How to Make Money Online by Writing eBooks Today

Make Money Online by Writing eBooks-Writing eBooks is one way to earn money online. To make money with eBooks, you need to know the steps, a complete guide, that I present in this special article, from choosing a topic to publishing it on a particular platform.

What an eBook Writer Needs

Writing an eBook (or printed book) is a big decision that must be carefully considered. Whatever the form, writing is an activity that should be carried out professionally. Let alone writing electronic books, writing articles on blogs must also be done professionally and responsibly. To start this career, you need to know what you need to be an eBook writer.

Writing Skill

A writer is someone who has some degree of writing skill. If you decide to make money writing eBooks, then you should start honing your writing skills too. In the beginning, every writer learns and hones their writing skills until they can write books that are useful for others. Of course, this does not only apply to a writer; if you want to be a fisherman, you have to hone your fishing skills.

There are only two ways that you can hone your writing skills quickly, read a lot and write a lot. Reading a lot can give you an idea of what to write and how to write it. By reading, you will learn how professional writers present their ideas. You'll learn it instinctively so you don't have to take formal writing training just to know how to write your ideas.

Choose specific readings from your favorite authors. Notice how the author begins his book and how he ends it. Also notice how he uses figurative words such as metaphor, personification, and hyperbole to deepen and strengthen the meaning he conveys. The more you read in this way, your subconscious mind will absorb the structure of the book and the style of writing that your favorite author suggests. Of course, you may want to have a different writing style. But as a first step, make your favorite author a benchmark.

What you learn instinctively through frequent reading should be practiced daily. Take your time to write every day even if it's just a few paragraphs. This practice is important because writing skills can only develop if you keep writing.

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Ideas

You can write about anything as long as you are very good at it. By reading a lot, you will definitely have several ideas to write about. You can get ideas through discussions or watching the news on television. You might read other people's newspapers, magazines, or blogs and get writing ideas from there.

Anything you write must fall into one of two categories of writing, fiction or nonfiction. Included in fiction writing are short stories, prose, and novels. Who knows you can become a famous novelist in the future. So, feel free to write a novel or short story and sell it online. Non-fiction writings or books include educational books (in any field), tutorials, history, philosophy, art, and so on. Choose one of them that you like the most and are good at.

Time

Writing is an activity that takes time (and effort and money). You have to dedicate your time to writing if you want to earn money by writing and selling eBooks online. At least, set aside your time to work on your eBook several times a day. I usually work on my books at night because the atmosphere is more supportive than in the morning or afternoon. I also have to write at night because I work from morning to noon. In the afternoon, I spend time with my family. I can only do my book when they (my children) are asleep and dreaming.

You may have different daily activities. Thus, you need to find the right time for you to write your eBook. Find the most conducive time for you to focus on your eBook. A conducive time is one when you can work on your eBook without too many distractions.

Writing is almost like planting flowers. You can't expect your eBook to be ready overnight or even for a week. The wider the scope of the discussion in your eBook, the longer it will take to complete. The better the quality of the book you expect, the longer it will take to improve it.

On the internet, circulating billions of eBooks in various titles. Almost half of the eBook is junk. Amateur "writers" tend to work on their eBooks in less than a week on the grounds of "catch-up." In order for them to finish their book in a short time, they end up taking bad shortcuts such as collecting some people's articles and plagiarizing them in eBook form, not developing their eBook so that the discussion in it is not detailed, not checking for flaws and errors in their eBook, and so on. This kind of premature e-book is garbage scattered on the internet until now.

Many eBooks are reported as plagiarized and removed by publishing platforms like Amazon, eBay, Good Reads, and so on. Of course, you don't want to sell "junk" to people who need the information they should find in your eBook. Therefore, make sure that you are not in a hurry to finish your eBook.

Publishing or Retailer Platform

The last thing an eBook writer needs is a publishing platform. There are many publishing platforms you can apply to publish and sell your eBook. You just need to learn the "rules of the game" that the platform adheres to.

Some of the platforms you can use to publish and sell your eBook are as follows:

1. Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
2. iBooks
3. Barnes & Noble Press
4. Kobo
5. IngramSpark
6. Smashwords
7. Draft2Digital
8. Bookbaby

The above list of platforms does not follow any particular order. You can choose whichever of them you think is easiest for you.

Remember to always refer to the applicable guidelines on a platform before you submit your draft eBook. I love KDP and all my books are there. But you may want to choose another platform. Instead, you only choose one platform.

You can actually still sell your eBook independently. For example, after writing an eBook, you can create a blog and put it there. By using online payment services such as PayPal or Payoneer, you can already sell your eBook. When buyers pay for your eBook, they will be directed to a specific page where they can download your eBook.

However, this is not a wise choice. By getting your eBook file (eg in PDF format), in no time your eBook will be on the internet and can be downloaded for free. This will hurt your eBook sales.

Problems like the ones I mentioned above can be solved if you use a publishing platform like KDP. At KDP, all your eBook files are protected by a high-security digital system. People can only read your books on Kindle tablets; they can't download them. Your eBook link is maintained by Amazon's authentication system so that only people with legal payments can access the contents of your eBook.

KDP also gives you the option of selling printed books known as paperbacks. Your e-book, once designed for print, can be sent in PDF format to KDP but the file can never be downloaded by even the most genius hacker in the world.

Therefore, I must remind you again that uploading your PDF eBook files on the internet to sell independently is the most unwise choice you will ever make. Choose one of the publishing platforms from the list above to publish and sell your book. You do need to pay for the service but it is equivalent to the security and income that you will get later.

How to Write an eBook Easily

Here I give the steps to write your first eBook.

Choosing a topic

Starting your eBook, choose a topic that you are good at. If you do not master a topic, then you can study it while writing it or choose another topic. Why would anyone want to write about a topic when he or she doesn't know the topic? The reason is "because the topic is trending right now".

If you follow my words, then you can see at least two considerations in choosing a topic. Think about what you are good at and ask if it is a trending topic in the world these days. If both of these considerations have a "yes" answer, then you can start writing about the topic.

Based on my writing experience, I see that people out there really like reading about topics that are rarely discussed. I write on some different topics and from my bookshelf, it is clear that my readers are people who love reading about psychokinesis. They didn't choose the novel I offered. They prefer unusual books, arouse the imagination, and even relate to the supernatural.

Of course, you can write an eBook about cooking recipes or mathematical formulas. But if the reader finds the topic too general and can be found anywhere, then your eBook is not standing a good chance. My advice, write about something more "powerful" than a recipe.

Creating a working outline

Once you have a topic in your head, write it down on a piece of paper before it leaves your head. From here, you will begin to create an outline that you will later work on.

An outline works as a table of contents. You need to arrange what needs to be covered in your eBook. Look at the topic you just wrote and think about how it can be broken down into smaller topics. Those little topics that you arrange in such a way.

An outline helps you to start, continue, and end your eBook. Without a good outline, starting your eBook can be very difficult; let alone ending it. Someone who writes an eBook without an outline usually has problems in the middle of writing; he doesn't know how to proceed with his eBook or what else to cover.

To make an outline, then write down the topics that you order from the most general topics to the most specific topics. You should have a writing flow like an inverted pyramid; if not, then you won't know how to end your essay because the topic continues to widen.

Make sure that all important topics are covered in the outline and logical order. You don't want the reader to have to go back and forth from one page to another, then back to another, just to understand one idea that you didn't sequence well. That's the benefit of an outline.

Developing your eBook

The outline you make is like the "bones" of your eBook. All you have to do is fill it with "flesh and blood". If that isn't a funny analogy, imagine that your eBook outline is like empty glasses waiting for you to fill them with a wine of ideas.

In this section, your knowledge and creativity are put to the test. In general, all you need to do under each subtopic is introduce the topic, define, explain, give examples, explain examples, relate examples to reality, and conclude.

Let the words flow to express your ideas but don't let yourself get off the topic at hand. The outline that you create will limit you to discussing things that should be discussed in different sections.

Ignore grammatical errors and word choice as you will have time to review your eBook later. You just need to pour your ideas and focus on the subtopic you are working on.

Explain "everything" and never think that the reader will understand what you mean. You have to explain it and think that the reader doesn't know until you tell them.

Give the right example and don't let the example be like an orphan. The examples you provide must be explained and linked to facts that are relevant to the topic you are discussing.

Use relevant and interesting illustrations such as pictures, tables, diagrams, charts, and so on. The illustrations are the help you provide to the reader in understanding your discussion.

Don't let readers draw their own conclusions. You must help them conclude your discussion. A concluding paragraph should help the reader to remember what you discussed.

Revising your eBook

Once all the sections in the outline have been filled in and you think you've had enough, leave the stuff a few days before revising it. This is useful to refresh your mind from the remnants of the ideas you wrote in your eBook. You should do this because revising your eBook means you have to reread your eBook as a reader and editor, not as a writer.

There are two types of revisions that you need to do, namely global revisions and local revisions. The global revision deals with the idea and its structure in the entire eBook. Meanwhile, local revision is related to grammar whose scope is the sentence.

When you re-read your eBook, you'll find some "inconsistencies"; some ideas may need to be added and some may need to be removed. You may also need to move paragraph positions to improve the flow of ideas in your eBook.

You will also get some grammatical errors and poor word selection. Correct the passages in the sentence as needed.

You can use the revision checklist in revising your eBook. Some applications such as Grammarly can also help you to proofread and revise eBooks, making your eBook better and more viable.

Finalizing your eBook

After completing the eBook revision, you need to make adjustments to the format of your eBook. Study the guidelines of the publishing platform of your choice. Usually, each platform requires a certain eBook format.

General things to consider when formatting eBooks are as follows:

Margins and spacing: to ensure the readability of your eBook, set the margins (top, bottom, left, and right) appropriately. This will provide a distance between the contents of the eBook and the screen border which affects the readability of the eBook. Spacing or spacing between lines and paragraphs is also very important. Readers do not like lines and paragraphs that are too tight because they are uncomfortable on the retina. After all, lines that are too tight usually confuse readers so that they often read the same lines over and over again.

Font size and type: your eBook will be read on the screen so you don't want to hurt the reader's eyes. For that, use fonts with the appropriate size and are easy to read. The typeface also greatly affects the readability of your eBook. Do not use sharp letters or decorated letters such as calligraphy and so on.

Heading: your eBook consists of several sections. Each section has a title and these headings must have a different font size and spacing from the paragraphs below them. Since you are using a word processing program such as Microsoft Office Word, you can use the heading feature it provides. Use headings and subheadings appropriately, for example, if you use numbered headings:

2.1. Title of section (must be larger)

2.1.1. Title of subsection (must be less than 2.1.)

By using this technique, readers are helped in identifying the sections in your eBook.

Page numbers: in general, eBooks have page numbers. But if you use KDP as your eBook publishing platform, then you don't need to provide page numbers. KDP has a program to convert your eBooks, known as Kindle Create, which will automatically assign page numbers to your eBooks.

If you decide to give your eBook page numbers, it's a good idea to put them in the middle. The font size used should be smaller than the paragraph font size.

Table of contents: an eBook needs to have a table of contents. Create a table of contents that covers all the sections in your eBook. The table of contents should be created in a separate file so that you can easily switch between the table of contents file and the contents of your eBook when you want to find the page number for each section of your eBook.

Converting your eBook

The final step is to convert your eBook. In general, eBooks are in PDF format. You can use a converter program like doPdf.

How about your book cover? You can use Photoshop or Canva to create an eye-catching book cover. If you need an image for your eBook cover, Unsplash.com has it for you. Use license-free images so that there are no complaints from other parties in the future.

Convert your book cover in the same format as the eBook content (PDF) and combine the files using a program like PDF merger.

If you use KDP as your eBook publishing platform, then you need to use Kindle Create to convert your eBook. Meanwhile, your book cover does not need to be converted because it must be submitted together with your eBook content in the KDP system.

How to Publish your eBook

Now, your eBook is ready to be published. The next step is to submit it to the publishing platform of your choice.

Selecting the publishing platform

You need to choose the publishing platform carefully. Some of the considerations are as follows:

Convenience: choose a publishing platform that is easily accessible. You should easily become a member on this platform; all you need to set up is an active email address to register. Included in the convenience are systems and protocols that allow you to submit your eBook. Learn how a platform accepts and rejects submitted eBook drafts.

Popularity: choose a publishing platform that is well known to the public. The popularity of publishing platforms affects the distribution of your eBook.

Payment: publishing platforms charge commissions for publishing and selling your eBook. Usually, there is a deduction (not tax) from your eBook purchase. Make sure that you choose a platform that doesn't apply large financing to the sale of your eBook. You also need to pay attention to how the proceeds from the sale of your eBook are transferred to your account. Publishing platforms use different payment gateways. Some use PayPal, some use Payoneer. Choose a publishing platform with a payment gateway available to you.

Learning the guidelines

After choosing a publishing platform, you should immediately learn the guidelines. The guide covers the eBook format, the quality of the eBook content, and how to submit a draft eBook for publication and sale.

By following the guidelines they apply, the chances of your eBook being accepted are greater. Publishing platforms continue to maintain their reputation so that they will not accept eBooks that contain material that threatens world security, contain pornography, offend certain religions or ethnicities, contain violence, and so on.

Becoming a member

You need to be a member of your preferred publishing platform system. When you register, make sure to provide valid personal data and an active email address.

If you provide invalid data, even though your eBook draft is accepted, your eBook payment process will be problematic. Don't disguise information about yourself, your bank account, and so on.

You will also be asked to connect your virtual account such as PayPal or Payoneer (KDP uses Payoneer as a payment gateway). When creating a virtual bank account, make sure that you provide personal data that matches what is recorded in your local bank account.

Submitting your eBook

Submitting a draft of your eBook should be easy if you have already prepared the eBook files and are registered with the publishing platform's system.

Prepare the eBook file, eBook cover, and eBook description because this information will be asked by the system. You will also be asked to set a price for your eBook.

After submitting your eBook, the publishing platform will review your eBook for a few days. If your eBook meets the applicable requirements and standards, then your eBook will be accepted.

Promoting your eBook

It's great to have your eBook accepted by a publishing platform. What should you do then?

Create a blog, be it using Blogger or WordPress. Use the blog as a portal to your eBook on the publishing platform's website. Make a post on this blog that contains the eBook cover, title, eBook description, and eBook URL.

Share your eBook URL to social media. But don't overdo it because your URL will be considered SPAM by social media.

Comment on other people posts such as on blogs or YouTube that are relevant to your eBook. At the end of your comment, provide the URL of your eBook. Do not provide URLs without comments because you will be considered SPAM and blocked from blogs or YouTube.

That's the complete way to earn money online through eBooks. Do you have an eBook already published? Please leave the URL in the comments section of this post.