Book Writing - 5 Reasons to Plan Before Writing a Self-Help EBook
There is an old saying in project management, "People don't plan to fail; they just fail to plan.
" But plans aren't just restricted to project management.
Strategic management has its plans.
And so does writing eBooks.
Here are 5 reasons you need to plan before writing your self-help eBook: 1.
Are you sure your eBook will have a reader? There is no reason to write an eBook or anything else unless it is going to be read.
You're in the eBook business for a reason and having a reader is central to achieving that reason.
One of the things you need to plan and identify during the planning process is your target reader.
Who is going to read your eBook? What are they like? What do the do? There are a number of pieces of information you need to identify your target reader and the market they represent.
2.
Are you sure your readers will find your eBook interesting? But it isn't enough to just identify your reader.
You need to know as much about them as you can.
Specifically, you need to know what their problems and fears and dreams are.
Then you need to target your book to solve their problem.
That's how you keep your reader actually reading.
3.
Does your book have focus? Really this issue belongs to both the design and planning phases.
In design you will ensure that your eBook makes sense.
That you don't go off talking about things that don't really matter.
In planning, you determine the subject you are going to be talking about.
You lock that subject down.
You determine how much of the subject you are going to write about.
You determine what you aren't going to talk about.
This restriction also provides for focus.
It allows you to concentrate on only part of your subject.
4.
Do you know what you will end up with? There are a number of alternative formats your eBook can end up in.
For example are you looking for a short eBook? Less than 20 pages.
Are you looking for a full sized eBook? About 60 pages.
Are you looking for a full length book? About 100 pages? Do you want your book to be digital only, or both digital and physical? Do you want to sell your eBook yourself or are you going to use Amazon or another bookseller? All these will affect what your eBook looks like and how long it is.
5.
What alternatives are there? eBooks aren't the only possibility.
You could take the same information and turn it into an 8 CD home study course.
Or turn it into a DVD series...
either in interview or webinar format.
Or even in a training format.
In fact, why not consider doing it as a live seminar? Each of these alternatives needs their own content map (i.
e.
design) but they can all work off the same topic map (i.
e.
information).
" But plans aren't just restricted to project management.
Strategic management has its plans.
And so does writing eBooks.
Here are 5 reasons you need to plan before writing your self-help eBook: 1.
Are you sure your eBook will have a reader? There is no reason to write an eBook or anything else unless it is going to be read.
You're in the eBook business for a reason and having a reader is central to achieving that reason.
One of the things you need to plan and identify during the planning process is your target reader.
Who is going to read your eBook? What are they like? What do the do? There are a number of pieces of information you need to identify your target reader and the market they represent.
2.
Are you sure your readers will find your eBook interesting? But it isn't enough to just identify your reader.
You need to know as much about them as you can.
Specifically, you need to know what their problems and fears and dreams are.
Then you need to target your book to solve their problem.
That's how you keep your reader actually reading.
3.
Does your book have focus? Really this issue belongs to both the design and planning phases.
In design you will ensure that your eBook makes sense.
That you don't go off talking about things that don't really matter.
In planning, you determine the subject you are going to be talking about.
You lock that subject down.
You determine how much of the subject you are going to write about.
You determine what you aren't going to talk about.
This restriction also provides for focus.
It allows you to concentrate on only part of your subject.
4.
Do you know what you will end up with? There are a number of alternative formats your eBook can end up in.
For example are you looking for a short eBook? Less than 20 pages.
Are you looking for a full sized eBook? About 60 pages.
Are you looking for a full length book? About 100 pages? Do you want your book to be digital only, or both digital and physical? Do you want to sell your eBook yourself or are you going to use Amazon or another bookseller? All these will affect what your eBook looks like and how long it is.
5.
What alternatives are there? eBooks aren't the only possibility.
You could take the same information and turn it into an 8 CD home study course.
Or turn it into a DVD series...
either in interview or webinar format.
Or even in a training format.
In fact, why not consider doing it as a live seminar? Each of these alternatives needs their own content map (i.
e.
design) but they can all work off the same topic map (i.
e.
information).
Source...