Planning to author an ebook? Here is everything you need!

Want to reduce screen time? Let me read it for you :)

Today, ebooks have become the rescue home from the daily chaos, for many people. The easy reach and quick read on the book of choice is one of the major reasons for its success in the market.

The morning commuters to work, often find it distractful and enervating to gossip with people or be on social media. Hence, it’s the ebooks that serve as a healthy meal to mind amidst the havoc around.

With this running grip of digital innovation taking over, many are gamed up to pour in their wisdom into the pages of ebooks. Many see it as a channel to share their erudition, while some see it as a lead to their business strategies.

Ebooks not only serve as a means to provide exposure to a larger scale of the audience, but also become the propelling & inevitable source of reading, shortly.

Why an ebook?

Everything is digitally touched. In this era of technology, it is our prime decision to maneuver the potential of technology to simplify our day-to-day work.

There was a time when the bibliophiles were tied to the trolley of books wherever they went. Half the baggage weighed books, considering the possibility of reading they planned for while traveling.

However, the technology has come to the rescue by bringing digital ebooks that can be stored and accessed on devices like phones, iPad, and kindle. These devices are lighter on the shoulder and are handier.

Here is a list of a few more perks of ebooks over the traditional ones.

1. Mobility of the books. They can be carried everywhere.
2. Any number of books can be stored and accessed, given the memory of the device. Some books can be accessed online if network connectivity is promised.
3. Can be read in the low light areas (which is a major thumbs up over the paper books)
4. No fear of losing the collection of copies.
5. Saves the effort of referring to a dictionary (as many provide built-in dictionaries )
6. In devices like Kindle, you can add your own annotations.
7. You can easily download any book available, without waiting or heading to a store physically.
8. The whole book market is a click away.
9. You can get readers’ reviews before attempting to buy the book.
10. Some of the locally unavailable books (from foreign authors) can be easily obtained from the international market.
11. No printing or shipping cost.
12. A reduced barrier for the users in buying books.

Writing an ebook

Do this bit of exercise before you proceed.

Take a few minutes away in a place of solitude and think over this:

Does my competency lie in being an author?

Be honest to yourself when you answer this question, as the strength of your belief guides you through the process of writing.

This exercise is important because writing, creating content, or telling a story is no cakewalk. It is very important to challenge your competency as a writer before you decide upon writing out a book. Because books are a huge commitment.

Charles Bukowski, the famous German-American English poet & short story writer, says,

If it doesn’t come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don’t do it.

Charles Bukowski

Things to consider while writing an ebook

Having touched your desire to author a book, here is a list of things you can start with for a lighter launch into writing the book.

Before you begin to write anything, it is important. You sit and sketch out the things that lie underneath your decision.

1. Reason out why? You want to write anything at all.
2. Once the reason is set, research and make a list of topics are the rule.
3. Narrow down to one topic which you vibe with the most. This step is extremely important and consequential. This process might take a few days to solidify.
4. Once the topic is highlighted, it is crucial to work down and research extensively on it. Design an outline with all the major topics to be covered. This groundwork keeps you pinned to the decision and gives a dainty picture of the outcome.
5. Once the roadmap is ready, define a deadline. Let the deadline include a week of buffer time for proofreading & editing.
6. With this, decide on an approximate length of the book. 
7. Assign an equal share of words for each day, leaving out the buffer week.
8. Rely on an insightful friend for a second reading.

Where to Publish?

This era is a thriving period for independent writers. The days where one had to have relevant contacts with agents & popular publishing houses to get their work published and marketed is now history.

It is time that you reach out to the audience on your own by publishing books online, independently.

Here is a list of handpicked platforms that are popularly used to publish ebooks.

1. Amazon

Amazon KDP – Kindle Direct Publishing is the most popular of all. Around 80% of the total ebook sales happen from this site for English-major countries. The numbers simply to provide one of the widest audience bases to your books.

Here are the details:

Pricing – A decent share of 70% royalty is given on all Kindle titles priced between $2.99 – $9.99. For any other range, a royalty of 35% is paid.

Kindle provides 90 days of the digital distribution deal, where your books will be available in the Kindle Lending Library for free of cost exclusively for the Prime members, without any due dates.

If you are planning to sell your books abroad, you need to own a central author account and upload your book to respective amazon sites.

Feel free to find further details on this page – All you need to know to publish on Amazon KDP.

2. Apple iBook Author

This contributes to 10% of ebook market sales. Though the number looks small, it is the most sought platform for apple users.

Pricing: It provides a royalty of 70% for all books across territories.

In order to publish books on iBook, you need to own an Apple device, for only MAC software allows you to upload here.

Find more information related to this, here: Publish on Apple iBook.

3. Kobo

Kobo stands for 2% of the ebook sales, worldwide. Though it experiences less reach in the US and UK, it particularly provides a great reach in other parts of America and in Asia. It is a great platform if you have a series of books or for long-term authors.

Pricing – It provides a 70% royalty to sales between 1.99-7.00 GDP or 1.99–12.99 USD.

Anything lying outside this range receives a 45% royalty.

Find more details here: Publish on Kobo.

4. Google Play Books

Apart from the above-said platforms, there are others that provide a fair share, like Smashwords, Draft2Digital, Gumroad & Inkshares.

Pitfalls to avoid while writing your ebook

An ebook might just convince you to be a trump card for building your email list. But, hey! Be careful not to stumble on one or many of the most common pitfalls encountered.

1. Picking up the most widely circulated, mundane topic for the ebook. Know that your book will just become one of many preacher sagas, already available online.
2. Writing just for the sake of money – know that most worshipped authors are those whose work provides value to the readers.
3. Lack of research – Doing thorough research on the content of the book is one of the distinguishing factors to a great ebook.
4. Lack of discipline – The deciding feature of a consistent and intelligent writer is the discipline. The discipline to upgrade, research, outline and manage the writing.

Formats of an ebook

Once you write the book, the required format of the digital copy to publish online are:

• MOBI (Mobipocket), AZW – This is the format expected on Amazon KDP.
• EPUB (ePublication) – This is a suitable format for most other online platforms.
• PDF – The most used format
• IBA – Apple’s iBooks Author app format

There are online applications available to convert your DOCX format to the required publishing format.

Ebook Writing Tools or Softwares

Below are a set of ebook writing tools that will help you get started.

• Google Docs
• Microsoft Word
• Open Office
• Adobe InDesign
• iBooks Author
• Reedsy
• Apple Ebook tool
• Scrivener
• Grammarly
• Hemmingway App
• PressBooks

Outsourcing ebook writing services

If you are someone who has a lot of stories to tell the world but owns less competence, then this is the section for you.

Understandably, it is a challenging job to script down the thoughts in an appealing way. Not everybody can write that sells. The world comes as a savior. There are many online platforms that provide talented writers to whom you can outsource your ebook writing work. The list is right below.

1. Fiverr
2. Freelancer
3. Upwork
4. Proofreading services. 
5. Designing an eBook – Canva

eBook-writing Training/Learning Courses Online

If you are a newbie, dreaming of publishing an ebook, consider learning the technicalities through subjective and exhaustive online courses advocated below.

1. Udemy Course on ebook
2. Linkedin Source
3. Skillshare

Worth mentioning ebook writing guides:

Writing ebooks the right way. Get some free and staggering thoughts on writing ebooks through the following guide tracks.

• eBooks the smart way – SmartPassiveIncome.
• How to Create an Ebook From Start to Finish [Free Ebook Templates].
• A Quick Guide to Writing Your Ebook in 8 Easy Steps.

Last Words

The celebration follows the publishing of a phenomenal ebook.

On this note, let’s get underway with a high-toast to all the aspiring and surviving authors.

Image source: Freepik Premium