eBook & Self-Publishing Motives
As my reader mentioned in the email he sent me yesterday, he's having trouble staying motivated.
It is not unusual for any of us to remain motivated, never mind excited, when our endeavours don't seem to bear fruit. This is true whether you are an author, consultant, employee, government employee; whatever it is that we do.
Some measure of success is needed to sustain our efforts.
However, in my experience with the hundred of authors using Knowledge Download, I see a very short window of opportunity that a prospective author permits themselves. I'm talking usually less than 6 months.
This is certainly not long enough, especially with ebooks and websistes. It is very normal for it to take one to two years before your ebook may catch fire. I won't go into all the reasons here today, as my message has to do more with motivation than means.
As an author, whether in print or ebook, one of the very first questions you should ask yourself before you even get started is: why am I writing this?
1. Are you writing and producing your ebook to make money or to help your reader?
2. Are you writing to educate and inform or to raise your status in your market?
3. Are you writing to help solve problems or to show off how smart you are?
4. Do you love your subject material or is it a passing fancy?
These questions and more will help you determine your potential for success.
If your motive is selfish or for personal glory, you are likely doomed to fail.
But if your motive is to help your readers, educate and inform them and help them solve problems (or entertain them), you have a much higher chance of success.
There are two reasons for this:
1. Your love of the subject and an honest motive to help solve problems will give you "staying power" in times of "trouble".
2. People see through selfish acts and motives. This transparency yields little in sustained sales or support.
The solution is simple: select a topic you love and are passionate about.
This by itself won't guarentee you success, as you still have the need to have your topic in a market where there are willing and needful buyers, conduct the necessary marketing activities, have a website and perhaps more.
Keep your chin up!
sp
Self-Publishing
I love it when someone tells me I can't do something that I think I can do.
It's like a challenge. A slap in the face. An insult.
Oh yea (goes the thinking in my head)? Who says so?
So it goes today with this article. At least that's how my initial response was.
The article's title - "It’s tougher than ever to be a beginning writer" led me to agree. But in the first paragraph where he says "...the most difficult time in history...".
Now granted, I'm not a professional writer, nor a NY print published author.
However, I'm not sure where this fellow has been, but this thing called the Internet and technology that is widely available called Print on Demand pretty much makes this "time in history" the easiest to get published, in my humble opinion.
The author makes some excellent points. The most significant being his cconclusion of a self-published writer needing "patience, perseverance and perspiration."
Those words are true.
However, given the target market, your willingness to learn Internet marketing, search engine optimization and joint ventures, you can be selling meaningful volumes of your work by the end of your first quarter online to thirsty audiences.
Again, depending on your target market.
So don't let articles like that get you down. Likewise, don't allow yourself to get too hyped up by so-called Internet marketing guru's. Being realistic with a LONG view of your commitment (years), and you will achieve notariety and build a good reputation if your text is in demand.
Keep at it!
sp
Turn Failure Into A Successful eBook
Do you have aspirations of writing and selling your own ebook? Most people who visit and read this blog are aspiring writers or first time authors.
While on the main Knowledge Download site there are tutorials and articles on how to write and what to write on, recently it crossed my mind that many people don't have a lot of successful topics to write about.
It's not that these type of people are not successful. It's just that their topic or area of subject matter expertise may not be sellable.
Recently, my wife and I had a miserable failure at a retail business startup. Ever since the startup, we spent cycles trying to get my wife positioned as an expert in that business. One of the ways to do that is write a book, become a speaker and do consulting work.
However, the business bled money and we exited it recently.
Months prior to the decision to shut down the business, I came across the Psycho Tactics website, owned and run by Seah D'Souza. I signed up for his ezine, which is awesome. Be sure to sign up for it. You will learn a lot and get great ideas.
One of Sean's recent ideas was to turn failure into its own success.
Write an ebook entitled "How to Avoid these 26 Mistakes in the XXXXX business".
It made total sense relative to the business we just shut down, because we hired expensive consultants and spoke with lots of "experts" in that industry before we jumped in.
Most of them lied to us or told us half-truths, or they were complete idiots bilking money from us ignorant folk.
At any rate, we're over the emotional and financial drain that business put on us, largely on my wife.
We're recording an audio ebook using the "avoid my mistakes" approach. And we plan on selling it for a nice sum, since the knowledge is real, practical and worth over 1,000 times what a buyer will spend on it.
Give some thought to using this angle if you are having trouble coming up with your own "success" topics!
sp
Be An Author Without Writing
My goal, and what my readers look for at this site, is how to write, produce, publish and market / sell ebooks.
Aside from my own experiences, you often get great resources that I have either used or discovered through my professional research.
Most people think that they have to do their own writing. Many have never written an ebook or print book and often end up with writer's block (read: fear or terror!) and never get anywhere.
This article from the Santa Cruz Sentinel reveals secrets of ghostwriting and publishing.
If you fear writing or feel inadequate about writing, you should read that article, then visit The Authors Team website, owned by Mahesh Grossman.
I've never used Mahesh's services, but do know two ghostwriters. And while I have not personally used a ghostwriter, I've often thought seriously of it.
Give him a try and let him know that Skip at Knowledge Download sent you. I don't get a dime for it and am not affiliated with any of the above sites. I just feel they are great resources for people with great expertise who don't have time or don't want to write their own ebook.
Once your text is written, come back to Knowledge Download to build your ebook website and start selling!
sp
Habits
Many of my readers are over 40 years old, so this article may only be a reminder. But for some of my younger readers, it may be quite helpful.
As we age, we tend to settle into certain habits. Routines that we follow, mostly because they work and provide us a sense of comfort with the "familiar".
I've noticed in the last few years that my habits are tending to get more and more mechanical.
In one respect, that is good. In another, it is not so good.
And when I refer to habits, there are good ones and bad ones. Even bad habits can render us with a sense of comfort, only because there is no risk associated.
This topic sprung into my mind this morning as I was going about my usual morning routines. I awake at a certain time, I eat some fruit while checking email, then have 2 cups of coffee (note: no more and no less. It's 2 cups - period). I then do what we used to call in the Marine Corps my SSS routine (Sh*t, Shower & Shave)....er..hmm...
Is that more than you needed to know?
;-)
Anyway, my morning, late morning, lunch, afternoon, evening and nights all pretty much have the same pattern. Day after day, week after week.
What jolted me today is the sheer increase in volume of SPAM I'm now receiving at one particular email address. The volume has grown over 4X in the last week. I got angry and sidetracked by trying to figure out how to transfer my legitimate email subscriptions, alerts and notices to an email address other than my primary one. Then I could just delete the one email address and move on.
Long story short: I went on a huge email deletion run to clean out my inbox.
I deleted some legitimate emails that turned out to be embarrasing this afternoon. It shook my routine by over an hour. It turned out to be a great thing however.
At any rate, the matter is now handled and I am calm. But the whole thing got me out of my habit / patterns.
And made me think.
My resistance to change has grown in parallel with my age. I used to be quite adventurous and risk oriented. Not nearly as much any more. I used to be, once upon a time, more politically liberal, but since my son was shot twice last year in the assault on Baghdad (he's in the USArmy), and I've reinspected the politics of our country (USA), I'm now much more conservative.
Habits can be good or bad.
As an author, or aspiring author what habits do you have?
What things do you do each day, over and over, day after day, that prevent you from writing or finishing your ebook or print book?
What risks do you take? How are you pushing yourself to grow? The answers will give you insight into your future prospects.
What have I done?
Three years ago I began a committed serious effort to learn to build my own websites and online businesses. I was terrified when I launched the first one. I had been managing web developers and programmers for 5 years at that point, launched over 100 commercial websites and helped with internet marketing as a consultant for 7 years.
I developed an ezine and a subscriber base. I wrote articles. I built a web hosting business. And late last year, I started this blog.
For almost 2 months now, I've had a personal commitment - yea - HABIT - of writing in this blog near daily. It is now firmly part of my afternoon routine. From time to time, I miss a day. And I try to write about current, on-topic issues, ideas, sites, concepts and trends so the info is valuable to you, my dear reader.
I have a long way to go, certainly. My online businesses are profitable and growing. In some quarters, I now have an online reputation (hopefully good!) and I try to add more good habits and eliminate the bad ones.
Folks, don't be affraid to shake your tree, shake up your habits and routines.
I don't know who said it, but it is some of the best advice I've ever received:
If you like what you're getting, keep doing what you are doing. If you want change, then change what you are doing.
sp
eBook Website Sales Copy
One of the things I've been trying to beat into our authors is the necessity of having good sales copy on their ebook website that causes visitors to hit the "buy" button.
In recent weeks, I've given several resources and tips for finding tutorials and services that will help you learn how to write good headlines, sub-heads, body copy and closers.
There is no one better than Sir Gary Halbert at writing this type of sales copy.
Yes, it's long. If you are not inclined toward long copy, do not make the mistake of assuming everyone else does either.
Scientific tests over decades of direct marketing have proved that well written long copy sells better than short copy.
Moreover, the idea of learning how to write good headlines and copy isn't about length, it's about solving your visitors' problems and selling them a solution to those problems.
Gary and many others out there teach you how to do that.
Scroll to the bottom of the above link and subscribe to Gary's newsletter. You will learn so much from his newsletter, IF you pay attention!
Meanwhile, on that page, you can see many examples of his work. Even if you have a disdain for long copy, you can adopt the techniques to short copy and still have visitors hit the order button.
Good luck in your learning process!
sp
Writing
Due to unforseen events, I've been able to write more, both in time and quantity of words, in the last 3 months than I ever planned.
In fact, due to circumstances, I've written as many or more articles published right here on this blog in the month of March than nearly 2 months of my former ezine / newsletter.
So you're getting a lot more content than I promised in your signup.
All the writing effort has helped be become even more comfortable and confident in my writing. I've gotten to the point where I know in my mind who I'm writing to, what they want to hear and hopefully helping them as well.
Many of our eBook authors aren't so lucky. Especially once they get out of their comfort zone.
In fact, I see many eBook self-published sales websites that are downright terrible at trying to sell their ebook.
While an author may have subject matter expertise in their focus area, it's apparent that most ebook authors are totally out of their element when writing sales copy for their website such that it causes a prospective buyer to hit the ORDER button.
There is no shame in that. Especially if you haven't practiced, tested and tuned, which I find that most ebook authors don't do.
With that in mind, may I advise you to seek professional sales copywriting help. This particular person is Karon Thackston.
I enjoy her writing style. However, there are dozens of copywriting guru's out there on the web. Many like Karon, sell books or ebooks on how to write effective sales copy. Get one or three, read, practice and implement their methods.
Having done this personally about 3 years ago, I can attest to the tremendous value of these educational resources.
If you do a search for "copywriting course" you'll come up with dozens of options.
But be prepared: you're sales could increase by 800% or more!
Wouldn't want that, now, would we?
;-)
sp
Motivation
For novice authors or producers of info-expertise, one of the most difficult challenges is simply getting started.
The grip of fear sets in once you've "decided" to get started.
Staring at a blank screen in MS Word.
Nervously tapping the keyboard or desk. Your mind racing on 20,000 thoughts.
If you have any of these symptoms, get over them and just get going. As the Nike theme says, Just Do It.
Just getting started is the most difficult aspect of entering this business. I know. I've suffered from those fear issues when I first got started.
And I did once again two days ago.
Why?
I'm doing an audio ebook / recording of some learned experiences in the last two years. I've not done one of those before (audio).
But as I loaded my MP3 recorder, put on my mic headphone, my hands were trembling.
Then I received several emails from subscribers and readers telling me of their troubles of just getting started. They reminded me of my own problem at the moment!
Not that I am a proven big named author or anything, but when I first started writing my ezines, newsletters and ebooks, I would be very nervous. Soon enough, that faded.
However, with recorded audio, there is no turning back and frankly, I don't want to spend the $$ on expensive audio editing tools, nor the time on learning how to use them.
So I want to record and say the right things first time. With audio you don't have the simple luxury of editing like you do with MS Word.
Long story short is that I took my own advice and just did it. I've got 4 chapters done. I had to re-do the Intro 3 times, but the great thing is I gained confidence with the software, the mic and the recordings.
No more nerves.
So if I can do it, so can you!
Get going!
sp
Call for Writers
Knowledge Download is now open to receiving articles on any and all topics related to the theme of ebooks. Those topics would include the categories:
Writing
Editing
Motivation
Publishing
Producing
Marketing & Selling
Distribution
If you have articles you would like to see published and distributed on our web site, please go to our eBook Contact Page and choose any of the emails to send it to for review.
Specifically, we're looking for good "how-to" information; tips, suggestions, techniques and strategies.
Your writing will help our readers learn and gain you exposure to new visitors.