For many people, publishing a book may seem preposterous especially for those who don’t actually have a flair for writing. While this may be true several years ago, in this day and age, you can publish and sell a book under your name without writing it. Of course, this will naturally incur a corresponding expense for contracting services and it’s better to personally write something you are truly passionate about but do always have the option to outsource or purchase.
In this chapter, we will explore the different options available for writing, publishing and selling ebooks under your name or brand.
1) Do It Yourself
Creating ebooks is one of the easier to make information products that you can do at the comforts of your home. Anyone can create a book and rake in profit out of it.
Advantages
Here are some of the great advantages that come with being your own writer and publisher:
- Gain complete control of the work. Working on your own book gives you the freedom what to write and when to write it.
- You enjoy 100% of the profit for every sale made.
- There is no limit on the number of ebooks you can create and sell. Once you learn the ropes, you are free to work on a new one every week, if you want to.
- Selling online allows you to put your ebook for sale 24 x 7, even when you are on a vacation or while asleep.
- No start-up risks. You only have to invest your time and effort.
- You have full control of the content outline and can conduct more in-depth research and discussions or highlight issues you feel important and relevant to the topic you are working on.
Challenges
Book writing is more difficult compared to writing ordinary articles. As an ebook writer, you need to make sure that you will create a consistent train of thought all throughout the book. This will require you to weave paragraphs and chapters together in order to present a cohesive and engaging content that will compel readers to keep reading. Ebooks generally require you to write in a conversational tone that ensures readers will feel welcome rather than be overwhelmed by the new information you want to present.
Depending on what specific topic you want to work on, ebook writer may range from 20 to as much as 300 pages. With easy access to information, by taking time to conduct extensive research on your subject and outline your content carefully, you will be able to write about anything you set your mind to.
Top 5 Tips
1. Define Your Audience
Keep in mind that writing is an art of communication. In order to be able to communicate effectively, you need to know who your audience. Are they mostly men or women? Will you be writing for business people or you are targeting stay-at-home parents? What are their specific needs and preferences?
2. Brainstorm
You can do this mentally, write it on paper or you can use a mind mapping tool such as www.freemind.com, to help you get your creative juices flowing and plan out your content outline.
3. Do Your Research
Sure you may think you have the knowledge and expertise to write the book on your own, it is still important that you conduct a thorough research to make sure you will be able to fully cover all the pertinent topics on the subject. If you need to backup your facts with scientific data, by all means do so.
4. Format Content For Readability
People will generally not have the patience to read an ebook with large chunks of text. Instead of filling it up with long paragraphs, try to break it down to smaller ones, and include a lot of white spaces. Use images to drive home a point or illustrate something especially if you are writing a step-by-step guide. You want readers to consume information in a friendlier way.
5. Edit, Edit and Edit
Read your content a couple of times to spot grammatical and typographical errors. This will not only help you edit and delete but also refine your thoughts and how you present your ideas in a more effective manner. While this may require more time, you want to be known as someone who put out quality books instead of simply focused on quantity over quality.
2) Hire A Professional
If you don’t have the skill or the time to sit down and create an ebook yourself, you still have the option to contract the services of a freelance writer. Writers can give voice to your thoughts and translate your ideas clearly. If you already have a definite idea what material and topic you want, it is highly recommended that you create an outline of the book to give better direction on what key topics you want the writer to cover.
Advantages Of Hiring A Ghostwriter
- Freedom to Focus More On Your Business Strategy
Aside from creating the product itself, you will no doubt need to attend to a hundred and one things to set up everything, grow your reputation, build a following and manage your website, among others. You will not be able to focus on all these if you are too caught up with coming up with content. Hiring a professional takes off a huge burden from your workload.
- Tap Experience and Expertise
You can hire a ghostwriter who has an extensive experience in creating information product, which means you can tap and take advantage of his/her expertise and experience.
- Sell Multiple/Unlimited Information Products
With a ghost writer, you can come up with not just one but multiple information products to sell, which can present multiple income streams.
Disadvantages Of Hiring A Ghostwriter
- Cost
Quite naturally, you will need to spend for the services of a good and experienced ghostwriter. Depending on the size of your ebook, a single book project can cost anywhere between $400 to as high as $3,000. While this may seem like a significant investment, if you have a solid idea, you want to pursue and hire a talented writer available, you can look forward to earning 100x as much as your initial investment.
- Communication
If you plan to outsource, you will naturally be required to coordinate and constantly communicate with your writer. If you want to be involved all throughout the production process, you need to contribute your input and collaborate with your writer on a regular basis.
10 Tips On Hiring Ghost Writers
When it comes to contracting the services of a ghost writer, you need to have a strategic approach as your choice can make a huge difference on the success and failure of your ebook. Here are the top 10 tips:
1. Determine What Your Core Values Are
Your core values are the primary guiding principles to help you make important decisions. For example, the US Air Force core values are service, integrity and excellence, while Walt Disney is known for wholesomeness and imagination. Below are examples of core values:
- Integrity
- Brilliance
- Joy
- Synergy
- Creativity
Defining your core values are important and making it known to your ghost writer. In fact, it should be used as a basis during the hiring process.
2. Writing Style
Different writers have different types of writing styles. Do you need a writer who can come up with an emotionally riveting piece or one that is exceptionally good at taking on a more personal, laid-back approach? If you end up hiring a writer who is used to an academic style of writing, it can be difficult to expect them to adapt to your preferred writing style. Among the various writing styles include the following:
- Dramatic
- Personable
- Academic
- Inspirational
- Factual
- Fun
- Intellectual
- Humorous
- Technical
- Romantic
3. What Type Of Expertise
Just because you have come across a writer with an excellent portfolio doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed to receive an outstanding material. Aside from looking into the writing styles, you also need to take into account their expertise and the type of materials they have written in the past.
4. Cost
Cost is always a serious consideration when hiring a ghostwriter. Make sure to ask how they usually charge: by the number of words, by page or by the hour. For ebook writing, be extra wary for writers who charge by the hour as the cost can easily drive up. It is generally best to agree on the number of words and set a maximum number of words. Make sure these details are clearly discussed up front.
5. What Deliverables Do You Expect
You need to be clear on the scope of the work of the ghost writer. Is he/she expected to prepare the outline, handle the research and provide drafts? Who will be responsible for proofreading the entire document? You need to be very specific about these matters in order to set your expectations clearly during the negotiation process. You also need to discuss about the possibility of additional revisions. You need to know what you are exactly paying for.
6. Timeline
Another important factor to take into account is the timeline. It is very important that you both agree on a deadline. Make sure to set a specific date for every deliverable – from drafts to the final version.
7. Additional Writing Services
If the writer is responsible for creating the ebook, will he be the one to create your marketing copy, proposals and reports – content that will be needed for marketing your ebook? It is important that the ‘voice’ of your ebook and marketing materials are the same and highlight the same key points discussed in the ebook. You need to seriously consider this aspect as using different writers may potentially confuse your readers.
8. Relationship
Other than creating the ebook, your writer may have strategic ideas or business relationships that may prove beneficial for you. You need to also consider this aspect especially if you plan to hire a seasoned writer.
9. Copyright Ownership
You need to make sure that your contract clearly states that upon completion of full payment, the copyright of the material will be transferred to you. This is very important as a small oversight like this can potentially prove very expensive.
10. References
Before hiring a professional writer, take time to make a background check and ask for references of clients the writer has previously worked with. Any decent writer will always have satisfied clients who are willing to respond to your email or talk to you for 15 minutes.
3) Buy PLR EBooks
PLR stands for Private Label Rights which is basically a special type of license or rights to legally own, edit and publish a material, in this case an ebook, and sell it as your own. So if you are looking for a readily available ebook to purchase without the need to hire a ghostwriter, and get started on selling it, a PLR ebook may be an ideal option for you. Aside from ebooks, you can also purchase PDR articles for your website content, which is a viable option if you don’t have the time to personally produce a steady flow of content.
One of the great advantages of using PLR ebooks is the cost, since compared to hiring a writer, PLR ebooks are relatively cheap. Some are offered for as low as $17 or an article for 15 cents. However, don’t get your expectations too far up since there is actually a large difference in terms of quality when choosing between hiring a writer or writing your own ebook and purchasing a PLR. There is also the fact that most resellers end up selling their materials to anyone and everyone, which increases the risks of ending up with a content duplication issue. This means, you may be selling an information product that is also being sold by another person under a different name.
If you do decide to follow this route, make sure that you only purchase your PLR content from a reliable source in order to minimize the risks.
How to Sell A PLR Ebook
As a readymade information material, there is actually very little work required for you to do to sell it. Here are the steps:
- Purchase a PLR ebook from a reliable source.
- Change the title, author and add your affiliate links for related products.
- Submit the modified ebook to different ebook sites such as Squidoo lenses and/or feature it in your blog to maximize exposure.
- Market the ebook using social media and affiliate programs.
So now you have learned that there are actually different approaches to coming up with an ebook. If you have been daunted by the fact that you don’t have a talent for writing, you know better than allowing it to get in your way towards achieving success. You can own an ebook even without writing a single sentence!
However, if you are looking forward to raking in serious money, you may want to consider hiring a professional writer instead of purchasing PLR ebooks. Quality ebooks that is packed with quality content that offers real, honest value is what will sell.
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