How To Create an Ebook – Getting It Done!

I love reading ebooks and I love creating them, they’re also a favorite source of income for me.

Because of that I’m sort of an ebook pusher, I push just about everyone I know to create their own ebooks with the talents and knowledge they have, and each of us has so much to offer.

But I also know most people don’t know how to create an ebook or even how to get started.

Even before  you begin writing it all starts with committing to taking action and believing in yourself that you have something valuable to offer.  If after that you still find yourself dragging your feet, below are a few simple things you can do to get the ball rolling and keep it rolling until you get it done.

Analysis Paralysis is NOT Allowed

Don’t let analysis paralysis keep you from getting started, because it will if you let it.  If  you have a topic that people are interested in then just start writing.

I keep a notebook for all my projects and I keep them close at hand.  When I have ideas or learn new things I jot them down, no particular order just get them down on paper.   This is just an idea stage so don’t get caught up with organization just yet.

If getting ideas for content is stumping you, go to the people that are most interested in the topic and find out what they most want to know.

Visit online forums and take a look around, what common threads do you see?  Visit Amazon and review related books.  What common topics come up in each book.

If you have an email subscriber list, send an email asking what topics are hot with them.  You can even give them a free giveaway in exchange for their feedback.

A survey or poll on your website also works well.  I use Surveymonkey.com, and it’s free!

Create Your Outline

Next, create an outline for your project.  Your outline will basically turn into your table of contents, so start with your main topics and break them down into sub-topics as you see fit.

I usually create my ebook using a word processor like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org which I’ve been using a lot, and it’s open software so it’s free

Create your outline and brainstorm each section until you’re happy with the results.  Then you will need to go through each section and research each specific topic.

If organizing and outlining isn’t easy for you, try Jonathon Ledger’s Write That Report.   For $7 it’s completely worth the time it saves you with getting your thoughts and ideas organized into a logical format.  I use it for all my guides.

Formatting Your EBook Contents

Once your book is completed, make sure you format it using the format options within your word processor and create headers and sub-headers.  This makes you book look professional, but you’ll also need these when creating your table of contents.

To create your table of contents using Microsoft Word, go to Insert > Reference > Index and Tables.

Using OpenOffice, go to Insert > Index & Tables

Next, edit and proof read your ebook.  This is the toughest part for me.  I can read though my book 20 times and still find errors and change things.

Don’t let this get out of hand.  Go through the book first with your spell checker and make all corrections.

Always read through the book for grammatical errors also catching improper word spellings like ‘there and their’ or ‘meat and meet’, etc.

Next read through for content and logic.  I like to give my book to someone else for this task.  A third party always has a better view of the flow and the logic, and they can give you some great content pointers as well.

Formatting your eBook for Distribution

Once your book has been formatted, you’ve created your table of contents and it’s been proofed, it’s ready to be formatted for distribution.  This can be done in one of two ways.  Format it as a PDF (portable Document File) or as an HTML document.

I personally prefer creating a PDF.  Openoffice will create a PDF for you instantly by clicking the create PDF button.  The downside there is that Openoffice doesn’t secure the document, meaning once the document is published on your website, it’s free for anyone to access.

That may be OK if the document is something you are giving away, but if this is a priced product, it won’t be secure from the freebie seekers.

To get around that I use DLGuard to secure my books.  DLGuard has a lot of features but my main purpose for using it is that it secures my books online so that freebie seekers can’t access it unless they pay for it first and so far it does a great job of that.

Getting It Done…

Your ebook project can’t happen if you don’t get started.   Time and focus can be a problem, but if you really want to make it happen you have to overcome that.

Start with taking just 20-30 minutes a day.   My best time is the morning so if there’s something I absolutely have to do, I know I can get it done then.

Start with where ever you are in the process and make a list of what needs to be done.  Task each thing out for the next several weeks or months. If you don’t finish what you need to do in that 20-30 minutes a day, that’s OK, leave it to the next day, but every day do one thing, no matter how small.

If you can stick to that schedule, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come in just a few weeks.  You’ll also be immensely proud of yourself and your accomplishment.

What tips can you offer for ebook writers on how to create an ebook?  Share them with us

Tagged as: Writing/Copywriting