Writing Your First eBook

Tools Needed
To write an eBook you will need a computer with relevant software. Microsoft Word is the standard for writing documents. Many computers come preloaded with Microsoft Word or Microsoft Works. OpenOffice also offers writing software, and is free. Adobe Acrobat is the norm for creating eBooks. There are also other 3rd-party software that you can buy, or obtain for free on the Internet to create a PDF format eBook. I can thoroughly recommend PDF reDirect which I have been using successfully for many years.

Establish Your Reasons
Your reason for wanting to write an eBook will have a major impact on your success. For example, it may be for financial gain, promoting a business, advancing your career, education or self-satisfaction. Write down your reason(s) because this will help you to stay motivated.

Choose Your Subject
There are countless subjects that you can write about. It’s wise to choose something you have an interest in or knowledge of. It is worthwhile spending the time and research on this. The more you know about your subject, the easier it will be to write about.

Choose Your Title
After you’ve chosen your subject, you’ll need a title for the eBook. It’s worth writing down a few different ones before deciding on the one you’ll use. This will help to keep your focus and may give you some other ideas. The title should give a clear indication of the content in your book. A catchy title may help to sell it, but remember to balance this with clarity to keep it in context.

Choose Your Audience
The subject and style of your writing will determine your audience. Decide who your desired audience will be. Age, gender, culture, social background and education are factors you may want to consider. What you write should be targeted at your desired audience.

Write Your Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a sentence or two written to clearly show the reason(s) for your eBook and what you expect to write about. The thesis statement should contain the following: your subject, your opinion on the subject and a supporting reason for your opinion. While you are writing your document you can revise your thesis statement at any time up until it is published.

Create Your Document
Now that you have the foundation you can begin writing. Choose the format and layout of your document, including chapters, headings and introductions. Dependent on your subject, you may wish to add photographs, anecdotes or testimonials that keep the reader’s attention. Since an eBook is generally read from a screen, you may want to break up the text more than in a printed book. Experiment with a few different fonts and look at other eBooks for ideas you can use. Spell check and save your document regularly.

Always backup your document. As a precaution you should also keep a copy on another media such as a pendrive.

Choose and Create Your Ebook
The format of your eBook is a personal choice. You may decide to create an executable (.exe) file or a Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. Here are some points to consider before you choose.

EXE file

Compiled using an eBook compiler.
Can offer features that are not available with PDFs.
Can only be read on a PC.
Does not require any other software to be read.
Is easy to open, easily branded, and good viral marketing tools.
May be susceptible to viruses, although some compilers offer virus protection.

PDF file

Can be created using Adobe Acrobat or the recommended PDF reDirect.
Can be created with several other 3rd party applications.
Is an industry standard.
Can be read by both PC and MAC.
Requires Adobe Reader to be read (which is free software).
Is highly unlikely to become infected.