Solving Common Problems in Writing E-Books

On any lengthy, complex project such as an e-book, you inevitably run into a few sticky spots. Some originate from outside the work itself (your personal circumstances change, for example), and others originate from within the e-book (perhaps you realize that Chapters 10–12 are massively off-course). If you’re up against a problem, look for a solution in this list:

I have several ideas, and I don’t know which e-book to write first. You might have a whole list of potential books to work on. In many cases, though, it doesn’t matter much which e-book you tackle first — as long as you tackle only one and see it through to the end.

Think hard about your goals and motivations for writing an e-book, and choose the idea that best fits. (For example, if you want a good income stream, choose whichever project has the strongest potential market.) If you’re still unsure, tackle the smallest idea first — the one that will be the shortest e-book.

I thought I had enough material for a 25,000-word e-book, but I wrapped it all up in 10,000 words. Some writers excel at conveying information and ideas concisely — an important skill, but one that can get in the way of writing an outstanding e-book. Show your shorter- than-expected e-book to a few people in your target audience. If they find it hard to follow, you may need to explain concepts in more detail. If they enjoy it as is, publish it — and use your spare writing time on a second e-book.

I’ve written half my e-book, and I’ve already reached the allowable word count. This problem is the opposite of the one in the preceding bullet — you realize that if you continue following your plan, you’ll have an e-book that’s much too long for your intended audience. Use this problem as an opportunity to revise your plan, perhaps by splitting your e-book into two separate works, for example. You may also need to look at your existing material to see whether you’ve overwritten; perhaps you’ve included lots of information on side topics or you’ve repeated yourself.

I’ve completely lost my enthusiasm for my topic. Sometimes, after adding a few chapters to your e-book, you find that every word feels like torture. You’re bored and fed up, and you wonder what in the world possessed you to choose this subject in the first place. Perhaps you picked it for the potential financial rewards. In that case, you need to decide whether the money you’ll make is worth the effort to continue. You may be able to salvage what you’ve already written, possibly by converting the content into a shorter e-book or even a series of blog posts.

I need to include information on X, but I don’t know anything about the topic. When you create your plan, it becomes clear that your e-book needs to cover a particular subtopic — unfortunately, it’s not one that falls within your expertise. For example, you might write an e-book on how to set up a website and you want to include information on choosing a domain name — but you don’t know anything about it.

You have two options:

• Research the topic by consulting articles or books written by people who do know about the topic.

• Ask an expert to contribute a short passage for your e-book. Sometimes, people do this in return for an acknowledgement and a mention of their products or services.

Several important commitments have come up in my life. Sometimes, your e-book is chugging along and an external event, or a series of events, derails it. Maybe you end up busier than usual at work, or a family member falls ill. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: You suddenly have little free time (or energy) to work on your e-book. Several solutions are available:

• If the crisis will be short-lived, consider putting your e-book on hold temporarily. To be able to restart after life returns to normal, jot down a few notes to yourself about where you were when you stopped and what you were planning to write next.

• If your new commitment is likely to last a long time (a new child in the family, for example, or a health problem), you may need to revise your e-book plan. Try to convert the material you’ve already written to a shorter e-book, or bring a friend or colleague on board as a co-author to help finish.

• If you want to stick to the plan, try to change the times or places in which you write. For example, you might be able to fit in a half-hour of writing early in the morning, before work, if you’re exhausted in the evening after a long day. If you’re doing a lot of traveling, you might be able to write on the plane or scribble notes while riding the bus.

My family and friends are unsupportive. It’s quite discouraging when your spouse believes that you’re wasting your time or your kids roll their eyes at you or your friends laugh at your dreams. Explain your motivations to them, and if they then realize what your e-book means to you, they might be more supportive. Sometimes, though, you need to seek support elsewhere, by looking for a group of writers locally or for an online forum to join.

Even if you have to modify your e-book plans, don’t give up on your goal — focus on finishing your e-book and publishing it. Try to see your e-book not as your only shot at producing your magnum opus but, rather, as the first milestone on a hugely rewarding path.