Everyone has thought about writing an ebook. The creative process can be a particularly exciting thing to do for someone who has taken on such an endeavour. However, when we usually think about writing and publishing an ebook, it can seem to be more than a little overwhelming.
Stories about how people’s works were rejected before someone could even get through the first line pop into the mind. Some might imagine their manuscripts collecting digital dust in someone’s email inbox before it is unceremoniously deleted.
This might have been the case once upon a time, but times have changed a lot since publishing interns went manuscript diving to mine the next big bestseller.
Digital Self Publishing is the Way to Go
Self-publishing has become quite the alluring option for many aspiring writers. Not only does it afford the creator more control over their work, but it also allows them to exercise their creativity more freely rather than having to cater to what might catch a literary agent’s eye.
Whatmore, thanks to the widespread availability of digital platforms, with a ready user base that is familiar with its workings, publishing an ebook opens up a world of opportunity for any writer, be it an amateur novelist, or a seasoned veteran academic.
Getting started is not as daunting as you think!
When one thinks about writing an ebook, several images come to mind. We often imagine a study table, lots of notes, a computer screen, and someone with a lot of time on their hands. In short, we imagine the ideal situation to write an ebook in, and assume that it is, in fact the bare minimum, that it is the least that is expected of someone who is writing an ebook.
These misconceptions are just a few thoughts that could prevent you from undertaking this rewarding and fun experience. Instead, I would invite you to look at writing an ebook from a different point of view: It is very rare that a day goes by without you putting your thoughts down in some sort of written text.
We send emails at work. We write texts to our friends and family. We make grocery lists, and we make little notes for ourselves in the notes section of our cell phones. Even if we were to assume that you correspond with just one person throughout the day, you write at least a minimum of 500 words. That’s a page’s worth of text.
Now imagine that you have probably done that everyday in the last 7 months. 500 words, everyday, for the last 7 months, which is 213 days: That’s an ebook. Congratulations!
However, there are certain things that need to be done before you can sit to write the book. To begin with, you must decide what you want to write about. It could be anything that you desire: you are only limited by your imagination. You could write a nonfiction book, based on actual facts.
You could decide to write an epic fantasy adventure like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. Or, perhaps, you could dabble in the world of detective fiction and invent your own pulp-like character whom you can write multiple stories about.
Bear in mind your style of writing is unique to you, and so is the process. However, your chosen genre for writing will definitely have an effect on how you write your book. If you, perhaps, choose to write about something based in fact in the real world, you are going to have to meticulously cite each piece of information you reference.
If you choose to write a fantasy fiction novel, then you are going to spend a considerable amount of time fleshing out your secondary setting.
However, there is no need to figure everything out before you start writing. It is more than enough to know the general direction of your creation before you start hitting keys on your word processor.
This is because the ebook will be refined by the most significant process when it comes to writing: drafting.
Draft! Draft, draft, draft, draft, draft!
Your first draft is probably going to leave you dissatisfied. As you revise and redo the parts of the ebook that leave you wanting more, you are going to get a much clearer picture of what your ebook is going to be about.
Through the drafting process, you will also figure out what you want to add to your ebook, and what does not sit well with your ideas. Each subsequent draft is going to filter out more impurities from your text, allowing it to blossom into the piece that you had envisioned when you first began writing.
Time to show the world your masterpiece!
Once you are satisfied with what you have written, it will be time to think about publishing your ebook. Rather than working with time-consuming traditional publishing, it would be a much more feasible option to publish your ebook electronically.
This way, not only does your book become more accessible to your audience, it also becomes significantly easier to carry around, easier to share, and easier to get to your desired marketplace. This also cuts down on additional costs such as printing and binding, which also makes your ebook more affordable to interested parties.
The digital world is your oyster!
There are several platforms that you can choose from to publish your writings. Some of these platforms allow you to earn from what you have published. One such platform that is particularly popular is Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or AKPD, which allows you to reach a global audience.
Here, you also have the option to publish a paperback version of your books, but handling and delivering an ebook is far less hassle than a full-fledged printed book. Another similar platform is Apple iBooks Store. This is very similar to AKDP, where a massive number of users can be exposed to your writing. These are not the only platforms that you have to choose from.
There is plenty of other niche and well-known places where you can publish your ebook from, without any extra hassle and a ready audience to gobble up whatever you have written.
Think, Draft, Read, Repeat!
With the massive amount of information that is now available to us, the writing and publishing cycle has become infinitely shorter and cheaper. By looking at all the writing that we do on a daily basis, given how much of our life depends on it now, it is easy to recognize and put aside time for us to write a full book.
The important thing is to choose subject matters that interest you or that you have some authority to talk about.
Ebook publishing, with its fast-tracked processes, makes it easier for your creation to reach its audience. Platforms such as AKDP and Apple iBooks Store are tailor-made for such publishing efforts.
Takeaway
It all starts with a single idea before you can have your own book in the market. You have the power to change the world with your words, so embrace it! Write your heart out and let the world know what you think. Happy Writing!
