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Homepage.
Write From Home
Kim Wilson
P.O. Box 4145
Hamilton, NJ 08610
Tel: (609) 888-1683
Fax: (609) 888-1672
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Dabbling for
Dollars . . . .
Become An E-book Writer
by Alyice Edrich
Copyright © 2005, Alyice Edrich
When I lived in California, I became a mobile
notary (signing agent) because I wanted something to work around my family. When
I moved out of California I thought I could simply apply for a new notary seal
and continue my notary career; after all, I still had my contacts and they dealt
with notaries nationwide. But upon arriving in the state of Pennsylvania, I was
given a rude awakening. I could not receive a notary license until I had become
a resident of the state for one solid year.
Upset? Yes. But I didn't let that stop me from earning a living out of my home.
I had already written a pamphlet when I lived in California, so I took that
information and decided to start a new career as an Internet marketer/author.
While the sales were slow, in the beginning, I soon learned the ropes and began
selling enough books to keep me at home with my kids.
In fact, when our move to Wisconsin proved to be a wonderful opportunity for my
husband to return to college full-time, I used the income generated from the
sales of my e-books and freelance writing career to sustain our family for two
full years.
To become a profitable electronic book author, you, too, need to learn the
ropes. You can't write a book, place it on your Web site, and hope the orders
come rolling in. You have to put in some real elbow grease, and work towards
those sales.
Here is a broad outline to help you get started.
Start With What You Know
I truly believe that everyone has a book in him or her. But to find that book
you need to sit down and rediscover what's inside you. What knowledge do you
already possess? Do you constantly share new and interesting facts with your
friends on a particular topic? Is there something you can't wait to learn more
about? Do your friends and family consider you the expert on a certain topic?
That's the first place to start writing your very first book.
Develop An Outline
Now that you have an idea for your book, sit down and develop an outline. If you
were going to teach someone everything you know, what would you start with? What
natural progression would you take to move your student to the next step? What
about the step after that? The idea of an outline is to get your juices flowing
and help you begin to form your book. Don't worry about writing your book just
yet.
Fill In The Gaps
Once you have your outline written, take one segment at a time and begin jotting
down notes. Write whatever comes to mind on that subject matter. Don't worry
about how well it flows together or whether or not your sentences make sense.
Just get the ideas out of your head and onto paper.
Research Your Subject
After you've exhausted all the information stored in your head whether through
book learning or hands on experience start researching your topic. Is there
something you need to know more about? Is there something that will enhance your
book and take it from good to great? Is there something you find missing in other
books that your book could discuss?
Interview Experts
Don't underestimate the value of expert quotes. While you could simply write
what you know, you'll increase the value of your book by including information
by experts in your topic. The first place to start is your local Chamber of
Commerce; there are many professionals who would love a little free publicity.
Organize Your Notes
After you have all your notes written out, it's time to organize them.
Organizing your notes will take time and may seem mundane, but organization is
the key to a book that flows and doesn't confuse your readers.
Write Your First Draft
Once you've organized your notes, it's time to write your first draft. Again,
don't worry about getting everything perfect the first time. The idea is to take
your scribbles and put them into some form of comprehensible reading material.
Edit Your Work
Once you've completed your first draft, let it sit for a few days. If you go
back to your first draft too soon, your eyes will glaze over mistakes and typos.
Your mind will remember what should have been there and your eyes will assume it's there.
Protect Your Work
Once you've completed the final edit of your book and are happy with the
results, get your material copyrighted with the United States Copyrights Office.
The cost is only $30 and will protect you should someone try to claim ownership
to your work and sell it as his/her own.
Sell Your Book
Selling your book is probably going to be the hardest part of your new career,
as an e-book author. You can't put your book on a Web site and wait for sales to
come in. You'll need to educate others about your book. And you can do that
educating several ways:
• Get reviews on your book by other publications.
• Get interviewed on the radio, in newspapers, and in magazines.
• Write articles on your book's topic and sell them to large print publications.
• Writes articles on your book's topic and distribute them, for free, to several
Web sites.
• Start an affiliate program.
• Buy classified advertisements.
• Hire yourself out as a speaker on your book's topic.
 Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits
For Making Money With E-books where parents earn hundreds of dollars selling
information they already possess. She invites you to stop by
http://thedabblingmumpress.com to order a copy today!
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Have You Read...
I Wanna
Win
by Cheryl Wright
If you want to win writing contests and earn that elusive tag of
'award-winning writer' or if you just want to hone your skills, this book will
point you in the right direction.
New to freelance writing?
Read
this informative article.
Read
Glossary of Writing Terms
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Writing
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