Cindy Szponder’s Tips

You’ve decided to write your own eBook. Now what?

photo credit: desi.italy

Begin.

Ah, but is it really that simple? It is if you organize your thoughts and research. Let’s assume that you’ve already researched and determined what your topic is. What’s next?

Write down a chapter outline. The beauty of this is that you can write down an initial list of chapter titles and set it aside for a few hours or a day. Then come back to your list and see if anything is missing or duplicated. You can rearrange your list until you’re satisfied. You can check mark areas where you need to do more research before you’ll be able to write.

But don’t stop there. You could spend days and weeks (and for the really good procrastinators amongst us months or years) simply rearranging your chapters, adding and deleting to them. At some point, you have to say, “It’s good enough.” Then, begin writing.

It doesn’t really matter where you begin writing. Pick a chapter that seems easiest to you or where you have the most comfort. Then move to another chapter and write, and another, and another. You’ll be amazed at how fast your ebook begins to come together.

Don’t worry about refining your writing as you’re working. Just write. When you’ve covered all your chapters, set your book aside for a day or two. Then come back to it and see how it flows. Make any adjustments or additions you feel are necessary.

At this point, it would be a good idea to have at least two other people read your ebook. Pick people you trust and who will give you an honest opinion and constructive criticism. They should also have strong English skills, if possible. These people will find areas where more information is needed, and typos and spelling errors that you missed–simply because you’re so familiar with your subject (and know what you meant to say).

Polish up your final product and prepare it for publishing. I’d recommend converting your document to .pdf format–especially if you intend to sell it. The .pdf format makes it easy for anyone wanting to download and read your ebook to do so. One especially convenient and free ways to do this is to use Open Office.

Happy writing!