So, this is a continuation of part three of my series about crafting an ebook. You can read part1 here, part 2 here and the first half of part three here.

After you have your figured out your outline, the font face, font size, and setup of your ebook, you’re ready to hit the ground running.

If you know who your audience is, you will understand a lot more about how to write your ebook. Is the reader you are targeting a 30-something who has recently started a business (non-fic writers) or maybe a stay at home mother who loves to read romance (fiction).

If you are writing non-fic be sure to go slowly through the material so a reader doesn’t get lost in the material. Most people read a how-to book to LEARN how to have a problem solved, so be sure to address their needs. And if you present it in an easy-to-read and understand format, they will be a very happy reader.

Just try NOT to make it like a first-grade primer. They are likely college grads and dumbing it down for them might be a bad idea. Really research your target market!

IMPORTANT THINGS FOR YOUR EBOOK

Cover art

Your book’s cover is the first thing a reader sees. It is like that first impression you get when you meet someone face-to-face for the first time. It has to be impressive. I am versed in Photoshop so creating my own covers has been something that I enjoy doing. I am learning as I go too, and am learning WHAT NOT TO DO!

Interior files

Every book should have an “about the author” section. More and more people are putting this at the back of the book, especially eBooks so that they can include links to sites and other books the author has published. Links, when done correctly, allows a reader the opportunity to click and surf straight to it.

Some authors put in a preface or prologue to kick off the book. This gets the reader oriented as to the tone and structure of the book. If it is fiction, a prologue sets something up that the rest of the book needs. Many authorities on writing tell you not to put in a prologue, but I say if it is done well, and has a purpose, put it in.

How long does writing an ebook take?

For me, it takes a lot longer to outline than to write the whole thing probably. I write for about an hour every day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but I do try to be consistent. For some, this can be difficult, but as long as you try and keep on task, and get help from family members so you don’t fall off the writing wagon, you will succeed. As I have said before, if you want to do something badly enough you will find a way to do it. Turn off that tv!

What comes next?

After you’ve written the book, it’s sitting there in a document format in Word or another word processor just gleaming and waiting for you to edit it or have it edited. Then you can change it into a PDF and get it ready to put up for sale. I will TRY to cover that step next. These posts are all over 600 words and I am not finishing the whole idea yet!

So more next time!