• By Yuwanda Black
• Published 11/9/2011
• Writing

I challenged myself to write and upload 50 ebooks to Amazon in one year. I’m more than two-thirds of the way there, and it’s 11 months into the mission. Many have asked how I’m able to turn out so many ebooks so quickly – and have them sell very well. Following are three of the most important keys to my ebook writing and self-publishing success. Write and Sell Ebooks Online: 3 Keys to Success I. Write What You Know: Most of my ebooks on are on/about things I know, eg, freelance writing, small business and internet marketing. You see, I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993; have owned several businesses (online and off); and have been doing affiliate marketing (seriously) since 2008. 2 Advantages of Writing What You Know There are several advantages to writing ebooks on topics that you are intimately familiar with, but the main two are: (i) you write faster: You don’t have to research every detail – because you’ve “been there and done that;” (ii) you’re more believable: This leads to more sales because you can give actual examples of why x happened, why not to do y; and when to consider doing z; II. Niche It to Success: What I mean by this is, you can write several ebooks within the same genre. For example, I’ve written probably over 20 ebooks on freelance writing. They discuss different facets of the trade, eg, how to set freelance writing rates; how to find unpublished freelance writing jobs; how to start an SEO writing career; etc.

III. Set a Schedule: This is critical to writing and selling a lot

of ebooks online. You can’t “wing it;” not if you want to complete a title a week. I got severely behind in my writing schedule over the spring and summer. Now that it’s fall and the New Year is almost here, I’m having to play catch up and let me tell you, it’s meant some long days. In order to keep to your schedule, folllowing are some things you might have to let go: Things You May Have to Sacrifice to Meet Your “Ebook a Week” Writing Goal Social Media: If you’re a big interacter on social media, you’re probably going to have to cut down on this. I actually have one day a week where I intentionally don’t interact on Twitter (my social media outlet of choice). And, sometimes this “non interaction” may stretch to three or four days – because I’m writing. Email: Again, a big time sucker. Schedule time in your day to answer important ones and let the other ones go, answering them once a week or so. Hobbies: I’m a marathon runner, and training can take one to three hours a day. Even though I have a full marathon coming up, I haven’t trained nearly as much for it as I would’ve liked to. Other things you might have to let go / do less of – housework; hanging out with friends, family and loved ones; and sleep. But, if you want to write and sell ebooks online – and build a virtual self-publishing empire – it’s a sacrifice well worth making. In 2010, for the first time ever, my income from self-publishing ebooks and e-courses (and internet marketing sales) outpaced what I earned as a freelance writer.

And, that’s a good feeling, for it means I don’t have to depend on client gigs for a living; my income is totally and completely in my control.

Learn how to write an ebook in as little as 3 days, market it and start getting sales within a week. It can be done; I’m proof. I work from home (or wherever there’s an internet connection); travel at will; and live part time in Jamaica (I’m American) – all because I have the portable lifestyle of being an ebook publisher (and a freelance writer).

by Yuwanda Black