5 Tips For Ebook Writing That Grabs Attention
Posted by Philip Reed on Thu, Jun 09, 2011
As recently as two or three years ago, it was possible to ignore the appeal and effectiveness of ebooks. They had their proponents, and they were certainly popular enough to sustain the early market, but they were still a novelty.
Today, however, that's no longer the case. Ebooks are mainstream, and if we choose to ignore them, we do so at our peril. They are convenient, inexpensive, and easily accessible, so is it any wonder that ebook writing is as appealing as writing a physical text was a generation ago?
This popularity, though, can make it difficult for any ebook to stand out amongst its peers. How will anybody find your particular masterpiece? How can you grab -- and hold -- their attention if they do?
Follow our helpful tips below, and give yourself that much needed edge.
1.) KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Are you writing for an academic audience? If so, make certain that your tone is appropriately formal. Are you writing for readers of a popular humor site? In that case, be sure you're providing readers with the correct amount -- and type -- of levity they expect. When it comes to ebook writing, if you don't know your audience, you can't expect them to take you seriously.
There's no "correct" degree of formality, but there is a definite set of expectations that any given audience will have. It's up to you to live up to those expectations. If you don't, it won't matter what you have to say because your readers will have already moved on.
2.) LOOKS MATTER
A great chef once said, "The first bite is with the eye." He was speaking of food, of course, but the same advice applies to ebook writing.
Do you expect your readers to muddle through poorly laid out pages? Or ugly fonts? Are your embedded photographs of embarrassingly low resolution?
If your book offers an unpleasant visual experience, no reader will stick around to hear you out. Don't overpower your reader with unbroken walls of text or gaudy word art; stay clean, clear and simple.
3.) LET YOUR PERSONALITY SHINE THROUGH
As Ethel Merman once sang, "Anything you can do, I can do better." And that's a fair word of caution; however much an authority on any given subject you may believe yourself to be, there's always somebody out there who knows a little more. In your ebook writing career, what is there to do?
Simple: be yourself. Somebody may be more knowledgeable on a subject, but they can't replicate your personality. The more of yourself you put into your writing, the more recognizable it is, and the more likely an audience will engage and respect the material.
If you are writing about the Stamp Act of 1765 and you absolutely love the Stamp Act of 1765, make sure that your love shines through. Don't hide it away; charm your readers with the enthusiasm that you have for your material. Are you funny? If so, entertain your readers with your wit and cleverness. Your readers deserve it, and so do you.
4.) USE .PDF!
As obvious as this might seem, this is all too easy to overlook. The .pdf format is the undisputed king when it comes to ebook writing; only a fool would attempt to overthrow it. And yet we see ebooks being constantly distributed in .doc, .rtf, .wps, or goodness knows what else.
The problem with these other formats is that you can't be sure your intended audience will have e-readers that can properly display them. Remember, you can't expect everyone to read your ebook, so your audience is narrow enough already. Don't narrow it further by limiting accessibility!
5.) MARKET IT!
Another piece of advice that should be obvious, and yet can't be repeated enough. Ebook writing is a two part process, and the writing is only part one. If you don't properly market your product, how will anybody find it?
Is your ebook affiliated with a website? If so, make sure it's advertised extensively there. Is it an independent production? Then try to get a deal with similarly-themed websites so that they will recommend your ebook and direct people to where they can get it.
To put it simply: sell yourself. Give interviews. Write guest articles. Make a name for yourself out there, so that people can see that you have something to offer. There's a whole audience out there just waiting to read your ebook, and it's your job to help them find it.
Follow our advice above, and you'll find yourself the author of the best ebook of all: the one people actually read.