Write Your Ebook

This module will teach you the process of writing and designing an ebook.

The Process

 The ebook development process will follow six steps:

  1. Develop your topic for your ebook.

  2. Outline the main points you want to cover.

  3. Write a rough draft of the ebook.

  4. Edit your ebook for content, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

  5. Design the book.

  6. Proofread your entire designed ebook.

Let’s look at these steps in more detail.  

Ideate

The ebook process begins by choosing your topic. We have developed an outline for your first ebook based on your BrandScript. Your ebook will solve the primary problem your niche all shares. It will describe their transformation. And it will explain the steps to take them from where they are today to the point of transformation. 

We start with this topic because it reinforces your message. It is crucial that you communicate one simple message over and over. Your ebook needs to reinforce the messaging on your website. You want to emphasize that you solve one problem, for your one niche, with one solution, and one ideal outcome. 

This topic will also help pre-sell prospects on your process. Anyone who reads your ebook will instantly know what you do and how you will do it for them.

Outline

The next step is to outline your ebook. We have outlined much of your first ebook for you based on your BrandScript: 

Click to copy Google Doc template.

  1. Introduce the problem. Hook the prospect by introducing the pain point they face. This is the most pressing problem we discussed throughout the messaging process. Do they have too much wealth tied to their company? Are they burned out in their careers and need to make a change?

  2. Describe the stakes. Agitate the problem to help them understand what their life will look like if they don’t solve it. Will they have to live a more frugal lifestyle in retirement? Will they continue working in a career they hate? Paint a picture of what failure to act looks like.

  3. Establish credibility. Explain why you are the person qualified to solve their problem. What experience or credentials do you have? For example, “We have 20 years working with tech professionals.” Or, “We have our Certified Divorce Financial Analyst designation.” Keep this section brief because people aren’t interested in you. They only want to know that you are qualified to solve their problem.

  4. Present the solution. Describe the three to five steps prospects must take to solve their problem. This section should be the core of your ebook, with each step expanded into its own chapter. These steps should follow the process they will take if they become clients. This section is where you let your expertise shine. For example, steps could be (1) envision what life looks like after your career in law; (2) understand your current expenses and what you are and are not willing to do to quit your career sooner; (3) develop a plan to quit your career. We have not filled out these steps in your outline, so you will need to complete this.

  5. Address common hurdles. Present the pitfalls that will prevent them from achieving the success they desire. What objections do they have? How do you overcome the objections and show them how to avoid failure? For example, “How hard can this be? I can do it myself” may be an objection you often hear. You could overcome this objection with: “We have successfully retired people from ABC company hundreds of times. You will only do it once. We can help you avoid pitfalls you wouldn’t even be aware of until it is too late.”

  6. Conclude the ebook. Show them what success looks like after they implement your steps to solve their problem. This section will help them understand the outcome they can expect when working with you. Will they be able to quit their career earlier than expected? Will they be able to sell their business with enough money to never work again? Finally, tell them how to contact you to help them achieve success.

Write

Now it is time to start writing. We recommend 2,500 to 3,500 words, which ends up being about 10 to 15 pages.

When you write your first draft, follow your outline and write as quickly as possible. Don’t overthink it. If you are missing information or need to do research, make a note and come back to it later. 

When you have all your information in your first draft, read it from the beginning and make revisions as you go:

  • Does it convey your main point—the reason you wrote the ebook?

  • Do all your supporting ideas support the main point? Should some be cut?

  • Is your ebook missing any points?

  • Does the conclusion restate your main idea and supporting points?

  • Did you include a call to action to schedule an appointment?

By the end of this read-through, you should feel pretty confident in your draft.

Edit

It’s time to take off your writer’s hat and put on your editor’s hat.

Copy

You want your ebook to be reader-friendly, which means it should be as clear and to the point as possible. Remove jargon that’s common to your industry, and replace it with the language of your niche. Make unclear ideas more specific. Cut the fat—don’t say in 15 words what you can say in four. Change cliches into original writing since cliches lack impact and you’ll lose your reader’s interest.

Read through your ebook one more time from the point of view of your niche, and ask yourself if your ebook will help them. Have you achieved your purpose in writing this ebook?

To sum up:

  • Make your ebook to the point.

  • Remove jargon.

  • Be specific.

  • Cut wordiness.

  • Change cliches.

  • Ask yourself: Have you achieved your purpose?

Format

Your readers don’t want to see a wall of text, so your editing should include formatting the content. You’ll want to break up big sections of text with subheaders to organize the copy and make it more readable. Use bolding and underlining to help make main points stand out. In addition, try to visually break up your content with bullet points, lists, charts, and diagrams whenever possible. Again, this helps make it easier for people to read. Your goal is to enable prospects to skim your content to get the gist of what you are talking about and read deeper into the sections that apply to them. Finally, go back and break up paragraphs so that they’re about one to three sentences each. Many people read on mobile devices. Breaking up paragraphs into smaller ones makes it easier for them to read.

To sum up, format for:

  • Subheaders

  • Bolding and underlining

  • Bullets, lists, charts, and diagrams

  • Short paragraphs

Grammar, Punctuation, and Plagiarism

Grammar and punctuation are essential to clarity. If you have run-on sentences, your ebook will be hard to comprehend, and you’ll lose readers. You don’t need to be a grammar/punctuation expert, but do your best to make it as readable as possible. Consider a grammar checker like Grammarly to help you.

Grammarly can help you avoid plagiarism too. It’s very easy to inadvertently plagiarize other sources. We’ve covered this elsewhere, but make sure your review process includes a check for plagiarism.

In summary:

  • Do a grammar check through Grammarly

  • Check for plagiarism

Design and Proof

When you are confident about the ebook, it's time to send it to a graphic designer. This person will lay out your ebook so it’s visually appealing. A good graphic designer will help your ebook come to life.

Once your design is where you like it, you will want to proofread it one more time. This is a quality-control check to make sure there are no errors before you publish your ebook. You will want to review the following for accuracy:

  • Names, titles, and designations

  • Dates and times

  • Mailing addresses

  • Phone numbers

  • Email addresses

  • Website URLs

  • Event titles, product names, company names, etc.

  • Numerical values

You also want to confirm that:

  • Copy is free of spelling and typographical errors

  • Correct logos are used

  • Artwork is satisfactory

  • Fonts are correct

  • Colors are correct

  • Text size is satisfactory

  • Necessary disclosures and disclaimers are present

  • All other important information is present and correct

Tips for Time Management

It’s easy to get overwhelmed in writing an ebook. Here are some tips to keep you on track:

  1. Determine your schedule. Decide how much time you will set aside on a daily and weekly basis. For example, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8 to 10 a.m. Pick a schedule to write when you are energized. If you’re tired, you won’t write very well.

  2. Put your schedule on the calendar. Make your schedule official. Don’t schedule anything else during those times.

  3. Stick to the schedule. It’s easy to get distracted by other things. Committing to finishing your ebook will help stop the distractions. 

  4. Focus on one task. Do one thing at a time. For instance, you don’t want to write and edit your first draft at the same time. You’ll lose your focus, and you won’t do either task well. Start with writing the first draft. Once you finish that, go on to the next step of adding in missing information, and so on.

You should have a final draft ready for design within two to three weeks if you set aside regular time for it. The important takeaway here is to set a schedule that you can stick to, and focus on one step at a time. This will keep the process manageable and successful.

Click to copy Google Doc template.

Next Steps

We are here to review your ebook. We will provide guidance on how to improve it before sending it to your graphic designer. To submit your ebook:

  • Write your ebook using the Google Doc template.

  • Put the document in your shared folder.

  • Send us a message in Slack that your ebook is ready for review.

We’ll get back to you within a couple of days with our feedback. Once you have a fully designed version, we are happy to look at that as well and provide feedback.