considering learning to write an eBook for the first time.
- Should an eBook be as long as a printed book?
- Should I consider the length of my eBook in terms of pages or word count?
As with most things in business, the answer to these questions is… it depends of a number of different factors.
- An eBook can range from 3 words to over 000 words depending on the subject.
- The average non-fiction print book is around 50 words, but e-books are often shorter
So, with these references in mind, how do you determine the ideal length for your own eBook?
Well, you can start by aiming for something in the middle…let's say around 15 to 000 words. This would probably bring your page count to somewhere between 30 and 000 pages (double-spaced), without taking into account any special formatting or adding custom images, quotes, or graphics.
But, I'm not a one-size-fits-all advocate. So, here are some questions to ask yourself that will guide you towards The right answer for your own set of circumstances:
- What type of e-book do you write?
- What is your target audience for the eBook?
- What main point do you want to convey or what lesson are you teaching?
- How complicated is the concept to understand and implement?
This doesn't fully answer the question, but... your eBook should be as long as it takes .
If you have a clear goal in mind with your eBook, then your end point will naturally be when you feel confident to have accomplished your mission.
Do not stuff your book for extra length. Instead, write actionable, helpful, and poignant information for your readers to take action on.
Let’s take an example to illustrate this…
Let's say a blogger wants to write an e-book for their travel blog.
Let's say our fictional travel blogger wants to write about a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland. This eBook will serve as a detailed guide and our author wants his book to include popular restaurants, places to stay, sights to see and a ton of reasons why Edinburgh is a great travel destination for all his readers.
Instead of setting a specific word count goal for his eBook, he should first ask himself what information is essential to share with his readers.
- What will his eBook offer that will make people want to read it?
- How will this be different from other similar guides that can be read publicly?
- What is the unique value proposition that this book promises readers?
Then he should ask himself if he is going to give extremely detailed answers in every section of his eBook.
- When talking about the best restaurants, does he offer enough detail to help a potential traveler?
- Will it only mention one or two popular restaurants, or should it also include lesser-known dining options?
Another important fundamental question to ask during the eBook submission process is whether the book follows a logical flow from chapter to chapter. Does one chapter naturally link to the next and answer all the questions it posed in the eBook?
Finally, did he meet his own personal criteria for what his initial mission was with the eBook? Has he created a resource that will really help a traveler get the most out of their trip to Edinburgh?
Ultimately, the question of how long your eBook should be – whether word count or page count – isn't really about finding the "perfect length", but rather about deciding the value you want to deliver (or can deliver) through the e-book.
You'll know your eBook is complete once you've checked off all the boxes for your main goals and are sure you're delivering something substantial to readers. Just make sure that this game plan also allows you to reach your blogging goals.
4. Choose the right file format for your eBook
Choosing the right file format to deliver your eBook to is a somewhat technical decision, but quite simple.
There are five main file formats you should consider saving your eBook in…but regardless of how you format your finished eBook, I always recommend writing your eBook with the editor. Google doc (free) — as opposed to a Microsoft Word document, as the file will be constantly saved to your Google Drive cloud storage (free) as you go as you write it .
The main benefit of writing your eBook in a Google Doc is that you won't lose your alone copy of your current eBook if your computer breaks down or is stolen. Plus, you'll be able to share your eBook with any collaborators or editors you work with, as you go through the writing process, and you can all make revisions, add comments, and ask questions right in the living document. .
Now, before we talk about the finalized file formats you need to be familiar with, let's cover a few key terms that go along with eBook formatting:
What is Digital Rights Management?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a term you'll most likely come across when learning to write an eBook, and it has to do with accessing your eBook's copyright.
The DRM is implemented so that only people who have legitimately obtained access to your eBook (i.e. purchased it or signed up for your email newsletter) are legally permitted to access it. to see. In most cases, once someone has purchased your eBook, they are allowed to view the content.
Your DRM specifications may also limit theplace where your eBook content can also be viewed. For example, if you buy an eBook from Amazon, you'll probably only be able to view it on your Kindle device or with a Kindle app on an iPhone or iPad, for example. This is Amazon's own form of DRM in place, which makes eBooks sold on their platform very secure compared to the alternative of selling eBooks in PDF format to your blog audience.
For most eBook authors (like me) who sell eBooks at a relatively low price directly to the reader, or who simply give away most eBooks as lead magnets to promote my blog and build relationships with my readers – a simple copyright statement clarifying ownership of the eBook in the first few pages and a footer reminder on all pages of your eBook, is usually enough for a DRM statement.
Having a DRM statement on your eBook also doesn't mean it's theft proof, but it does limit the number of people who try to share your eBook without your explicit permission.
Understanding Reflowable Layout vs. Fixed-Layout eBooks
Formatting an eBook falls into two broad categories:
- The reflowable layout
- The fixed layout
Many bloggers know what it means to have a responsive WordPress theme for their blog. This means your blog will look great on desktop screens, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. Your blog theme will adapt and move around text and images, to make it look good and avoid visual overlaps that might otherwise make it difficult for readers to consume your content.
Many eBook formats have to make a similar decision. When an eBook works on multiple devices, it is called redistributable .
Redistributable eBook will automatically adjust font size and move images to provide better User experience for reading the eBook on all types of devices.
Although most choose to learn how to write an e-book and publish it in a redistributable format, some authors will opt instead for a fixed page (as a PDF).
This means that text and images will stay exactly where you place them in your eBook. A fixed layout may work well on a specific device, but will not work well if a reader attempts to transfer the eBook to another device for which the content is not specifically formatted.
So which eBook layout format is best?
Personally, I've used both (and still use them). That being said, I recommend using a redistributable format for publishing most eBooks today, which makes them more useful to the majority of readers. However, if your eBook contains a lot of images or if design changes cause a poor user experience, a fixed layout might be a better solution.
Here are examples of eBooks that would benefit actually of a fixed layout:
- Children's books
- photography books
- Recipe books
Now that we know these terms, let's weigh the pros and cons of the 4 different file formats you need to consider when learning how to write (and publish) an eBook.
PDF e-book file format (.pdf)
PDF ( Portable Document Format ) is a file format that almost everyone is already familiar with.
Originally designed and released by Adobe in 1993, PDF files are probably the easiest to publish into an eBook and to download and read quickly by your readers. You can export any Google Doc or Microsoft Word document directly to PDF file format.
The downside to publishing your eBook as a PDF file is that it will not be redistributable , so it's not ideal if you expect readers to access your eBook on multiple different devices. You should design your eBook's layout for the device you expect most readers to consume it on.
Another downside is that PDF files cannot be sold on the Apple iBookstore or the Amazon Kindle store, as they only have the most basic copyright protection and can easily be shared for free.
EPUB (e.pub) e-book file format
Le EPUB file format is widely supported and very popular in the e-book industry. This format can be used to display content on many different devices such as computers, e-readers, smartphones and tablets. One major exception however, is the Amazon Kindle… which does not support EPUB files.
Another major advantage of this file type is that EPUB files are heavily DRM protected. et you can choose whether you want your eBook to be reflowable or have a fixed layout during the design and publishing process.
Kindle File Format (KFF, AZW, AZW3) eBook File Formats
For eBook authors who want to sell their eBooks on Amazon (you should), the KFF (or AZW) file format will be essential to publish your e-book.
Amazon previously used the MOBI file format for e-books sold on the Amazon Kindle store, but recently updated it with its AZW formatting ( which means Amazon Word ) to give a higher level of DRM protection to e-books and strictly limit access to content on Kindle devices and Amazon-owned apps.
AZW3 is currently the most recent version of the AZW file format – designed to be fully redistributable – and is used on all readers after the introduction of Amazon's Kindle Fire. AZW3 is more advanced than the original AZW file format and supports more fonts, styles, and layouts, making it a great reading experience on all types of Kindle devices.
TXT (.txt) e-book file format
If you want to write an eBook and publish it only in plain text (which would make you a pretty rare breed), then the last eBook file format you should consider is the TXT-file. That being said, a TXT file is one of the simplest, most straightforward, and smallest e-book formats you can publish to.
This wouldn't be my main recommendation for a file format you should publish your eBook in, but it could be a valid option for an eBook extremely cumbersome and lengthy, as this file format allows for very small file sizes (which can also be downloaded more easily over slow internet connections).
What is the best file format to publish your eBook?
Unfortunately, writing and selling eBooks today means that you have to publish your eBook in several different file formats.
Giving your readers multiple options is the best way to go.
- List your book on Amazon? Then you must use KFF file format (AZW3)
- Do you want to offer a clean and redistributable eBook via direct sales to your readers? The EPUB file format will probably be your best bet.
- Prefer to publish your eBook in a fixed layout? A PDF file will be your easiest option
My advice? Use the right eBook builder tool (which we'll talk about next) that allows you to publish your eBook in all these file formats with one click.
5. Design an eye-catching e-book layout (and cover)
Once you've actually written your eBook, the next step is to design your eBook's layout and cover.
The design aesthetic of your eBook will be an integral part of your readers' overall experience. Believe it or not, the layout and cover design of your eBook matters a lot in the grand scheme of eBooks. A beautiful design with a professional look will increase your credibility and the likelihood that readers will want to share your eBook with others they know.
So how do you design the layout and cover of your eBook to impress your readers?
Choose legible and attractive typography
As you've probably done with your blog layout decisions, choose to use fonts in your eBook that people can easily read (and that also match your branding).
My recommendation is to use very common and easily readable fonts such as:
- Arial
- EB Garamond
- Josefin slab
You do have more flexibility with the fonts in your eBook, though (compared to the fonts you would choose for a more public blog). So, depending on the format in which you learn to write an eBook and publish it, and of course the type of device your readers will be using, they may even be able to change the font size and type themselves.
Use chapters, titles and subtitles
When it comes to writing anything on the Internet, the recent blogging stats show that most people skim the text. This suggests that if your blog has huge sections of text and no titles to visually break things down, most people won't spend their time trying to find the information they want… they'll just leave and find their answers elsewhere. .
The same principle should apply to your layout when you sit down and learn how to write an eBook that will answer your reader's top questions and keep them engaged enough to keep reading.
With e-books, you have a bit more freedom to write longer paragraphs than when you write a blog post, but it's still important to use clear chapters, titles, and subtitles to visually entertain your readers as they navigate through your eBook (and it will also help them avoid getting overwhelmed). Using this type of format makes your eBook more organized overall and therefore easier to read.
Extend your blog branding to your eBook
Most bloggers work hard to establish a clear brand and make their content stand out visually from the competition.
These decisions range from choosing consistent color schemes to fonts, logos, images, and even deploying the right blogging tools that match their perceived brand image. Your eBook should be a very natural extension of the branding you've already started on your blog.
Your main goal should be to learn how to write an extremely effective e-book for help your readers, but a close secondary goal should be to deliver an eBook that also looks and feels like a premium extension of the content already on your blog.
Include images in your eBook
Just like smart use of formatting, adding rich images in your eBook will also help make your content much more engaging (and interesting) for your readers.
Not only does this break up long walls of text, but images can help people more easily connect with your content (and better understand a point you're trying to communicate).
Design an e-book cover that people will love
Your eBook's cover can actually mean the difference between someone being interested enough to buy your eBook or passing it on and grabbing your competitor's.
Your eBook cover doesn't have to be fancy, but it should be clean, professional, attractive, and of course match the overall aesthetic of your blog (if you want to create a clear link between your eBook and your blog … which I strongly believe you should strive to do).
According to your blog niche , you may need to take more time to work on your eBook cover design.
If you're already invested in your community, you should have a pretty clear idea of the types of eBook covers that tend to already work well in your space. And if you need inspiration, take a look at the Amazon Kindle bookstore in your category to see what lessons you can take and apply to your own cover design.
If you're not comfortable designing a cover for your own e-book, you can easily ask a freelance designer on a site like 99Designs to create one for you.
Most e-book cover designs will set you back around $199 from talented designers competing to win your project on 99Designs , but the high-quality end result is well worth the one-time expense. Plus, you own all rights to your cover design with no strings attached.
6 Best Tools to (Quickly) Design Your eBook
Designing your eBook is much easier when you have the right tools to work with. Here are some of the best eBook layout and design tools you can use to create a great looking eBook.
1. Design
Designrr is hands down the best new do-it-yourself e-book cover layout and design tool I've found in the past few years, which is why I use it with my own eBook layouts. e-book (and cover designs).
One of the main draws of Designrr is the ability to easily reuse content you've already created in the form of blog posts, podcasts, videos, and PDFs. You can compile your eBook from several different sources using their download tool. If you want to combine a blog post, podcast interview, and YouTube video to form an eBook on a topic, you can.
You can also get podcast and YouTube video transcripts for additional content (which saves a lot of effort). Then, once you've chosen your content, you can upload it to the layout design feature, choose from a library of pre-made eBook layout templates, and then modify your design as you wish.
This part is highly customizable, allowing you to change fonts, colors, formatting and more. You can also resize images and move them to new locations through your eBook.
If you have gone through the learning process of writing an eBook and have it in Google Doc format, you can use Designrr to quickly import it and design it into a beautiful eBook with just a few clicks. At the end of your design process, Designrr also gives you the option to export your eBook to all the major formats you might need, including PDF, Kindle, EPUB, and HTML.
2. Canva
Canva offers both a free and a premium version of their tool, and it's a great option for designing eye-catching visuals, especially for those who aren't particularly tech-savvy. With Canva, you can start by choosing from pre-made templates, uploading your own photos, using stock images, adjusting images, adding filters, and adding/editing text. Canva is most useful for designing your eBook cover.
Almost everything about their suite of design tools is free, but some custom images and designs on Canva will cost you up to $1/. Unlike Designrr, which lets you export your eBook in a variety of formats, the primary export format you can use with Canva is as a PDF.
3. Visme
Visme is very similar to Canva, but perhaps a little easier to use from a user experience perspective. It doesn't take very long to create an eBook with the Visme design tool (and it's useful for more than just cover designs, too).
The steps are pretty easy to follow, starting with choosing an eBook layout template. Visme uses content blocks to allow you to move through your content wherever you want. This design software also allows you to include and modify graphics, images, graphics, visuals, colors and fonts during your layout design process. The biggest downside is that Visme only lets you export your eBook to PDF.
4. Marq
Marq is an e-book creator that uses a simple drag-and-drop editor. Their eBook design software comes with pre-made templates that you can choose from, or you can choose a blank eBook format to create your own from scratch.
Marq lets you set branding preferences such as color, fonts, and images that are stored so you can quickly customize your eBook design to match your blog design. Other Marq features include data automation that lets you autofill information and easy import integration with Google Docs, YouTube, Drobbox, Facebook, and inDesign.
The basic version of Marq is free, but it offers premium versions with more advanced features (which you'll probably need to use once you see them). The main disadvantage of Marq is that your eBook can only be exported as a PDF file.
5. Venngage
Venngage started out as an infographics tool, but has grown to include an eBook creator marketed for “beginner” eBook designers.
Joining Venngage is free and offers a variety of free templates to use for your eBook layout. Fonts, colors, images and graphics are customizable with their fully online suite of design tools. However, as with most design tools in the e-book industry, Venngage-designed e-books can only be exported as PDF files.
6. Scrivener
Scrivener is the classic (oldest) tool for writing an e-book and laying out the design, but until very recently the software was a bit outdated. Not long ago, Scrivener released an update which upgraded the tool to Scrivener 3 which made it compatible with macOS and also overhauled the user interface. Other new features include:
- Epub3 and Kindle export features
- Custom metadata to include things like checkboxes, dates, and list boxes
- Draft and session progress bars (to monitor your eBook writing progress)
- Improved contour functions
Even with the improvements made to Scrivener over the past year, I would still classify Designrr as my top choice as an ebook design tool by far, even if only for the fact that you can export your ebook to all file formats you will need to sell the ebook on different platforms.
All things considered, Designrr is much more modern and easier to use than Scrivener, despite the tool having been around for a long time.
6. Sell your eBook to your existing audience
Who should you sell your eBook to first? The best answer is, people who know already , read and like your content.
If you've been blogging for a while, your existing audience is already ready to appreciate more your writing, especially those who have chosen to join your mailing list. This is why your own audience should be the first place to turn when it comes to your eBook promotion efforts.
So what's the best way to promote your eBook to your audience? Here are some actionable steps to increase your initial eBook sales.
Create a landing page for your eBook
Now that you've written about the right subject for your eBook and you've chosen a design that works for you, the next step is to create a landing page where people can buy (or access) your eBook.
A landing page gives people a place where they can learn more about you, your eBook, and exactly why it's going to be useful to them. They should also have the option to purchase or download it, directly on the landing page. Now let's see how to create a solid landing page to promote your eBook.
Keep your eBook landing page short and to the point (for free eBooks)
There are times when a long landing page can really showcase the benefits of your eBook and tell readers why it's worth their investment. This is especially true if your readers pay for your eBook and becomes increasingly important as the price of your eBook increases in value.
If your readers are already familiar with your eBook or you're offering it for free, a short landing page will probably be best.
Try to make your writing precise, no frills and speak directly to your readers in terms that they will connect with.
Use a compelling call to action (CTA)
Those of you who sell their eBook should spend more time creating at least one slightly longer landing page that does more Sales. It should also include a clear CTA that asks visitors to buy your eBook.
Use a simple, clean and minimalist layout
Choose a landing page layout that's clutter-free and easy to follow for your readers:
- Try to use easy-to-scan formatting (and titles) for your descriptions
- Use bullet points to break up your sales pitches and make them easy to read
- Use stunning visuals to hold their attention and give your eBook a quality feel
Now let's look at an example.
Hubspot's free eBook on How to Use Instagram for Business has a landing page that is a great example of nice, clean copy in use:
The images they use throughout the landing page are simple, yet professional. They also use negative space to draw attention to certain key aspects they want to highlight, and using check marks is another fun example of easy-to-follow formatting.
Show people what they get from your eBook
In addition to tell the people what your eBook has to offer, you can also theirs show. This works especially well with image-heavy eBooks that have great content to show off.
Use email marketing to promote your eBook
After creating a stunning landing page, take the next step and share your eBook with your email subscribers.
Your mailing list is a group of people who are already most connected to your writing and what you have to offer them. They are the main group of people who would be most likely to spend a little to access your new eBook content (if it resonates with them and their needs).
Want to go further? My advice is that instead of waiting for your eBook to be finished, focus on building some interest in your mailing list before it launches. Use anticipation then, when your eBook is released, your audience will already know about the topic and be eager to see if it's right for them.
Use a compelling CTA (to promote your eBook) on your blog
Another way to promote your eBook is to place clear calls to action asking readers to buy (or download) the eBook on different key pages of your blog.
You can do this in several ways using:
- Popups
- The titles
- Footers
- The sidebars
- Manually insert CTA text (or images) into your blog posts
These are all places you can either link to your eBook landing page or even place a direct buy button if the content topics are directly relevant. My advice is to direct readers to your landing page if they want to learn more about your eBook before making a purchase.
If you're using a free eBook to generate leads for another monetization channel, Like selling a blogging course, you can send those new subscribers a direct download link directly to their email once they sign up and confirm.
Promote your eBook on social media
The right social media channel can be a great destination for both building excitement et boost e-book sales.
During the writing phase of your eBook, you can post teasers letting people know what you're up to (if you have an engaged audience, group, or community you interact with).
7. Expand your reach by selling your eBook on Amazon
Selling your eBook through your blog audience is the first avenue I recommend to most bloggers. You can keep all profits, you have full control over how your eBook is displayed and distributed, and you can keep all of your customers' contact information (as well as add them to your mailing list for further efforts. marketing).
Once you've set up your eBook on your blog, you may find that you want have sell it on Amazon. Amazon's big draw is the incredibly large audience you can reach through its platform, if your book is well-positioned for success.
Amazon has over 200 million core users, and in Q2021 XNUMX it expected to net sales of between $130 billion and $140 billion . There's no denying that Amazon is a juggernaut when it comes to converting sales and is certainly one entity that can lead to an avalanche of sales for your eBook.
My advice? Take a mixed approach to promoting your eBook via your own blog and, after your initial push, work on building a listing on Amazon as a secondary source of potential new customers.
So how are you going to sell your eBook on Amazon? It's not too difficult, but it's a multi-step process.
Let's walk through the steps here, so you can easily upload your eBook to Amazon and (hopefully) generate additional sales.
Set Up a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Account
Before you can sell your eBook on Amazon, you must first create an account Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) .
To do this, go to the KDP homepage and register your Amazon account. If you already have an Amazon account, you can use your existing login information to sign up for KDP and link your account.
During registration, you will be asked to enter the author's name, payment preferences, and relevant tax information (so that Amazon can potentially pay you as an author on its platform).
Choose a clever title and a catchy subtitle
When you're ready to publish your eBook on Amazon, you'll naturally be asked to write the title of your eBook (which, if you've followed this guide, you'll have done a great job with already).
You can also choose to put in a subtitle, which is a great place to further explain to readers why they should buy your eBook and give you a better chance of including expressions of keywords that will definitely help your eBook show up in more Amazon searches.
Write a Great Amazon eBook Description
People come to your Amazon listing to decide if they want to buy your eBook.
In addition to choosing an attractive title and a well-designed eBook cover, they will also look to your book's description to decide if it's something they want to spend their hard-earned money on. Your eBook description should be relatively concise, but written as a sales page that highlights what makes your eBook exceptional.
It should also clearly state what they will get from reading your eBook and why you are the person they should listen to (buy).
Another important thing to do for bloggers especially in your Amazon eBook description is to include a link to your blog. This is a real opportunity to promote your blog and drive traffic to your blog. Even if a reader doesn't buy your eBook from the Amazon list, you may be able to convince them to join your email list or buy something else from your blog.
Choose keywords for your eBook
When choosing keywords to describe your eBook, you should consider both Amazon and Google searches.
Know that customers will search both Google and Amazon for the type of books they're looking for, and you have the option to rank for both.
Amazon has some recommendations to choose the best keywords to use to describe your eBook. Some of the tips they share include:
- Combine the words in the most logical order (think about how people might search for something and use it in your keyword description
- You can use up to seven short keywords or keyword phrases
- Keywords can be changed or updated
- Search Amazon by typing in the keywords you can think of and see if they yield similar results to your eBook (if not, try something different)
- Avoid using keywords that are already used in the book metadata
Select your Amazon eBook category
Keywords help people find your eBook, but so does selecting the appropriate category in the first place.
Amazon allows you to select both categories and subcategories.
The key is to choose categories that truly reflect the subject of your eBook (and ideally ones that already have a clear claim). However, choosing categories just because they're popular won't lead to increased sales because people will get frustrated when your book shows up as a recommendation if it doesn't match their search intent.
Instead, choose trending categories that really relate to what you spent so much time learning to write an eBook on. If possible, try to choose categories that also seem to have low competition. This will help you get to the top of Amazon searches for more niche topics that have higher purchase intent and can also increase your chances of ranking higher on your broader category pages.
Upload your manuscript to Amazon
The next step is to upload your eBook manuscript, so it can be repackaged and (soon) distributed as a Kindle book.
Amazon indicates that your book must be formatted correctly and meet their quality standards (which include the appropriate KPF file format we covered above).
Amazon suggests uploading a KPF file created with "Kindle Create" for best results when uploading, or else a Microsoft Word DOC/DOCX file.
Download the ebook cover
Your cover art is the next thing you will need to upload.
If you haven't created your eBook cover yet, you can use thecover creator tool from KDP to design one, or turn to one of the design tools I mentioned above.
Pricing Your Amazon eBook
Setting a price for your eBook is always up for debate, but there are some things you can do to maximize profits on Amazon specifically.
Recently, Amazon rolled out the KDP pricing support, which provides lots of useful information to guide you in making an informed decision about pricing your book on their platform. This program analyzes data from books similar to yours and recommends a price. This program is still in beta at the moment, so keep in mind that this is a recommendation and not a requirement.
A fun thing to understand about revenue generated on Amazon is that you have to choose between two royalty rates on which you actually get paid. There is a 35% royalty rate and a 70% royalty rate option to choose from (weird, I know).
- If you select the 70% royalty rate, you'll keep 70% of your eBook's profits, while Amazon will keep 30% (ideal)
- If you use the 35% royalty rate, Amazon will keep 65% percent (less ideal)
Naturally, you want to earn as much as possible, so the 70% rate seems like the best bet. However, Amazon's pricing system is quite complicated and there are many regulations governing how you can price your books. Not all eBooks are eligible for the 70% royalty rate, and not all countries are either.
For example, to use the 70% royalty rate, your eBook must cost between $2,99 and $9,99. Its price should also be at least 20% less than a print version of your book (if you have one).
Amazon lists their requirements and information about the different royalty plans, so you can choose the best option for your eBook.
Publish your eBook on Amazon (and start promoting)
After submitting all the information about your eBook, the last step is to save your progress and click Submit during the publishing process.
When you submit your eBook, it takes 24-48 hours for Amazon to approve your work. They'll email you once your eBook is approved and also provide you with a direct link to your ad.
From there, it's a good idea to take some of the promotion strategies we've talked about here and apply them to the Amazon version of your eBook as well, because if the Amazon platform can detect that you're driving traffic to your advert from external sources, then your eBook will be much more likely to appear higher on category pages.
How to Write an eBook in 2023: Final Takeaways and Tips
Are you excited for the challenge of learning to write an eBook this year…or is it a bit overwhelming?
The goal here isn't to nudge you out of this potentially lucrative monetization channel, but rather to provide a practical framework for learning how to write an eBook (and sell it) over the coming weeks, months, and years.
Better yet, think of writing an e-book as a opportunity exciting to take your blog to the next level, by generating traffic from new sources (like Amazon) and possibly increasing your income.
Here is some even more promising news: If your first eBook isn't as successful as you hoped, you can always learn from the experience and perform better on your next attempt. Just like the very first blog post you write probably isn't your best work, so is writing your first eBook. Practice and repetition is the name of the game.
As you develop the skills needed to learn how to write an eBook, each new eBook you produce can be an improvement over the last, and can even lead to writing a traditional book.
Over time, you can also go back to previous editions of your eBooks and update them with new information, better formatting, and new designs.
Have you got already writing your own eBook?
If so, share with us. I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
