Steve Scott
Don’t set out to create the ultimate guide on a particular subject. Instead find a market with many problems and write a book for each one. (Location 142)
People buy nonfiction books to improve their lives. What you’re providing is a micro solution to some problem they regularly encounter. Help them fix it and they’ll love you for it! (Location 149)
Digital books are short and to the point. My suggestion is to aim for that sweet spot of 10,000 to 15,000 words. This is more than enough content for the $.99 to $4.99 price range that’s standard with the eBook platform. (Location 159)
Writing for me isn’t an enjoyable activity. What is enjoyable is having an Internet business where I don’t have to work in a corporate setting. So I commit to a daily schedule because it leads to long-term results. (Location 210)
Step #1: Pick a Profitable Market (Location 315)
Each book should solve a very specific problem in this niche. More importantly, you should find a market with a large profit potential. (Location 318)
Like I said, your goal is to become an eBook publisher with dozens of titles in the marketplace. The fastest way to do this is to hunt down the unique problems people experience and dedicate (Location 334)
a book to each one! (Location 336)
Just enter your primary phrase in their search tool and you’ll discover a wealth of content that can seed your next book idea. Also, you should research the sites that specifically target your market. Go to Google and type these two phrases: **- “niche topic” + forum **- “niche topic” + blog So if I were writing a weight loss book, I’d type weight loss forum and weight loss blog. (Location 342)
My advice is to ONLY target a niche where the top books have under a 20,000 best-seller ranking. This is an average of five book sales per days. (Location 366)
Step #4: Find a Hook for Your Book (Location 383)
Personally, I think it’s important to find your hook before you write your book. That way you’ll have a rough idea of what information to include. (Location 390)
I don’t believe in the idea of doing a lot of research for an eBook. (Location 432)
Your eBooks shouldn’t require a ton of research. Instead the information should be a detailed plan where you explain processes you’ve actually done. (Location 437)
The worst that can happen is you’ll waste three weeks and some money on an eCover. (Location 453)
(3a) Create Chapters of Your Book (Location 504)
Your goal is to come up with six to nine chapters for your eBook. This amount is a good number for a decent-sized digital book. The important thing is to make sure you’re covering every important topic. (Location 507)
(3b) Write the Sub-Chapters Each chapter should be fleshed out with individual steps and/or sub-chapters. These will walk the reader through your nonfiction topic, emphasizing the important steps along the way. Dedicate three to five index cards for each sub-chapter. Write down the core concept on the blank side. This should also be framed as a question. (Location 510)
(3c) Craft 3 to 5 True Statements At this point you’ll have 18 to 45 index cards. Now it’s time to fill each with the content of your book. Take each sub-chapter, flip it over to the lined side and write down the key points that you’ll cover. You should include three to five true statements for each sub-chapter. What you write will come from the brain dump you completed in step #2. (Location 513)
It should take no more than four days to complete a rough draft. That works to around 3,000 to 4,000 words per day, with a grand total of 12,000 to 16,000 total words. (Location 554)
At this point, you’ll have a stack of index cards. This is basically your book. So all you have to do is flip through each chapter/sub-chapter and elaborate on what’s written. (Location 561)
You can easily write 10,000+ words from an index card outline. Here are a few pointers for doing this in a fast-paced manner: ** Write like you’re having a conversation with the customer avatar ** Use simple language and short sentences to explain each concept ** Never stop to look up a fact on the Internet. Instead make a quick note to do this in the second draft. ** Skip sections where you get stuck. Come back to these later when you’ve had time to think them over. ** Include whatever pops in your head…Remember you’re writing with the door closed. (Location 566)
Step #2: Write Quality Content (Location 574)
Optimizing Your Amazon Listing for Maximum Sales (Location 832)
One resource I recommend is Marlon Sander’s 12-Step Cybercopy Formula. (Location 855)
Bonus Resource: Scrivener (Location 989)