This is Part 2 in a 3 part series on the Mechanics of Creating Your First E-book.

If you missed reading Part 1, read it here: An Introduction to the Mechanics of Writing a World Famous E-book

By Guest Writer John Alexander

This is not by any means the only way to write an e-book, but it is the easiest way to get started on your project and be productive.

After researching and finding the ideal purpose for your e-book project, (one satisfies a need and also appeals to a very specific niche audience) it’s time to begin creating it.

1. Pick a format that can be used by the widest scope of audience

Here, it’s important to keep to a simple format and remember that your focus is on information delivery. You really don’t need fancy software but can actually create your e-book in Word and then convert it to a PDF format. That is my recommendation, keep it simple but place your effort into attention to detail.

2. Start by creating an outline for your e-book.

It needs a beginning, a middle and an end.

Usually the beginning is the best place to start. If you start with an outline, then create a series of points you want to address. If your points are strong enough, they might become chapters.

However you construct your e-book, it should have a Table of Contents and it should communicate your message in logical order. You cannot ever assume that your audience of readers will instantly connect to what you share and be sure not to assume that your readers are at a certain level. Start at the beginning and assume nothing. You must bring them along right from the beginning.

3. Consider a few formulas to help you with the mechanics of content creation.

Along the way, you will want to add more depth and vibrance to your e-book content. The most valuable focus is in originality and the various ways you choose to impart information. You won’t always use all of these “formulas” but you can often think of this as a simple checklist. Ask yourself these questions as you work on your e-book content.

- Are there common misconceptions that people have concerning your topic?

- Are there ways to give examples that relate to the biggest misconceptions BEFORE you present the reader with the truth? Do this well and it can build momentum and anticipation for your future chapters and even future e-books.

- Is there room for step by step illustrations to walk the reader through?

- Are there a list of excellent supporting tips that you can share?

- Are there opportunities to build up to “light bulb moments.”

- People love hearing about your personal success stories or human interest examples.

- Remember those original triggers we talked about in part 1? Are you making the best use of them in some of your chapters?

- Are there specific “How to” examples – that might be “eye openers.”

- Are there any successful case studies that you are free to share with readers?

- If you are working on specialized technical content – would there be a reason to include a Glossary of Terms to clarify technical jargon.

- Is there any room to offer Best examples or Worst examples?

- Are you holding back on anything?

If you want to write a best selling e-book, you have to give your readers everything you’ve got – your best.

4. When your e-book is finished, make sure you get it proofread.

Be sure to read your work out loud as you can tend to completely miss errors.

This can be a good time to consult with an editorial person to put the finishing touches on grammar and or sentence structure etc. It’s always more difficult to proofread your own work, but if you have someone else read it, things are spotted more easily. You want your e-book as good as it can be before converting to PDF format.

5. Convert your e-book from Microsoft Word to PDF

There are lots of programs to choose from, but here is a free one that works quite well called Primo PDF.

Part 3 Next – How to Write an Influential Sales letter to launch your book

photo credit: arquera

John Alexander is Director of Search Engine Academy with live community training centers located globally in North America, Asia and Australia. John also is author of the Free SEO Tip of the Day and offers SEO Training online with his partner Robin Nobles.