eBooks are the future of literature. Readers are more inclined to download PDFs and read an eBook on their smartphones or tablets than to pick up a traditional print book in the era of digitization.
eBooks are also popular among writers since they are not expensive to produce. It does away with the need for printing and binding books, which is time-consuming and costs thousands of bucks.
Authors can also go down the route of self-publishing when it comes to eBooks, and by implementing a solid marketing plan, they can reach a larger audience.
Are you looking to write and publish an eBook? eBooks are a great addition to your portfolio and can help you earn a substantial passive income.
To achieve this, you must produce an enticing eBook that will sell. You have decided on the perfect topic, outlined the content, sketched the cover page, and coined a super catchy title. Yet, other technicalities can sabotage your eBook.
Sometimes eBook authors make certain mistakes since they lack guidance from publishers. We have curated a list of errors you must avoid to realize your dream of authoring a successful eBook.
10 Silly Mistakes to Avoid While Penning an eBook
Here are the Ten most common errors authors commit while composing an eBook:
- Not Sticking to their Forte
The mainstream approach to authoring the first eBook is to explore a new domain, push ourselves out of our comfort zone and write a definitive book on a trending topic. It is the first big mistake in your journey to publishing an eBook.
Choosing an unknown domain might lead you down a rabbit hole. You have to start researching from scratch, invest resources to understand the domain, and spend time talking to industry experts.
Instead, if you stick to an area of your expertise, you would save on precious resources. Writing on a topic you understand and excel at allows you to go all out and create meaningful content packed with wisdom.
- Thinking Only About the Content
As an eBook author, you do not get to sit back after you have produced the content. The biggest mistake is only thinking about what you want to write and how you want to express your ideas.
eBook authors are all-in-one: writers, publishers, and marketers. So, while planning your dream eBook, you have to not only plan its content but curate a marketing strategy to promote your eBook.
Thinking about how you want to sell your eBook after writing it will delay the launch and your source of earnings. Make promotional videos, push out your book on social media platforms, and pique the interest of your audience in your eBook as you write it. It will build a customer base, ready to buy your eBook whenever you launch it.
- Divulging It All
Chances are you want to create the ultimate eBook on a chosen domain. You plan to write everything that can be said about the topic. But readers do not enjoy reading lengthy eBooks.
Additionally, it will take away from the opportunity to create a sequel. You probably do not want to publish a single eBook and call it a day. If you want an audience who comes back to you when they have some queries, be economical with the information you share in an eBook.
eBooks sell fast when they are short. To make it more interesting, map out all your ideas in a series of eBooks. Sequels keep the interest alive and the sales game strong.
- Procrastinating: The Ultimate Buzzkill
Procrastination has killed more eBooks than poor articulation. What starts as the dream project might seem like a burden. Hence, you keep putting it off for later. Soon, it becomes one of the unfinished documents on your computer.
Consistency is the key to gaining pace where your ideas flow naturally. Begin by scheduling time to write. To make it work, you must diligently sit for the stipulated time and let the creative juices flow. Eventually, it will become a natural part of your day.
- Pushing the Creative Process
The opposite of procrastination is pushing yourself to complete the project. If you are the editor for your eBook, remember to take a healthy gap between writing and editing.
The purpose of editing is to refine the writing. If you jump to edit the eBook quickly after writing it, you will struggle to fine-tune it.
Instead, take a break from the creative process after writing the draft. It will give time for new ideas to develop, and you’ll come back stronger with a fresh perspective.
- Not Hiring an Editor
You might want to save money by editing the eBook on your own. But this has proven to be time-consuming.
The thought of not having an editor looms at the back of the mind, and authors tend to go back to reading the paragraphs they have already written. They edit them, change the wordings, fix minor errors, and thus, make timid progress in the writing process.
- Poor Content Planning
Jumping to write an eBook as soon as you have pinned a topic is a recipe for disaster. You will find yourself exploring unnecessary spaces and repeating ideas if you start writing without comprehensive chapter-wise content planning.
Create mind maps and charts to map the order of the content and the ideas you wish to explore in a chapter. It streamlines the writing process, and you will produce a compelling book in no time.
- Not Hiring a Professional to Design Covers
Readers often judge a book by its cover. So, like it or not, the cover page of your eBook can make or break it.
You want the cover page to intrigue readers, subtly divulge the theme, and ultimately compel readers to pick it up.
So, if you can invest a bit, hire a professional designer. It will translate to more book sales.
- Deciding the eBook Format Hastily
You might start your eBook with an end goal in mind. But once it is ready, you might find that the subscription-based eBook you had planned to create has turned into something more massive, and you will get the best returns by turning it into a premium book.
The best tip is to not stick to a rigid format and let the final product chart its course.
- Shying Out on Promotion
Authors might feel uncomfortable promoting their books. But remember, even the best eBooks can die out of the market without proper marketing. You do not want your time and effort to fizzle out because you shied away from sparking conversations around it.
You worked hard on the book, right? Then you should be proud and own it. Of course, you don’t have to put flashy advertisements in place to garner an audience. You can promote it on your website by sharing helpful information and once the readers are hooked, lead them to purchase your eBook for advanced information.
Conclusion
Yes, writing and publishing an eBook is a complicated business. But once you can succeed in setting up this passive source of income, it will be worth the effort. We have shared the common mistakes that trip up eBook authors to guide you to navigate these pitfalls.
The perfect time to write an eBook will never come unless you begin. You know how to write. So, what are you waiting for? It is okay to make some mistakes along the way as long as you are having fun.