Your First Step To A Digital Publishing Empire
By Markku Saastamoinen
There is only one way to climb a mountain - step by step.
Now think of writing your ebook in the same light. You must create it step by step, and one day, you
will take that last step and find yourself standing on the summit with your head in the clouds.
The first thing you have to do, as if you actually were a mountain climber, is to get organized. Instead
of climbing gear, however, you must organize your thoughts. There are some steps you should take before
you begin. Once you've gone through the following list, you will be ready to actually begin writing your ebook.
Beginning Steps to Writing an ebook
First, figure out your ebook's working title. Jot down a few different titles, and eventually, you'll
find that one that will grow on you. Titles help you to focus your writing on your topic; they guide you
in anticipating and answering your reader's queries. Many non-fiction books also have subtitles. Aim for
clarity in your titles, but cleverness always helps to sell books - as long as it's not too cute. For example,
Remedies for Insomnia: twenty different ways to count sheep or Get off that couch: fifteen exercise
plans to whip you into shape.
Next, write out a thesis statement. Your thesis is a sentence or two stating exactly what problem you are
addressing and how your book will solve that problem. All chapters spring forth from your thesis statement.
Once you've got your thesis statement fine-tuned, you've built your foundation. From that foundation, your
book will grow, chapter by chapter.
Your thesis will keep you focused while you write your ebook. Remember: all chapters must support your
thesis statement. If they don't, they don't belong in your book. For example, your thesis statement could
read: We've all experienced insomnia at times in our lives, but there are twenty proven techniques and
methods to give you back a good night's sleep.
Once you have your thesis, before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to write your book.
Ask yourself some questions:
 Does your book present useful information and is that information currently relevant?
Will you book positively affect the lives of your readers?
Is your book dynamic and will it keep the reader's attention?
Does you book answer questions that are meaningful and significant?
If you can answer yes to these questions, you can feel confident about the potential of your ebook.
Another important step is to figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of people you will
be writing to, and this group will dictate many elements of your book, such as style, tone, diction, and even
length. Figure out the age range of your readers, their general gender, what they are most interested in,
and even the socio-economic group they primarily come from. Are they people who read fashion magazines or
book reviews? Do they write letters in longhand or spend hours every day online. The more you can pin down
your target audience, the easier it will be to write your book for them.
Next, make a list of the reasons you are writing your ebook. Do you want to promote your business? Do you
want to bring quality traffic to your website? Do you want to enhance your reputation?
Then write down your goals in terms of publishing. Do you want to sell it as a product on your website,
or do you want to offer it as a free gift for filling out a survey or for ordering a product? Do you want
to use the chapters to create an e-course, or use your ebook to attract affiliates around the world? The more
you know upfront, the easier the actual writing will be.
Decide on the format of your chapters. In non-fiction, keep the format from chapter to chapter fairly
consistent. Perhaps you plan to use an introduction to your chapter topic, and then divide it into four
subhead topics. Or you may plan to divide it into five parts, each one beginning with a relevant anecdote.
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