What You Need to Know When Tackling Your First Ebook

As a writer, you know that planning makes a world of difference. For an ebook, particularly a marketing ebook, planning and structure is even more crucial. Before you even begin to put pen to paper or fingers to laptop keys, there are several crucial steps. First, consider all the sections and subsections of the ebook, so that once you get writing you can flow from section to section without question. Then gather all the evidence and features for the content, so that you ensure the reader will have an engaging and varied experience. Next, confirm the services that the ebook will be subtly promoting, so that you can seamlessly include links to the client's sales area and push forward the ebook's overall purpose. Finally, decide on the tone of the language and the writing techniques you will use, so that it is consistent throughout and walks the line between being informative with expertise and selling without looking like it's selling.

Structure and content

Divide and conquer

How do you swallow an elephant? One bite at a time. You're not writing an entire ebook in one go. Think about the sections you can divide it into. Then divide those sections further. Then do it again. Take this as a rough guide:

• What is your overall argument for the ebook?

• Choose the three key topics which are the pillars of that argument.

• For each topic, divide that into key chapters.

• For each chapter, identify the subheadings.

• For each subheaded section, identify the key facts, case studies and arguments that have to be included.

Mix it up

When writing the individual sections, remember to include a variety of features to keep your audience engaged. These could include:

• Case studies

• Statistics from studies and surveys

• Explanatory paragraphs about the theory behind the topic

• Quick dos and don'ts

• Tips and tricks for the reader

Staying on task

Route it back

This ebook isn't being written for its own sake: its purpose is to generate leads and sales for your client. Therefore, make sure that all the content in the ebook in some way connects to your client's services. Ideally, every section should contain a link to:

• an informative area on your client's website or platforms, such as a blog article or a related post. This increases traffic, and will back up every claim of expertise by showing that there is plenty more information where that came from.

• the client's area for products and services, where readers can immediately invest money in the company.

A balance in tone

When you get to the actual writing, remember to get the tone right. While sales generation is vital, it is important to strike a balance with this so that the ebook doesn't appear too "salesy". The client is an authority in this field for a reason - so write with authority. Keep the tone informative and full of expertise. Don't be shy giving information and detail: the more valuable the ebook is, the more its audience will see the company as valuable. Keep everything clear and to the point. Remember, to have an impact, ?clarity trumps persuasion?. When giving information on marketing, particularly digital marketing, it is easy for the talk to become nebulous and vague. Don't let it! Be specific: specific is valuable.

Off you go

Writing is a lengthy task, but if you take heed of the above tips, you will be well on your way to completing a high-quality ebook before you?ve even begun actually writing. Taking care of structure will ensure that your argument flows naturally; gathering varied content will make certain that it is engaging to read and that you mention every piece of evidence you need to; confirming the tone and the client's overall goal will mean that you can generate leads for the client, and that the reader is given a valuable product. Get in touch any time and learn more about effective marketing.

Text: The Fox
Image: Glenn Carstens-Peters on unsplash.com