• By Yuwanda Black
• Published 03/8/2012
• Writing

I’m a freelance writer by trade. Quite by accident, I dipped my toes in the self-publishing waters in 2004. That year, I wrote my first ebook. Since then, I’ve gone on to write over 50 more. I got serious about making money (real money) as an ebook writer in 2009. It paid off. In 2010, I earned over half my income from e-products (ebooks and e-classes) I created. Following are some frequently asked questions I’ve received about how to write an ebook. Ebook Writing: “How Much Experience Do I Need to Write an Ebook?” This is a common concern for many wannabe ebook writers. And, the answer is, you don’t need any experience; at least not formalized training. What You Need to Write Ebooks That Sell There are basically three ingredients: (i) good writing skills; (ii) a subject that interests people; and (iii) some marketing skill. In fact, writing an ebook is relatively easy; it’s the marketing that requires the real effort. And don’t worry if you don’t. Marketing is a skill that can be learned, so don’t let this deter you. Writing an Ebook: “How Do I Decide What to Write About?” This will depend a lot on your interests and your experience. For example, I’m passion about entrepreneurship. I’ve owned several businesses – online and off – and also have experience in several disciplines (eg, recruiting, real estate and mortgages), to name three.

Hence, I can write ebooks on any of these subjects, eg, how to recruit qua

lified freelancers for your business, how to qualify for a home loan with bad credit and what to expect when you buy your first house. My advice to new ebook writers is to write what you know and/or have a burning passion to write about. For example, if you love sci-fi fiction and have an idea for a book floating around your head, why not give it a go. Just knuckle down and write your ebook! You never know what could happen. How to Price an Ebook to Sell: “How Do I Figure Out What to Charge for My Ebook?” Even seasoned ebook authors have a hard time with this. Places like Amazon have made it easier. You can literally look at your genre and see what other ebook authors are selling their books for. Also, read the forums on sites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble to see what the writers are saying, then go from there. In my experience, learning how to price an ebook to sell is an ongoing learning curve. I tweak my ebook prices. I don’t do it too much though because: (i) I have a large library (over 50 tiles) at different price points; and (ii) I publish within a niche and have a good feel for what my readers will pay. But, this is after years of being in this field. The bottom line if you’re a new ebook author is that you’re going to have to do some research first, set a price and watch sales. Then, tweak accordingly.

If you want to write an ebook, then by all means do it. There’s never been a better time to be an ebook author. With self-publishing, you retain control and keep the bulk of the profits. It just doesn’t get much better than this for writers!