Wanna to write an eBook for Free
A person asked me how to publish own content without spending a single penny!
Yes, it is possible. I myself published a book.
Publish ISBN book in 7 days and no need to be dependent upon others. Market your book yourself. In case, no copies sold then also you will not loose money. Writing a book add to your personality and it grooms you with a set of new skills. It is a passion which may not give enough income but satisfaction is guaranteed.
Everyone would like to put his or her words in the form of an eBook. In
today’s virtual world, it is not much difficult. In case, the person has
abilities of drafting the content and designing the title page followed by
proof-reading or editing; then it can be done without paying a single penny.
The eBooks can also be sold online and can be circulated freely. Let’s discuss
the essentials of writing an eBook.
1. Exceptional Idea:
There are millions of
eBooks available and there will be rarely any issue upon which eBook may have
not been written. Before writing an eBook, it is must to have an exceptional
idea on which basis, the eBook should be written. It is well known ‘An idea can
change the life’, it works here. Firstly, explore the ideas and select one
which can be transformed into an eBook. It is required to think again in detail
of that idea, and chalk out what can be written in a particular order, to pass
the learning on a specific topic or to narrate a case or to simplify anything
difficult to understand or to tell a story in an interesting way etc. For example, the information about criticism for anything, can easily be found but why the things happen to be criticized, is not explained by authors, that is required to be pointed out. When I am asked to write my first book, I opted a title on which information is nowhere easily available i.e. Trainer's guide to Evaluation of Training.
2. Gathering data or relevant information:
It is must to firstly collect the data by reviewing literature so that the eBook
cannot be proved as a repetition of already existing information. It is must to
gather the relevant information from various sources including books, journals,
magazines, and websites of great interest. After collecting the data, edit the
same and frame useful information in an organized way to present in the form of
eBook. At this stage, it is must to keep in mind, what are the requirements of
target audience so that the eBook can easily be sold in the market. What will
be the titles of chapters, titles of paragraphs and sub-paragraphs, order of
each information, and finally structure of the eBook.
3. Thinking and Writing:
After finalizing
the structure of the eBook and existing information in hand, the author should
explore the intellect and put the same after deep thinking in a simple way to
pass the knowledge. Some authors start writing from the first lesson, some
start from the middle of the eBook, and some start writing from the last lesson
to first; it depends upon the author’s desire.
4. Review and rewrite:
More the editing,
more the useful information will be inside the eBook. It is must to review the
written content again and again before finalizing it in the form of eBook. It
is a never-ending process; however, the author may decide at which stage he launches
the eBook’s final content. Revising the content as per the latest updates in
the concerned area, is must to make the eBook useful. The content may be
rearranged, revised, reframed, rewritten keeping in mind the need of the target
audience.
5. Finalizing the touching title:
The
title of the eBook should be so touching and self-describing so that the
readers or target audience be agreed after listening the title of the eBook to
buy it. For example, “You Can Win” was a nice title and created interest in the
mind of potential readers to have a copy of it.
6. Adding attractive cover page:
The cover
page is the first look of the eBook and the success of the eBook depends to a
great extent upon it. The attractive cover page itself is a marketing tool
because it is firstly noticed by the readers. If possible, then hire a
professional designer to design the cover page.
7. Testing the eBook’s content and seeking improvements:
Before publishing the eBook, it is must to test it by offering it
for review by the experts, potential readers, to have comments for the changes
(if required). Beware, only offer the eBook to the confidential and trusted
people so that it cannot go in the hands of someone who can steal the
information and get it published. On the basis of feedback, the eBook can be
improved before publishing. There is always scope for improvement, in case
there is requirement to revise to a great extent, then it may be decided to
revise it in the next edition.
8. Compiling the eBook and finding out keywords:
It is must to describe the keywords from the content detailed inside
the eBook. The keywords should be selected on the basis of both the
requirements of the target audience and contents detailed inside the eBook.
9. Formatting the eBook:
The formatting is
must before publishing at an online platform i.e. KDP, Smashwords, Lulu etc.
The formatting of an eBook is an art and requires learning. It can also be done
by using a software.
10. Selection of publishing platform:
Once
the manuscript or eBook’s content is ready to publish, it is required to select
the appropriate publishing platform. It depends upon the target audience which
publishing platform will be appropriate. In case, the target audience is
computer savvy students then the eBook may be launched at Kindle Direct
Publishing (KDP) and marketed at Amazon. On the other hand, if the target
audience is senior and old people who prefer to read hard-copies, then it may
be decided to launch the book in digital libraries with a copy in hard-paper to
be sold in the market. The authors also consider the privacy protection,
royalties offered by the publishing platform, and availability of the target
audience before finalizing the publishing platform.
11. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP):
The
eBook is written and promoted mostly on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
because it provides the feature of formatting the eBook and a marketplace
without charging a single penny. The KDP also provides feature to read the
eBook at Kindle. Nearly 70% of the price of each sold copy of eBook is provided
to the author. But at this platform, it is must that the author’s target
audience use Kindle for approaching the eBook.
12. Publishing platforms other than KDP:
There are many other platforms for publishing the eBook i.e. Smashwords,
Booktango, Lulu etc. Each platform accepts the manuscript and then publish it
in the form of eBook. The interesting thing is that they don’t charge money for
publishing it. However, they charge for editing and marketing the eBook. It is
also necessary to go through the terms and conditions and look how much
royalties each platform is providing for sale of each copy. At present, the
Lulu is most appropriate in such case, offering up to 90% of the royalties.
13. Self-publishing by using a specific software:
There are software available for self-publishing
an eBook, for example, Calibre software converts HTML files into ePub format
without charging a single penny. If the content is available in the form of
MS-Word document, then it is required to firstly save the .doc or .docx file
into .html format and then convert it into an ePub format using Calibre
software. Second software normally used for publishing eBook is Adobe Acrobat
Pro version. It creates the .pdf file with protection through password. Only
the users with password can read the contents of the .pdf file. Third software
which can also save documents into .pdf with password is OpenOffice.org, an
office suite freely available online. With the change in time, there are many
options being available online and an author can opt any for publishing the
eBook without paying a single penny.
14. Promoting the eBook:
After publishing
the eBook, it becomes necessary for promoting the eBook to earn the revenues.
The YouTube, FaceBook, Google Communities, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social
media platforms can be used to promote the eBook. The authors can also link the
eBook on StumpleUpon and promote its picture through Instagram or YouTube
Clips.
In nut shell, firstly write contents of
an eBook in MS-word document, then use OpenOffice.org to convert it into .pdf
with encryption or password. The use Google Docs to convert it into a format
ePub meant for eBook.
*Copyright © 2018 Dr. Lalit Kumar. All rights
reserved.
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