Have you written your eBook yet?
One of the most common things I’m hearing back from bloggers who are looking to make money from their blogs is that they’re planning to write and sell an eBook off the back of their blog – the problem is that most bloggers don’t go much beyond planning to do it and never actually get going.
eBooks can be a very profitable way to monetize a blog – I discovered this for myself last year when I made over $72,000 in a week after the launch of one of my first ones.
However the problem that many bloggers face is that it just all seems way to overwhelming to actually get them written. To be honest – I was one of those bloggers myself. I didn’t know how to tackle it, it all seemed too big and so it remained an idea for well over a year before I did anything.
The Sticky eBook Formula (aff) is a fantastic little resource to help you get your eBook beyond the planning stage.
Update: I’ve just been told that this eBook is on sale at 37% off until midnight tonight (EST in the US). Sorry about the late notice but I only found this today.
Written by Kelly Kingman – this concise but comprehensive eBook will walk you through the steps of taking your eBook idea/s and actually getting it out of your head and into a form that will enable you to release it to your blog’s readers.
This eBook won’t tell you how to launch your eBook – it focuses just upon writing it… the main battle that we bloggers face. For the launch stuff there are other great resources that you can get later (like Naomi and Daves classic which is the perfect companion to Sticky eBook Formula) but for now – the key is to get it written!
If you’re planning to write an eBook – grab your copy of Sticky eBook Formula today and set some time aside this week to get it done!
Thanks for this great tip!
I’m a blogger mayself and yes, it can be hard to get things like e-book writing done. I’m going to take a look at this book :)
With only three posts under my belt thus far, I believe it’s a little early for an eBook. I can see a time where that might be an option though.
Thanks for the post.
Gutted I thought this was a howto type blog post as I’m planning on writing one today at least starting one :(
That sounds like what I need! I think we bloggers have so many ideas it’s difficult to actually put them all down in one cohesive format. Those of us who are used to hard copies need a bit of direction as well. I actually have a book written but am debating on whether I should publish it as an e-book. I’m hoping this book will give me an idea of the best way forward.
Amazing timing. I’m in the process of writing an e book myself. Procrastination is a problem. It’s so easy to get caught up in “preparation.” It can be so hard sometimes, to stop “getting ready” and just get on with it. “Preparing to”, and “getting ready to” are deadly mindsets to productivity. They are a way to lie to yourself to avoid the fear of failure. Of course, some preparation is necessary…just don’t fall into the trap of prolonging the process to the point that you are not doing that which needs to be done.
Good mention.
Overall, it’s not that the process is difficult for most people. It is the deciding upon the next action and taking it.
1- pick topic
2- make outline
3-write ebook based on outline
4-have graphic done
That’s about it. Now, just interlace that with action items and whaa-laaa.
Brandon
I’m definitely with Darren on this one … I was lucky enough to be an early review for Kelly’s “Sticky eBook Formula”, and it’s an absolutely fantastic resource.
(I’m not just saying that cos she quotes a piece of mine in it, honest! ;-))
I’ve got two ebooks under my belt already and another mid-way, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d learn, but I found this incredibly helpful. Kelly has a really encouraging style, too, and she’s a great writer.
It’s also a gorgeous ebook and a pleasure to read. Go grab it quick!
Great post Darren.
For me it was finding the TIME to write my e-Book. Finally, one day I decided to just go for it…and viola…I got my first E-Book accomplished…so proud of myself :-)
It’s definitely a challenge but once you set your mind to focus on the task at hand it can be done!
One thing that helped me with my first eBook (a free giveaway with subscription), was realizing that it didn’t have to be that long. This made it easier to tackle the task. eMiniBooks and ePamphlets, also work.
hey Darren,
Awesome Post. “most bloggers don’t go much beyond planning” That’s exactly right bro. I am planning from a month to write a ebook, but i’m unable to write because of lack of time. !
I am defiantly going to buy “Sticky eBook Formula” .. ! Thanks buddy. Great post.
I am actually working on my first ebook thanks to Darren old post about writing ebooks and Pat Flynn’s from smart passive income. I will eventually get this one to see what else I can learn from writing ebooks
I should have about 10 eBooks out right now, but I always seem to get side tracked with something else when I was about to start writing
Yes, this book is great! I started my own ebook/product a week ago, got stuck, and then “sticky” came along this week and got me going again.
It has exactly the information and motivation I needed, and I was up all night working on my book after going through Kelly’s resource.
Even the simplicity of the sticky e-book itself, made me realize that keeping it simple is key.
Love the design too. Orange is my favourite colour though!
Once you killed the procrastination monster you get momentum. I just finished the writing of my first eBook and will launch it within the next week.
To write non-fiction is so much easier than fiction. Because in most cases you writing about something you have experience with and/or you would do anyway, the only thing to do is to document it properly and your eBook is a fact.
I think one of the most important things you have to keep in mind during the writing process is this: write it because you want to add value, not because of the earnings. The earnings will come once you added value.
Have fun writing your eBook!
I’m currently working on my 4th fiction eBook. The first 3 contain fiction stories from my blog, as well as some exclusive content. Volumes 1 and 2 contain a 10,000 word short story as the exclusive. Volume 3 has a shorter exclusive story.
I’m working on the exclusive content for volume 4 and should have it ready before long. All told, the 4 books will have about 75,000 words.
I use Zen Cart to sell my eBooks: http://www.hyraxpublications.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1
Suffering from this issue right now! I’ve gotten a good chunk of it done. Maybe this ebook you’ve recommended will push me over the last few hurdles. Thanks!
How long did it take you to write your ebook? You made so much money because you were already well known, I would guess.
I’m launching my first eBook ever next Tuesday. It took me about 8 months to complete. It’s almost 200 pages of recipes, cooking tips, and stories from 55 different food bloggers.
The only tip I’d give people who are trying to write one is to set very specific daily goals and make sure they get done. If you break it up into daily chunks, it can be a very doable thing.
I find an eBook a great idea for any writer or blogger that is looking to expand there outreach and offer great tips or there story on where they are.
I do however find it, important to possibly wait on when you decide to do this just due to the fact it may be premature in your career for one to take you serious or even care about what you are writing.
I am sure with heavy marketing you could get sales, but find it much more rewarding with organic purchases.
@ Adam/withfunsun – Maybe you could start developing short series to get started and see how popular they become. This may give you a way to measure how one feels about your more lengthy writing.
Darren,
I find it a bit surprising that Pat Flynn’s eBook wasn’t mentioned here. I’m not nearly as established as you are, so launching my own eBook course was far away from doing $72,000 the first week, but, it did earn almost $1,500 it’s first two days….and, I attribute that mostly to having Pat’s eBook Guide sprawled out on my desk during every stage of my course development process.
As a reader of your blog, I’d LOVE to read a blog post or two that actually compares a few “How-to write/launch eBook” products to each other…against one another….and, in relation to Pat’s book. I felt his was very thoroughly, but without greater analysis and without purchasing other books myself (his was free), I have trouble knowing if the other products mentioned will shed any knew information, strategies or approaches to the process that I may have missed (or that Pat may have missed)…
$72,000 in a week through ebook sell? Great. Well its from 31 day to build better blog, right? Keep rocking. Have you personaly used sticky ebook formula? Thanks for links! Ankush, http://ankushwood.blogspot.com
I purchased this eBook thanks to your post recommending it. However, after reading thru it on my lunch break…I can’t say I really learned anything that I didn’t already know…other than maybe the fact that Google Voice exists.
Maybe I’m too advanced for this eBook’s target audience? But maybe you should mention in the post that this eBook more for the beginning eBook writer, and not a writer who’s already written an eBook previously.
Jennifer – there is a money back guarantee – I’m sure if you explain that it was a little too basic for you that you’d get a refund.
I am launching an e-book on how to build a website using WordPress on June 1. I started it last fall, and then WordPress announced a pretty major update (3.0) so I’ve been putting it off until that release is out. It’s rumored to come out in the next week, so I’m putting some finishing touches on the book and letting it out the first of June.
I’ve found that putting a date on it and letting someone (ANYONE) know about that date really helps!
Would you like to help me by giving me some feedback on my landing page?
http://mynameisangie.com/playbook
This is NOT an e-book about how to make money online! It’s simply a book to show you how to build a website. Most entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits think they can’t possibly do it themselves, and that’s just not true anymore. They just need someone to show them how.
This article caught my eye for two reasons…
1. Holy cow! $72,000 off one eBook? I better get writing…
2. We just posted a blog entry on procrastination over at OneCoach. If you’re interested, feel free to check it out: http://blog.onecoach.com/2010/05/20/feeling-stuck-how-to-overcome-procrastination/
Nick – Good luck on your eBook launch next week and Howie, that’s a very respectable number for the first two days of launch.
Since reading Kelly’s book, I can’t get the Payoff & Promise idea out of my mind. (I guess it’s a ‘sticky’ idea) It’s so key, I can’t believe I haven’t come across it before. I incorporated it into my writing immediately.
I purchased this eBook thanks to your post recommending it. However, after reading thru it on my lunch break…I can’t say I really learned anything that I didn’t already know…other than maybe the fact that Google Voice exists.
Maybe I’m too advanced for this eBook’s target audience? But maybe you should mention in the post that this eBook more for the beginning eBook writer, and not a writer who’s already written an eBook previously.
$72,000 in a week? That’s some motivation … I’m going to read this book even today!
That seems like a great ebook to get my hands on. I actually just finished my first free ebook at my site and launched it as an incentive for signing up to my newsletter. So I know how overwhelming it is to just begin writing an ebook. I’m going to have to go over that process again as begin to write my next ebook to actually sell.(with bonus videos as an extra but that’s another article) Anyway, think I might catch the 37% off before the sale ends. Thanks for sharing!!
Yes, now is a good time to write that ebook, “Blogging Your Way to Finanical Freedom in 30 Days or Less”
Keep in mind the writing is usually the easy part (at least for some of us). The self-publishing is easy to, if you use Amazon’s DTP and/or Smashwords.com.
The hard part? All the promotional work! Argh! There it is again.
i have written one ebook only till now. it was a great experience. you have to really focus on the work and keep going, making the changes you want, adding all the content you want. i went on writing everyday till it was complete because once you leave it for sometime, you will find it difficult to complete.
so my advice is to just plan and just go on until you complete the book.
Darren thanks again to introduce one more product ,I realised the importance of e-books on blogs but i think writing is an art no one can become a good writer soon after reading any good e-book that teaches how to write .this is my personal view I don’t know you agree with it or not ? it will take time to grow as a good writer.Unfortunately me also in same list but definitely I will try out every thing that I hope to be handy for me towards my journey to become a good writer.
once again thanking you Darren
Regards |Madav
I’ve got Kelly’s book and I really think it’s a valuable resource. It’s very focused on getting the ebook done and out the door without getting bogged down in details.
I loved “How to Launch the **** Out of Your Ebook” as well, but it’s much more detailed. For some people that’s perfect, and for some it can get overwhelming. Different products work for different folks.
I’m planning to write my own ebook too. Still working on it so that the value of my ebook would be better. It just seems too simple or shall I say if I only include my previous blog post into it. I’m trying to include additional information so that I can sell my ebook in an acceptable price. Perhaps I just don’t want to let my readers feel disappointing.
Well, frankly, I am disappointed. I mean, you, guys, teach bloggers tricks and all, and then you hope it does not get noticed? I am about “creating a sense of urgency” and “modelling ads as if they are not”. I understand that you want to make money and stuff, but there is just too much of it recently on ProBlogger. It broke my trust and I unsubscribe.
So, this isn’t really a blog article with advice on how to write an Ebook it’s an advertisement to buy one disguised as a blog entry, right?
Good to know before I click on future links.
$72,000 in a week? That’s some motivation … I’m going to read this book even today!
Thank you for sharing.. Its a very great tip, honestly I am one of those bloggers as well.. But I think now it will end. :D
Thanks for this. This was exactly what I needed at this time in my life. My book will be completed by December 31, 2010.
I am new to blogging. I have all I can manage to keep up with the terminology. Going to give the ebook a shot. (I had been thinking about it anyway).