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eBook Article - Writing an eBook

eBook Writing Tutorial
By Skip Pratt
© 2002

Regardless of the reason you are reading this, should you undertake the effort of writing, publishing and selling your very own ebook, it is a remarkable experience. The journey will take you places you never though it would.

You will meet people both online and off. You will learn new skills you never thought you had. Lastly, you will gain confidence, regardless of how many ebooks you sell.

These lessons are not going to be a lot of endless hype about what a great life it is to be an author or other unrelated topics. What I’m going to do is give you exercises during the course of this series.

Should you choose to follow these exercises, you will at the very least arrive at an exhaustive list of topics about which to write. In addition, you will have created at minimum an outline or framework for your very first ebook.

Are you ready?

During the next week, I want you to get a spiral bound notebook or notepad.

Next, I want you to put the following three topics on three separate pages:

1. What I LOVE to do
2. Jobs and positions that I have held
3. Skills that I have

Most people don’t know that they are experts at something. Often the largest hurdle for people who want to write a book or ebook is to discover what to write about.

Now that you have your three pages labeled, take as long as you need to write down everything; and I mean EVERYTHING you can possibly think of that applies to you on each page.

It doesn’t matter what degree of your passion on the What I LOVE to do page is. If you have ANY passion for something, write it down. Write down everything.

Now, don’t try to organize it. Don’t analyze it (not yet at least).

Just write.

On page 2, make sure you go all the way back to your first job. Please don’t ask why. Please just do it for both of us. Having done this several times, I can assure you the effort will hold some unbelievable rewards!

If you are a homemaker and have only worked in your home, then list the jobs you do around the house. “Yard work” does not qualify! I want to know what type of yard work. Mowing the lawn? Trimming the hedges? State exactly what.

Remember: just write.

For the third page, Skills that I have, again, follow the prescription. Think about and write down all the skills you have. I mean, ALL of them.

Do not attempt to judge what you are good at or not. That will come later. For now, just write down the skills you have.

And don’t limit your skills to simply the profession or paid work you do. Also write down recreational skills you have. Write down emotional skills you have (leadership, courage, mentoring, etc.). Write down skills you have that you contribute to non-profits; think out of the box into every area of your life.

You don’t need to perform these writing exercises one at a time. Feel free to bounce back and forth between pages. In fact, that is the best way, as when you are writing items on one page, a though will come into your mind on one of the other topic pages, so immediately go to that page and write it down.

You should spend a total of at least 3 hours during the course of this upcoming week. All the better if you can devote 6 hours. The length of the lists will surprise you!

Next, AFTER you feel like you have exhausted your brain, ask your spouse/partner and at least 2 other trusted friends to give you at least 3 items for each page. Have your pen handy when you talk to them so you can write.

Have them tell you more if they will. Some folks may inquire what this is about. Just tell them you are going through some self-evaluation exercises. Do not tell them you are going to try to write a book or ebook. Not now at least.

There you have it. This should give you something positive to do this week that will lay excellent groundwork for writing your ebook!

Drop me a line to let me know how its going!