Create Your Ebook: Step 3

by Holly Genser

My last two articles discussed the first and second steps to create your ebook, Plan and Design. This article addresses the third step, Develop. Finally, you're ready to write your ebook! Here are my eight writers’ secrets to write, revise, and proofread, so you can write your ebook with ease and confidence.

1. Write your ebook draft for each section without stopping.

Now that you have your e-book template, planned your learning and marketing goals, and organized your ideas, write your e-book content sections.

Draft the sections without stopping to correct grammar, spelling or punctuation. I can't tell you this enough. It's the secret to easy, flowing, writing, and to getting your ideas on the page before you can interrupt them.

2. Let your draft sit.

Wait a few hours or a few days, or even a week or more. Reviewing again after time has passed gives you an essential, fresh perspective on your writing. You’ll have new ideas and awkwardness and
mistakes will pop out at you for correction.

3. Read aloud and revise for clarity and brevity.

Then, read the draft aloud. You’ll hear what’s not conversational in tone. You’ll hear the errors. You’ll see what to re-order, what words to change, what words to cut. Read and revise until your book sections are clear and make sense. The computer makes it easy for you.

4. Read aloud and revise for a conversational tone.

Then revise to make your writing sound as if you're speaking to your friendly client is sitting next to you. When you write in this familiar, conversational tone, your readers will be more likely to stay with you until the end.

Look at other books and e-books. Note what you like and use appropriately. Design for ease of reading. Double space between paragraphs. Use headings, subheadings, and bullets. Consider using quotes in text boxes in the margins, if appropriate. Use color. Use diagrams, photos, or drawings that fit your content.

6. Proofread in steps.

Proofread in successive steps. Run your spelling and grammar check, but this function won’t catch all mistakes. Do it yourself, too. Cut out extra words. Check for grammar. Check for spelling. Check for punctuation. Run the table of contents tool again. These are all separate processes. Take your time, especially if you don't write all the time.

7. Test your materials.

It's best to test the materials on people who would be in your target audience. You want people who will see the holes as well as the good points. You want to find out if they think your book is complete and useful. Revise your materials as needed, and fix the typos your readers will find. They always do.
I will tell you how to test your materials in my next post, Create Your EBook: Step 4.

8. Revise and Proofread again.

Follow the same steps as when you proofread your book above. Follow all of them. Save as a PDF file.

Then you're ready to:

Print it and offer it to presentation attendees
Offer it to presentation attendees as a gift through your website in exchange for their contact information.
Offer it for sale on your website.
Link to your website in exchange for your free gift.