30 Writing Tips for eBook Authors

30 Writing Tips for eBook Authors

How Anyone Can Become a Better Writer
By Following Time Tested Writing Strategies

 Writing Isn't Nearly As Hard As You Think...
If You Know A Few "Tricks of the Trade"

 People write for a variety of reasons.  Some because it’s a deep, heartfelt passion and others because they enjoy the challenge. Still others write because they want to make a name for themselves.

And then, there are folks that write...

...to make some money! Like me. :o)
No matter what the reason, writing is a talent, whether blessed with natural ability or developed through writing courses and workshops.

Looking back in history at some of the greatest writers known to man such as Shakespeare or Edgar Allan Poe, or to the novice writer just starting to put pen to paper, all writers experience the same things:

•      Every writer struggles at one time or another with writer’s block.
•      Every writer longs to find what to write about in order to be successful as an author.
•      Every writer must learn to be organized and take action to complete their assignment.
•      Every writer needs to be motivated, inspired, and use unique methods for developing new ideas.
•      Every writer wants their creativity to be tapped into and released for their readers to enjoy and learn from.
•      Every writer has a goal of providing some kind of useful information for others to benefit from.

And the list could go on.

There are a LOT of eBooks available that explain "how to write an information product." (Heck, I’ve written one myself. :o)

But, there are few that cover WRITING TIPS that actually aid eBook authors in WRITING THEIR MATERIALS and helping them through the common struggles and needs that all writers experience.

That's why I wrote this report. And that's why you are here.

I want to provide writers, from all levels and writing styles, with some unique and traditional methods to become the best writer possible.


And you want to BECOME the best writer possible. It's a journey we'll take together.
I'm about to share with you 30 Writing Tips for eBook Authors. Regardless of what your goals are for writing an eBook, these ideas are guaranteed to
make the WRITING of your eBook easier and better.

Everybody wants to know WHAT to write about. What is it that people want to read? What are the "hot topics" that you know will generate some interest if you write about them.

Even though the Internet has changed the face of the world -- how we shop, communicate, do business, research and just about everything else -- it hasn't changed what we WANT. There are classic (and absolutely TIMELESS) topics that are always going to be hot topics.

Here are five of them. If you want to know WHAT people want and WHAT
you should write about, then find something related to these topics...

1. Making Money. This one ain't ever gonna go away. You can just go ahead and etch it in stone, it's here for the long haul. We all want to make money (if for no other reason than to be charitable and give it away to someone else) and some of us (I won't mention any names :o) are half-crazed for information on how to make money.

If you can show people how to make money (in a legal, moral way, of course) I can assure you, they will buy it. I guarantee it.

Internet marketing / doing business online eBooks are some of the hottest information products available anywhere in the world. And for good reason. People want to make more money.

So, show 'em how to do it.

2. Dating / Relationships.  What a great topic for an eBook. There are dozens of ideas you could use for this one that could each become best-sellers...

How to avoid divorce court.
How to make your marriage last forever. How to be more romantic.
How to pick the perfect mate.
How to get people to notice you.
How to use online match making services. How to be a great father / mother.
How to be a great husband / wife. How to raise great kids.

I mean, we could go on and on and on here. Play the energizer bunny if we want to. There are dozens of ideas for this topic and the information sells like crazy. Why? Because if we have positive, enriching, growing relationships, we are HAPPIER. And since we can't buy happiness in a bottle...


...we buy your eBook instead!

3. Hobbies and Crafts.

Hot selling items in any bookstore or online as e-books, are information products about hobbies or crafts. People love making things themselves and getting the self-gratification of a job well done. You could do some quick research on the Internet to see what some of the most common hobbies and crafts are and come up with some unique ideas.

Some might include woodworking, door wreaths, stained glass and any type of do-it yourself information. Things like improving your golf game, a guide to stamp collecting, antiques and so forth.

Recreation is a huge part of our lives. We all like to spend time enjoying a hobby. And, we spend a lot of money supporting those hobbies as a society (My wife is a major contributor :o)

Hobby related information products are most always a big hit and certainly warrant consideration when choosing a topic to write about.

4. Online Shopping.

What tools are available? Where can you find price comparisons? Are there free trials available? Demos? Where are the best deals? Are there any meeting places for like-minded shoppers? Can I browse?

Shopping is becoming a larger and larger industry online (It already is HUGE) as more and more people are buying online, and as people buy more and more.

Some kind of resource directory for shoppers would be a great eBook, I believe. How to find trustworthy merchants online. How to find the best prices. How to get special deals and discounts. Etc. Etc.

Tips and resources and webpage links -- HOW TO SHOP ONLINE...great idea for an eBook.

You could even get "nichey" and create an eBook on how to shop for "golf accessories" or "fitness stuff" or "Christian materials."

Or, if you're really smart, you'll create an entire series of eBooks on how to shop for just about anything. One eBook at a time, for dozens of different categories.

5. Technology.

I bought a digital video camcorder. I brought it home. I looked at the 300 page manual.

I had no idea how to use it.

If you had an eBook available summarizing in simple details how to use the various features of the camcorder, I'd have paid you $100.00 for it!

And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Technology is great -- but it can be a bit overwhelming. And, who the heck has 3 days to read through a manual to figure out how to use the darn thing you bought, even if it isn't overwhelming to you? I don't.

I'd rather pay someone to show me how.

And that's a market you should consider going after.

There are hundreds of software programs, video games, computers, electronics, etc. that folks would love to be able to figure out how to use QUICKLY AND EASILY. So, you write tutorials and show us how it's done.

And we pay you.

And we're all happy. :o)

Seriously, I think this is one of the biggest industries for information products that is currently untapped. A sharp writer could make a fortune here.

So, you know what "topic" to write about, but how do you come up with WHAT to write about that topic? You may have identified "making money" as your topic, but what will you write about "making money"?

Will it be Internet related? Stocks and bonds? Direct mail? Home-based business? Fundraising?

And when you narrow it down to the actual subject, what kind of information will you share in the eBook?

That's what this section will hopefully help you to decide by exploring some ways to generate ideas and to do some research.

6. Brainstorm To Get Other Folks' Ideas.

Whether you get family members, a group of friends, or other writers together, brainstorming is a wonderful way to beat Writer’s Block. When you are stuck, make brainstorming fun. You can sit and just start throwing ideas out or make a game by putting ideas in a hat and then passing it around to read or act out.

We call this a "mastermind" session.

And you'd be absolutely amazed at how productive it can be. Folks throw out ideas that you never even thought of. They offer opinions that you weren't even close to considering. Why? Because they think differently than you
do. And that can be a good thing.

Are you having trouble generating ideas for your eBook, or expanding upon what you are already writing about? Get a group of folks together (or even ONE person is a start) and ask questions. Explain what you are writing about and ask for suggestions, ideas and opinions.

Voila -- with the wave of a magic wand, you've got more ideas and a fresh perspective to write from.

I know. I know. When I say "research" you envision some guy up late at night with fifteen books open, 5 empty Coca Cola cans (he needs the caffeine to stay awake!) and an anxious look on his face.

Research scares the heck out of most folks. It sounds too much like doing a term paper for a trigger happy high school English teacher with a red pen in her hand!


But, it doesn't have to be that way. Let's look at some (slightly less painful)
ways of getting ideas for your eBook.

7. Use Childhood Memories.

Here's a great exercise. Sit down with a pad and paper and start writing down childhood experiences. Start with a specific age and think about the school attended at that time, the friends you hung around, the style of the clothes you wore, a favorite pet, anything you can. You will be amazed at how many ideas you can develop that can be useful to you in writing, or that spawn other ideas for your eBook.

Just as you revisited your own childhood, talk to other family members or friends and ask them to share stories about their upbringing. For example, one writer asked a close friend from Israel about her experiences as a child during World War II.  What unfolded was a wonderful story of determination, as the friend shared how her family had withstood persecution and survived horrible ordeals. Just like that a new chapter to an eBook was added, "How to Overcome Opposition: 7 Secrets From A Survivor."

Wow -- it's amazing how looking at childhood memories (and ALL past experiences) can be used to develop ideas for use in your eBook content.

8. Listen.

Listen to people. Whether you're shopping, at the job, or in the gym, listen to what people are saying. What subjects are being discussed? What seems to be important to other people? Many times, you will get ideas based on everyday discussions. Having good listening skills is a huge benefit to writers.

Don't forget the kids. Kids are innocent and provide a sincerity that is often missed with adults. If you have children of your own, nieces or nephews, or friends with smaller children, sit down and just talk to them. Believe me - you will hear all kinds of things that will soon get you out of Writer’s Block. They possess such great imaginations that they will actually help yours kick into high gear.

Attend a workshop. Listen to a teleseminar or conference call. Sit in on a class. Do an interview. Absorb information that other people are sharing and extract IDEAS that you can use yourself.

9. Analyze Data.

Conduct some analysis with people who can contribute to the topic you are writing about. Do a survey. Take a poll. Ask questions. Have them ASK YOU questions. Compile all of the information and you've got even more ideas for writing your content.

For example: I know of a marketer online who wanted to put together an eBook for newcomers to the web to help them learn how to do business online. He had a half dozen or so ideas about what to share, but that was all. He knew that "newbies" have a lot more questions than that! But, he
didn't know what they were -- being an EXPERIENCED web marketer, he took a lot of "basic" things for granted.

So, what did he do? He sent a SURVEY out to people on his newsletter list and the lists of his online marketing friends.

The result: Over 200 questions that newbies wanted answered! That's around 195 more "ideas" than he started out with.
And that's also a GREAT way to come up with new ideas...ask questions and have folks ask you questions.

10. Watch TV or Movies.

TV is another source for ideas. As you know, television covers anything and everything and if you're struggling with Writer’s Block, there will be something that will help spur your mind into action.

With 598,000,281 different stations to watch, you're bound to find something helpful! :o)

If you want to write an eBook on snakes, sit down and watch the Discovery Channel. You will gain a ton of important information and once again, you can determine what wasn't covered. If the show covers the detailed information on the top 10 venomous snakes in the United States, why not do research on the next five.

Ideas are often found by using the ol' remote control!

11. Play The Alphabet Game.

Here's another great idea generator exercise. Starting with the letter “A” in the alphabet, literally start thinking of events, places, people, items, verbs, etc., that start with that letter, which are related to your eBook topic. The goal is to go all the way to “Z.” This is a great way to shake loose Writer’s Block.

For example: if you are writing an eBook on internet marketing, here are some ideas...

A = affiliates
B = build a list
C = conversion
D = digital products
E = ezine
F = follow-up
G= google.com

And you would complete that all the way through Z.

Do you think any new ideas could be generated from such a list? Of course! Try it -- you can thank me later. :o)
12. Conduct Interviews.

Find some interesting people in your church, school, work, or even family and friends who have had a unique experience in life and conduct an interview with them. Sometimes we think we know someone well until we take time to talk to him or her – really talk.

For example, one young woman interviewed her own mother. She thought she knew everything about her and her life but during the course of the interview, she discovered cherished pieces of her life that she didn't even know existed. Her own mother had her ears pierced at age eight, in 1935, by Chief White Feather, the grandson of Chief Sitting Bull. He lived in
Indiana down the street from her and took a real liking to her. The daughter had no idea! Interviews will unearth all types of buried treasures.

And look for EXPERTS in your field of interest. Ask them a handful of questions and then use the entire interview as an actual part of your eBook. That's what I did with Eye-Popping Popups. I asked a half-dozen prominent web marketers how they were using popup windows to make sales. I gave them 10 questions and then published their exact responses in the eBook.

It ended up giving me about 20 pages of FREE content, and free publicity for them.

Have you written ebooks that just aren’t selling?

You may be missing the one thing that the top marketers use to get sales.

Section 03:  Outlining and Organization

I'll be honest with you up front -- if you don't create an in-depth outline, get yourself organized and stick to the plan, you're going to have a hard time writing your eBook.

The reason I can write a new eBook every month is because I STAY ORGANIZED. It's that simple. It isn't creativity. It isn't writing ability. It isn't some special power or magic wand. It's ORGANIZATION.

So, let me share a few of my favorite tips with you to keep you on track...

13. Get Organized.

I can tell you from experience, you gotta get organized and stay organized if you want to write an eBook. Each time you get ready to write something new, ask yourself some very simple questions.

– What is the focus of this book, article, newsletter, etc.?
– What is the message that I want to get across to the reader?
– What makes this writing different or special?
– What is the order in which I need to divide categories?
– Is this a believable idea and if not, how can I make it believable?
– What kind of research do I need to perform?

Once you've answered those questions honestly, you will have better focus to begin. I cannot stress the importance of getting and staying organized. I
just don't know any other way to write than to have a game plan and to stick
with it. I'd be lost without doing it.

My wife will tell you -- I've bought (and used, mind you :o) more planners and organizers than probably anyone else on the planet. Find me an office supply store and I'll likely come out with a new planner. They love to see me coming.

But, it's money well spent. It is critical to my success as an author -- simply because it helps me to stay on target and complete my projects.

14. Find a Significant Audience To Sell To

The biggest fear of most writers is that their eBook won't sell. And that's a good fear to have because it forces you to take some time to RESEARCH and find out if your eBook is something to pursue at all.

The biggest mistake you can make as an eBook author is to invest time and energy into writing something that no one (or very few people) want to read, or are willing to pay to read.

Before you write a single word of your eBook, find out if the information you are going to share is "sellable." Determine if it's information that is valuable to a significant number of people.  If your eBook is something you are going to sell in the $20 - $50 range, then you need to make certain that there are at least 10,000 potential customers out there. You're going to need to sell a substantial number of eBooks to earn some decent profits, so make certain that you have plenty of people who are potential customers.

If you are going to sell a very "nichey" product for a higher price tag of $100 or more, then obviously you won't need as large of an audience to choose from.

15. Determine Your Own Unique Approach.

What makes you DIFFERENT? Why should a customer buy from you instead of your competition? Are you faster, better, cheaper? Do you offer more? More for less?

From the beginning, you need to find some way that you separate yourself from the rest of the package, something that makes your eBook more advantageous to the potential customer than anyone else's.  You want them to buy from YOU, so why should they?

One of the things that I like to do -- and then stress in my sales letter and ads -- is that I offer 100% original, exclusive information. In other words, if you want this information, you gotta buy it from ME, because NO ONE ELSE HAS IT.

If you can create an eBook that is structured in such a way that no one else is offering it, then you force folks to buy from you if they want the information. That's a powerful concept, so don't take it lightly. One of the most important things you can do is determine WHY someone should buy from you, and then work on solidifying that as you write.

Exclusive information? Then write only content (at least portions of it) that no one else is sharing.

Exclusive format? Then structure yours in such a way that can only be found through you.

Exclusive offer? Then put together something that is yours and yours alone. You separate yourself from the competition by eliminating the competition.

16. Have a Purpose.

To stay focused on your objectives, you gotta have a purpose. Something that drives you.  Something that is awaiting at the end of the journey -- at the completion of your project.

One young man started writing as a tribute to his loving parents who through unbelievable challenges had raised him with unconditional love and full support. As a way to thank them, he decided to write a book, hopefully have it published, and present it to them for their 50th wedding anniversary. Not only did he get his book published and completely surprised his loving parents, but he went on to a full-time career in journalism.

He had a purpose, a real purpose that drove him to succeed. Keeping your objective in sight is much easier when you're excited about your work and strive to succeed at your goals. The great thing is that you're never too young or too old!

Heck, even if the purpose is "Nah, nah -- see I told you I could do it!" -- that's something to stay focused upon. One of the most invigorating things in life is to do something that someone told you couldn't be done.

17. Write Objectives Down.

This is an extremely important step and one that shouldn't be missed. If you don't write your objectives down, you will quickly lose sight of them.
Keeping them as a visual will help you achieve them.

The most important objective is to identify WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE with your readers. What is it that you want to share with those who download your eBook?

And, more importantly, have you done that?

Staying on track means looking back over what you've already written and determining if it does meet your objectives. In other words, if you want to give your readers a step-by-step plan for losing weight, does your writing do that? If it does, keep moving on. If it doesn't, then what areas need further explanation or additional information?

18. Outline Again And Again.

A common mistake of many new writers is that they are so eager to write, they want to dive into a project immediately without giving much thought to process or content.

Perhaps you have an idea but it's only half-baked. By using ideas that haven't been thought out very well you usually end up with a poor eBook and a lot of frustration. (How many times have you quit a project and started a new one?) For this reason, if you are just starting to get involved with
writing, you need to first learn about and understand the importance of
OUTLINING your project.

I always start any writing project by constructing an IN-DEPTH outline. I jot down every idea that I want to share in the eBook (original ideas and researched ideas) and then I organize it into a logical flow for actually writing the content.

BUT, it doesn't end there. As I am actually writing the eBook, I continue to tweak the outline. I add more subpoints along the way.

 Here's a "very simple" example:

Original outline...

3 Ways to Research Writing Projects

1. Interview experts
2. Subscribe to newsletters
3. Search keywords at search engines.

Expanded outline #1...

3 Ways to Research Writing Projects

1. Interview experts

A. Determine what you want to ask
B. Identify experts
C. Prepare contact letter D. Submit contact letter E. Conduct Interview

Expanded outline #2...

3 Ways to Research Writing Projects

1. Interview experts

A. Determine what you want to ask

I could easily add many subpoints here describing what I would actually want to ask the experts concerning my writing subject.

B. Identify experts


I could easily add many subpoints here discussing ways to find out who the experts are and how to contact them.

C. Prepare contact letter

I could easily add many subpoints here explaining what to include in the contact letter, how to make it "worth the while" for the expert, etc.

D. Submit contact letter

I could easily add many subpoints here about the best ways to submit the contact letter (email, traditional mail, fax, telephone, etc.)

E. Conduct Interview

I could easily add many subpoints here describing in detail how to do the interview. (necessary equipment, interviewing skills, preparation, etc.)

The point is to continue EXPANDING each point and subpoint until you have covered everything that is needed in order to comprehensively and clearly share the information your readers need.

Once you have an IN-DEPTH outline, the writing is easy. Who couldn't write
ONE PARAGRAPH about each subpoint? That's really all it takes.

19. Use a Checklist.

Another thing I love to do to stay focused on my objectives is to use a checklist. I actually write down my entire action step gameplan for a project. And I do this in VERY DETAILED steps. Why? Because I get to check off completed tasks much more frequently... which again makes me feel like I'm accomplishing more.

My wife will tell you, I have checklists for everything. Part of that is to stay organized, because I have so many things going on at the same time. But, part of it is to MARK THROUGH the tasks I have completed. Nothing satisfies me more (well, there are a few things :o) than being able to see a sheet of paper with a whole page of tasks checked off as completed.

Use a checklist.  I'm telling you straight, the more you are able to visualize that you've accomplished, the more you will stay focused and get your objectives accomplished.


Section 04: Staying Motivated for Success

Staying motivated and sticking to a schedule can sometimes seem more of a chore than a delight. As a writer, it's important to set goals for yourself. These goals will help you see progress, successes and provide you with inspiration and motivation.

It's one thing to start writing an eBook. It's another thing to finish it.
20. Take Risks.

Often times when someone feels they're boxed into a corner, they lose desire and motivation. They feel forced to do something instead of wanting to do
it. I know that it happens to me. I get trapped by deadlines or sidetracked
with delays and I just want to quit writing at times.

And taking a risk at times can help get me fired back up (Which is just a sports phrase that means MOTIVATED).

What kind of risks?

Being totally honest.  Sometimes it is good to just say how you feel, even if those feelings are a bit controversial.  For example:  I've actually said, "You know, the customer is supposed to always be right...but sometimes I just want to tell some bozo 'You're an idiot. Go away.'" That may come across a bit controversial, but it certainly
keeps things interesting.  Some of the most motivating (and ultimately,
rewarding) things you can do as a writer is to be totally honest and just share what's on your heart.

Being totally vulnerable.  Another way to stay motivated by taking risks with your writing is to open up and let people see the real you. So what if you're a male -- you can still share how you love your wife and kids.  It may not be a "war story" or a "macho" thing to talk about, but you might be surprised at how many other people feel the same way.  I continue to share about my being a Christian (Many people say don't do it...it's bad for business and you shouldn't mix the two) because that's something I'm passionate about.  Like me or hate me because of it -- you gotta respect me for not holding anything back.

Being totally personal.  Want to stay motivated?  Talk about what you love.  Even when what you are writing ISN'T about what you love.  For example:  In the last section I mentioned my relationship with Christ. See how that was worked into the content?  Not only does it allow me to stay motivated by sharing more about myself and the things I am passionate about, it also allows my readers to get to know me on a more intimate level.  And that builds all kinds of positive things into a relationship:  trust, loyalty, friendship.  So, get personal and share


who you are, what you think and feel, what you want and strive for in life.  The real you.

The key to taking risks isn't to be careless. It's about being honest and forthright, even when others may not agree with you. Ever watch Jerry McGuire, the movie? That's what Tom Cruise's character did. It cost him his job. But, it changed his life. And ultimately, he was the big winner.

21. Spread the Word.

Sometimes sharing your goals and aspirations with close friends and family is a huge motivator. When people expose their dreams, in a way, they've
made themselves accountable for your own success. In essence, they've now presented a challenge to themselves. In addition to making these
desires public, you have also created a cheering section.

Now, when you aren't motivated, you can always have those people remind you of why you wanted to write. Have them repeat back to you what you
had shared with them – how important writing was to you, that writing was a passion, etc. They can help you keep your dreams alive.

When I first started an offline Christian newspaper (actually, I hadn't even started it yet) I had folks asking me "When is it going to be here -- I'm ready to read it!"

Need any more motivation than that?

By giving other folks involved, you not only have accountability, you have waiting readers who want to see your finished product. Sometimes as much as you want it yourself.

22. Reward Yourself.

Many writers create a tradition for their successes. When you get your eBook finished, reward yourself with something important. It doesn't really matter what it is, but bait yourself with something you really want and make that your prize. Whether it's a new dress, a trip to your favorite restaurant, a night out at the movies, whatever it is, congratulate yourself for your successes.

I personally like a large deposit into my bank account by selling a lot of copies.

Hey, we're being honest, right? :o)

One writer collected beautiful Oriental paintings by a particular artist in China.  Although not expensive, the paintings were all signed and beautifully done. Each time she successfully published an eBook, she would buy

another piece of his work. Within a year, she had completely redecorated her living room with his artwork on all the walls, and, she had to switch to new rewards because she was running out of wall space. No matter what
you choose, it's important to choose something you like and can look at from time to time as a reminder that you succeeded.

Be good to yourself.

I think that's a song by Journey, but it illustrates the point.

23. Get Physical.

You wouldn't think that physical exercise would be important for writing. Well, it is. If you look at successful people, no matter what their area of expertise, the one thing they all have in common is that they take time to get physical. They take time to work the body, which then fuels the mind.

To keep sharp in your writing, it's extremely important to keep your body well tuned. Eat the right foods, exercise regularly, and get the right amount of rest. When you need some extra motivation, go exercise and allow the endorphins and adrenaline to flow.

And it's always good to get oxygen to the ol' brain too. :o)

Section 05: Overcoming Writer's Block

I've been writing for a long time. I won the Journalism award in high school.  I've written 20 or so top-selling eBooks online.  I've written a LOT.

And one thing is for certain -- writer's block is a reality. Even for someone who writes full-time for a living, who cranks out a new eBook every month...sometimes the words just don't spring forth.

Yes, sometimes the ideas flow freely. But, other times, no matter how hard you concentrate, there's nothing. Bringing life and vibrancy to writing can be a challenge at times, which is perfectly normal. This is called Writer’s Block and something to be expected as you progress in writing eBooks. However, there are ways to motivate and stimulate the mind.

And that's what we are going to talk about first.

24. Rest Your Mind

Being too tired or stressed is one way of setting yourself up to be faced with
Writer’s Block. It's often easy to over-extend.

Just as the body becomes exhausted after a hard exercise, the mind also struggles with fatigue.

What happens when you run a marathon? Your body says, “Okay, I need to lie down and get some rest.” The mind is the same way. It too can become overloaded and when that happens, concentration is almost impossible. If you get to a point where nothing is coming to your mind and you've tried every possible trick to get things going and yet nothing – rest.

Rest your mind.

Allow your mind time to regenerate and rebuild, allow time for refreshment and renewal.

In today's society, people are busier than ever. (I know I am!!!) There are kids to get ready for school, dinners to make, baseball games to coach and business meetings to attend. Sometimes getting past Writer’s Block is simply a matter of slowing down and taking several days to enjoy life and give your mind a break.

Allow your mind some time to recoup and soon you will be right back to writing.

A tired mind is an unproductive mind.

25. Get More Information.

It's common for writers to get to a point where they think "what now?" You've just written everything you know about a particular subject and it still seems like something is missing. There aren't enough pages. The chapters don't fit together well. Something isn't explained quite the way it should be.

Don't allow the lack of information to stop you from digging in and creating an outstanding eBook. The Internet is an open highway of information just waiting to be researched. Start out with some of the top search engines such as Google.com, Yahoo.com, or Lycos.com and in the search field, type in a half dozen or so different keywords and key phrases relating to your subject.

For example: If you are writing an eBook on weight loss, you might search for...

weight loss lose weight
weight loss articles
nutrition
health and fitness weight loss tips nutrition tips exercise
diets

Your search will result in tons of information for you to start with. You'll find content sites, free eBooks, articles, reports, eCourses, message boards -- just a lot of free information you can study to find new ideas.

Spend a few hours (or even a few days) gathering ideas by reading through the information available all over the web. One huge part of successful writing is strong research abilities...

...and just flat out investing your TIME in gathering ideas.

You'll find that as you research, a LIGHT BULB will go off in your head. When it does, WRITE IT DOWN. Gather a dozen or so ideas and then plug them
into your own writing.

Let me make one thing clear:  Research involves looking for IDEAS, not stealing someone else's content.  NEVER copy someone else's materials without their permission. You are looking for IDEAS that you can write about, not content that you can take.

It's always good to get a fresh perspective and see things from other folks' viewpoints.

26. Believe in your Abilities.

No matter what your area of expertise, it's important to believe in yourself. At one time or another, every writer needs to polish and improve his or her skills, which is to be expected. However, it's critical that you know in your heart you can write.

There are times when I get frustrated with writing and I think "I'm getting nowhere". What do I do? I remind myself that I am a BEST-SELLING AUTHOR and adored by MANY READERS WORLDWIDE. I don't say it to brag, I say it to remind myself that I am a professional, and I know what I am doing. And it helps to bring my confidence back.

Maybe you have never written a best-selling book or eBook. Maybe you don't have a worldwide audience. Do you think I always had that? Heck no! When I wrote my first eBook, no one had any clue who I was.

But, that didn't stop me. Why not? Because I BELIEVED IN MYSELF AND MY ABILITIES. Writing is mental in many ways, including CONFIDENCE. You gotta believe that you have something worthwhile to share and that you
have the skills to share it.

There will be times during your writing career when your plate is full and sometimes overflowing. You will find yourself feeling completely stressed and second guessing your abilities. When this happens, and it will, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are a good writer, skilled and capable.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed is always a part of any artist's mind. Providing your readers with quality work is in the forefront of the mind, as it should be. Remember that you can always go back and clean up your materials once you get a draft completed.

In the end, it will all come together beautifully. Give yourself a pat on the back occasionally. There's nothing wrong with reading your work and thinking "Darn, that's good stuff!" :o)

27. Get Contribution From Others.

There are many folks who have ALREADY WRITTEN materials that they would be willing to contribute to your eBook. For example: A writer might have published a newsletter article that they would allow you to compile into your eBook material (they receive a FREE link to their website in exchange inside the eBook).

Not only does it give you MORE material for your eBook, but it also helps you overcome writer's block because it gives you something more to write about. In other words, you make additional comments about the article itself -- either as notes throughout the article, or before and after the article.

For example: If you are writing an eBook about buying and selling stuff on eBay.com and you find an article entitled "7 Places To Find Hidden Treasures To Sell On Online Auctions" then you approach the writer to see if they will allow you to include it in your eBook. And then you either (a) Expand upon each of the "7 places" by adding more comments, or (b) You share some additional thoughts before or after the article. (I.E. "3 more great places to find hidden treasures are..." OR "You can use search engines to find online sources for each of these 7 places by..."

See how that works? Someone else contributes part of your content which spawns new ideas for YOU to write about.

28. Daydream/Meditate.

Allowing your mind to “daydream” or “meditate” is a wonderful, relaxing way to help clear out old thoughts and replace them with new ones. By looking off into the distance or sitting quietly with your eyes closed, your mind will soon start bringing wonderful thoughts or favorite memories to light.

For a writer, it's important to have some “down time.” Allow your mind to wander, to dream, to fantasize. Daydreaming or meditation provides a rebuilding and regenerating process needed for every writer.

Closely related to this is what is referred to as "stream of consciousness." For a writer, it's an important exercise in generating new ideas for writing content. The idea is to think about something related to your eBook and
then the first thing that pops into your mind, you write it down. As you think about whatever you wrote down, the first thing that pops into your mind
from there, you write it down. And you repeat the process.

Soon, you can easily generate a dozen new ideas by just letting your mind wander.

Watch this...

Let's suppose I'm writing an eBook on how to get the most out of your golf game. Each time I think of a new phrase or word, I'll write it down. Let's brainstorm...

Golf
Bad weather (it's raining right now)
Wish I was in Florida (it's not raining there) Disney (It's in Orlando)

My little boy Jacob (we took Him to Disney last year) Learning to play (Jacob actually has his own sticks!)
My Mustang (We have a beautiful picture of Jacob in front of my stang)
John (When I think of my car, I think of my friend John who has a
Porsche)
Golf Pro (John *almost* turned pro as a golfer when he left school)
PGA events (I'd love to go see a tournament with all the big
stars!)
Tiger Woods (Stars don't get any bigger than that!)

I could keep going on and on, but I just want to illustrate a point and show you what I've already gathered just from this brainstorming session through "stream of consciousness."

Want to get the most of your golf game? Here's how...

1. Make alternate plans.  Sometimes weather conditions don't allow you to play golf at your own course.  Don't let that get you down!  Instead, travel an hour or two away to a neighboring course where weather conditions are right for golf (It ain't raining there!)  In addition to having an enjoyable time at a DIFFERENT course, it can actually make you a better golfer, simply because there are NEW CHALLENGES.  You may face bunkers
that you don't have at your course.  The greens may be incredibly fast.  The Par 4's may seem like Par 5's because of their distance.  It can actually better equip you as a golfer by facing new challenges designed for different degree of skills.

2. Take a Vacation.  There are many special "golf vacation packages" available throughout the country.  So, go play them! Golf is available all year round in Florida, for example -- so, even in the winter, you can play.  That's when most golfers get "rusty" because they take a couple of months off.  And it takes a while to get back into the "routine."  So, plan a winter getaway and stay on track.

3. Involve your family.  I love to play golf with my wife and my little boy is learning how to play.  What better way to better your own game, than by teaching others and watching others.  Blah blah blah blah blah <I would go on to explain some things about using golf as a way to strengthen family bonds, etc.)

4. Ask Folks For Advice.  <I would talk about how my buddy John is very knowledgeable about the mechanics of golf and that I ask him for help with my game and how you should do the same by finding folks at your course that you can become friends with who can give you pointers.

5. Attend Events.  <I would talk about going to PGA (or amateur)
events to WATCH professionals play and learn from them.>

6. Read and Apply. <I would talk about how Tiger Woods has a book out entitled "How I Play Golf" and that reading instructional books and watching instructional videos from pros are great ways to improve your own game.  I'd talk about how many of these are available for free viewing at the library>

Do you see how I generated 6 new ideas in a VERY SHORT amount of time just by letting my mind wander? Stream of consciousness thinking can really be helpful in coming up with more ideas for writing content. I could easily have kept going with the thought process and probably generated 25 more ideas to write about.

Do it. Sit down and write down the first thing that pops into your mind after writing down each new word or phrase. After about 10 minutes, look back over your list and see what kinds of ideas start popping into your mind.

29. Use Quotations.

A proven way to succeed in writing when ideas don't come easily is to use quotations. Finding famous quotes from United States Presidents, Diplomats, Actors, Scientists, Inventors and the like, always makes for good reading and inspiration.

For example, American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated “Next to the originator of a good sentence is the first quoter of it. Many will read the book before one thinks of quoting a passage. As soon as he has done this, that
line will be quoted east and west.” Cool, huh?
Did you also notice that I actually USED A QUOTE in this tip as PART OF THE CONTENT.

I'll let you ponder on that one for a bit.

30. Don't Quit.

Best advice I can give you.  Don't quit. Don't give up. Don't back down. Don't scrap the idea. Don't walk away. Don't stop. Don't forget about it.

DON'T QUIT.

Believe in yourself.  Take baby steps if you must, but get the job done. Don't listen to negative people. Stay focused and get the job done.

You are a writer -- or you wouldn't be interested enough to read this far. Don't sell yourself short.


Instead, sell a million copies!




God bless,


Jimmy D. Brown

Posted in Blog