By Leo Babauta
We are living in the most exciting time in history to be a writer, to publish your ideas, to make a living helping others.
It’s incredible because:
- It’s easier than ever before to publish your ideas.
- Publishing a book can be done by anyone.
- Good ideas rise to the top in this new idea marketplace.
- There are no limits to how you publish ideas — books are just one option.
- You no longer need permission to get your ideas out, and you’re not limited by shelf space.
- You don’t need money to be a publisher.
And that’s just the start of it.
But how do you create and publish an ebook? How do you get people to buy it? That can be confusing, but in four years of publishing books, ebooks, courses and more, I’ve learned a few things most people don’t tell you.
I’ll share some of what I’ve learned here, in hopes that it’ll help you get your ideas out there, and in the process, start making a living doing what you love.
1. Ebooks can be simpler than you think. Many people are intimidated by publishing an ebook, or put it off for months (or years) because it seems too hard. It’s not. It can be as simple as gathering your best information on solving a problem you’ve already published on your blog, perhaps expanding, updating or refining it, and putting it in an order that makes sense for learning that topic. It could be gathering reader questions on a topic and simply answering them in short chapters — I’ve done this and written an ebook in just a few days, by keeping the scope of the problem very limited. It could be scheduling webinars once a week on various aspects of a problem, and either charging for the webinars or making them free, and then using those as content for your product. It could be a very simple ebook (10-15 pages) to start with, and then expanded to a series of ebooks, a larger ebook, or a full digital package that includes audio and video — and you can expand even after you’ve started selling the product.
Once you have the content, publishing can be really simple — you can use a simple program like Word (PC) or Pages (Mac), publish as a PDF, and you’re done. You can expand on this with other formats (Kindle, epub, video, audio) but you don’t need to do that to start. Publishing an ebook or digital product can be very complicated if you make it so, but it doesn’t have to be. Keep it simple and get your ideas out there.
2. Launches, landing pages, and mailing lists are NOT what’s important. This is something many online marketing types won’t tell you, because they’ve found some success building up massive mailing lists, creating huge launches, crafting the perfect landing pages. And yes, to some extent, that stuff works. But in the end, they are trying to convince people to buy something who don’t want to buy something. That’s the wrong approach. Instead, build a relationship with people who want to read what you have to share, and base that relationship on trust. If people trust you, you don’t need to sell to them. If they already are in a relationship with you, they don’t need social proof or testimonials or before and after photos. They already know you put out good stuff, and they already want to read more from you. When you’ve accomplished that, you need to do minimal selling, and your landing pages can be nothing but a simple list of what you get when you buy the product.
How do you build this relationship based on trust with readers? That’s the hard part, but also the easy part. Put out great stuff on a regular basis on your blog. You might already be doing that. Here’s the important part: always put your readers first. Pop-ups that encourage them to sign up for your mailing list, a ton of ads, social buttons and widgets all over the place — these things and more tell the reader that you care more about their email address or sharing your stuff on their Facebook page or advertising dollars than you do about what they want. Don’t do any of that, and instead, give them what they want and get out of their way. They will begin to trust you, and so when you do put out a product (especially if you do it in a non-spammy, non-markety way), they will say, “All right. I trust Leo, I know this is going to help me, and it’s designed to solve a problem I want to solve.” You don’t need to sell.
3. There are no rules. I like to write, so I create ebooks. Other people are better at making videos, so they make a video product. Others like doing live webinars. There is no limit to how you create your product, but it really should solve a problem that people want solved. Want to make a simple PDF and nothing more? Awesome. Want to add some instructional screencasts, or workbooks, or quick guides, or interviews with experts? Even better. Want the entire thing to be online, so people can read the articles and watch videos on your site, and you can update the product at any time? Great idea! Want to have live weekly calls with you, or interactive forums? Easily done! Want it to be a membership program, paid monthly, with monthly webinars or fresh content? Well, I’m sure you can guess whether that’s possible.
There are also no rules for pricing — it can be free, $1.99, $20, $49, or $597 if you like. Figure out what it’s worth to people to solve that problem — it’s worth much more to help them pass the bar exam than it is to help them fix a broken faucet.
There are no rules for anything. You, like the rest of us, will be making it up as you go, figuring out what works best for you and your readers. You will make mistakes, and it will not end your world. That’s the liberating thing: there are no rules, and there’s no such thing as bad mistakes. You are free to do anything, and mistakes just help you get better.
Ebook Mastery Course
Mary Jaksch and I have created a course called Ebook Mastery for the A-List Blogging Bootcamps.
We’re looking forward to helping you create your first (or best) ebook or digital product.
What you get with this course:
- The course teaches you the simple abc steps for choosing the best eBook topic; planning and writing your eBook; and designing and publishing your eBook.
- You’ll have interaction and support via an online forum, from the course teachers, from forum moderators with experience in creating profitable eBooks.
- You can ask questions live, and get them answered, in weekly live video webinars by Leo Babauta, Mary Jaksch, and other superstar guest experts.
- Each week you’ll get a new module of content aimed at teaching you the specifics of creating an eBook from beginning to end including:
- Articles with specific strategies and actions for determining a viable topic, outlining your content and writing plan; creating a writing style that is best for your readers; and specifics on designing and publishing your product.
- Recommendations and statistics on pricing your eBook.
- Case studies by people from regular bloggers like you who have created successful and profitable eBooks.
- Videos, podcasts, and expert interviews to motivate you and help you stay on track with writing and completing your eBook.
- Assignments, resources, and planning materials to help you stay organized and focused while working on your eBook.
- Your own eBook that you have created (or started to create) during this course that you can sell right away.
Check out Ebook Mastery.
“Ebooks can be simpler than you think.”
“Mary Jaksch and I have created a course called Ebook Mastery for the A-List Blogging Bootcamps… Each week you’ll get a new module of content aimed at teaching you the specifics of creating an eBook from beginning to end including…”
*sigh*
I hear you, Bill. :) I actually think you can create an ebook without anyone’s help, and I encourage you to do so. We’re only offering the course because lots of people seem to want the guidance.
Hey Leo! I know it probably sounds pretty crazy, but I totally lost interest in the whole area after I had to close my business. Guess it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. I just am not interested in devoting any time to a blog in an area that I have no passion or interest in any longer. So, I guess I will leave the ebook to the harddrive.
Thanks for writing back! I really enjoy your blog, the zenhabits, etc.
Hahahhaa. I\’m not too bright today. Great post!
OX0F7W juopmxulzyij
The first tip is the best – and addresses what I see most in people that already have writing ability – they are just afraid to start because they think they need to write a 300 page book. A good fiction novel can be done in 150-200 pages now. I have 22 books (mostly non-fiction) at Amazon, and most of them are 100 pages or less.
Just get started with something. Don’t write the next Ulysses (sp?). Don’t write the next Thomas Harris thriller. Just write SOMETHING that can get you started. Amazon doesn’t reject your ebook if it’s 10 pages long, there are some guys making a living off 50 ebooks of less than 20 pages each. Those little short stories are selling at 99 cents per.
Start something and grow it from there. You don’t understand the sweet feeling of having money come in – whether you’re doing anything that day, or not. It’s unbelievably freeing. It’s like your own money tree.
Start something!
In my opinion, with the popularity of ebooks, there is now a great opportunity for writers to venture into self-publishing. Ant the internet is undeniably the best way to market their ebook since you can reach different audiences, of course through social media. I agree with this statement: “Instead, build a relationship with people who want to read what you have to share, and base that relationship on trust.” Because when I’m adding G+ users to my circle, my first rule of thumb is to ignore the marketers because they will just flood my homepage with ‘promotion’. I’m not mean. It’s just that most of time, I get irrelevant updates.
I’d like to share a good post on how to use the snowflake method, a modified technique, in writing your information ebook: http://productcreationblog.com/419/how-to-plan-and-write-your-ebook-with-the-modified-snowflake-method/ I hope this is helpful for those who are writing up their first ebook.
I had a business that was hit hard by the recession. I closed the business and wrote an ebook using my experience to help others open and run a similar business.
My problem… I would like to do the self publishing thing, but it seems like from everything I’ve read…
“How do you build this relationship based on trust with readers? That’s the hard part, but also the easy part. Put out great stuff on a regular basis on your blog.”
…I need a blog on the subject, write about the topic, build trust with my readers, etc. I just don’t see that happening. I know the information in my ebook is very good, but my niche is very specific. Should I even bother to go to the expense of publishing???
Colleen … you don’t see yourself willing to write about your topic on a blog? I’m not sure why. If you know the topic well, a blog is an amazing way to demonstrate that, and help people solve that problem. It’s also a great way to market your ebook for free, without the expense of publishing — which could well be wasted money if no one buys the book.
You aren’t obligated to start a blog, but in today’s world of publishing, you’re not really putting in your best effort if you don’t try.
I’m a big believer in the “no rules” concept and disagree with the, everything must be done in one specific way. There are so many systems and programs out there and you’re right most of them promote landing pages, launches, and lists as the way to sell lots of books. But that’s challenging when you’re just starting out publishing online. Narrowing your niche and deciding what audience you can help is also beneficial.
And those pop ups are one of the most annoying tactics I see on the internet. I will close out of a site if you block what I’m trying to read with a sign up for my stuff window!
Building relationships will always be the best way to go but it does take time, effort, and patience. You have to focus more on progress and less on perfection and just get started. Completion is a wonderful feeling and its very exciting to see your books up on Amazon and Nook and even more so when they sell! Thanks for the great information!
Jennifer
Great article, and very helpful. Thanks! I’m wondering how to get the word out about your website and blogs, so you can build the readership of folks who trust you. My partner and I re-vitalized our website last summer (2010) and have been offering blogs, a podcast, a newsletter, etc. Our topic is personal spirituality. All those offerings are no-cost, and we just now launched our first major digital product for sale (The 30-Day Core Belief Kit). We have a small and dedicated list of readers, but aren’t sure how to expand that list. We know we’re offering high-quality material, and that there are folks out there who would want it, but how do we reach them?
Your course sounds terrific, and maybe you go into this question there. Or if not, it would be great if you’d offer a seminar about it! :)
Thanks,
Nikki
Hi Nikki … it’s a good question, but one that takes a bit longer than a comment to answer. :) We have a couple courses on this topic on A-List Blogger Bootcamps, and all of that is available if you join the A-List Club (which is like $20/month). Otherwise, we have some free articles here on WTD.
Hi Leo,
A friend of mine sent me this article and it was inspiring. It seems as though e-books are becoming more popular along with self-publishing. And it took me a while to warm up to the idea because I had it in my mind to see my books in a bookstore!
That said, I think I’m going to go this self-publishing route. Now I just need to get it ready to be PDF-ed but I wanted to thank you for being an inspiration. Cheers!
eBooks are a great way to expand your blog. That’s why I always suggest writing a blog first.
This is a great way to get ideas going and even organize your thoughts.
Great post Leo. Looks like a great course.
The big part is just getting started, that’s for sure!
Hi, eBooks are a good method to promote himself and your website by linking and mension from the eBook to the pages.
I just have to say thanks to all at WTD. Just started a blog and the information you share (for free) is top quality. There is so much to learn and so little time in a day. You bring a touch of class to the internet.
Thanks again
Dave Filon