Writing and Selling E-Books: A Guide for Beginners

Writing and selling e-books is becoming one of the fastest segments of the online publishing industry. Unlike traditional publishers, writers are able to name their own price of e-books, minus any hosting and transaction fees. E-books allow for fast digital downloads, and unlike traditional mailed books, authors can save on shipping costs, packaging materials and the costs involved with submitting book drafts from publisher to publisher.

First, have a game plan. Determine what kind of e-book you are most interested in writing. E-books vary in length and scope, and can be in any genre as traditional, printed book. They also can range from pamphlets of instruction or sale accompaniments to thorough instructional manuals. If you know what you would like to publish seek out comparable items in e-book formats to get an idea of price, book page length and content.

After the book planning has been done, write your first draft and read it. Be sure to read it aloud to help with punctuation and the flow of words. Are there any changes you wish to make? When you are completely satisfied with your changes, now it is time to get different viewpoints. Be sure your book is clearly marked as copyrighted material and if you wish to, include a watermark.

While you may be tempted to let all of your friends read your first copy, having an outside opinion might be best, as you will be selling your e-book to the outside community. Find some beta readers (test readers) to provide an honest feedback about your newly written e-book. While friends many not give you any suggested changes or recommendations, try to join a writer's forum that offers beta reading. Having a neutral party offering honest feedback can help you as an e-book writer implement changes which can increase your overall bottom line.

While your book is being read, focus on other activities related to selling your e-book. Devise a marketing plan. Who will be your audience? If writing a book designed to appeal to a particular niche, consider joining forums to find prospective customers. It is important not to spam the boards with appeals to purchase your book, however as an active forum participant, your e-book can be sold as a link in your signature under your forum posts.

When you are completely satisfied with all final changes and have decided on a price, build a website and sell your e-book. Whether it is a simple blog or a purchased domain, your e-book will need to be accessible in order to be sold. Sell your e-book and conduct transactions via PayPal directly, or with a shopping cart service like e-junkie or payloadz. Be sure to factor in all associated costs like hosting, merchant fees, labor and other costs into your e-book's price. Also, be sure to state your refund policy clearly on your website and customer service address (in case there is a problem downloading the e-book).