Writing tips and strategies for ebook authors.30 writing tips for e book authors. Jimmy
D. Brown’s How
Anyone Can Become a
Better Writer By
Following Time
Tested Writing Strategies ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
2 of 29 NOTICE:
You DO Have the Right to
Reprint or Resell this Report! You
Also MAY Give Away, Sell
or Share the Content Herein [As
long as you don’t change anything, misrepresent the report,
use SPAM or
generally do something ya know you’re not supposed to do!] ©
Copyright 2008 Jimmy D. Brown ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED. No
part of this
report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
whatsoever, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any informational
storage or retrieval system without express written,
dated and signed permission
from the author. DISCLAIMER
AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES: The
information presented herein represents the view of the author
as of the date of publication.
Because of the rate with which conditions change, the
author reserves the right to alter
and update his opinion based on the new conditions. The
report is for informational purposes
only. While every attempt has been made to verify the
information provided in this report,
neither the author nor his affiliates/partners assume any
responsibility for errors, inaccuracies
or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations
are unintentional. If advice concerning
legal or related matters is needed, the services of a
fully qualified professional should
be sought. This report is not intended for use as a source
of legal or accounting advice. You
should be aware of any laws which govern business transactions
or other business practices
in your country and state. Any reference to any person
or business whether living or dead
is purely coincidental. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
3 of 29 Jimmy
D. Brown Jimmy D. Brown is
widely considered one
of the web’s leading email marketing
consultants. He’s been one of
the featured speakers
at the world's largest Internet marketing seminars, such as
the Big
Seminar and the System
Seminar. He’s been interviewed by
some of the most
successful marketers in the world, like Yanik Silver and Jim
Edwards. He’s privately
counseled some of the top "gurus". And those who've submitted
testimonials for his products
are like a who's who of Internet
marketing... •
John
Reese •
Armand
Morin •
Terry
Dean •
Paul
Myers •
Stephen
Pierce •
Jim
Edwards •
Alex
Mandossian •
Phil
Wiley •
Ryan
Deiss •
Jason
Potash Just to name a
few. His Small
Reports Fortune course is getting
rave reviews from seasoned Internet
Marketers as well as from
college students, stay-at-home moms and retired
grandparents. In the Small
Reports for Big Profits system he outlines a step-by-step plan
that is simple to
follow, yet incredibly powerful when it comes to generating
large amounts of profits
(think 6 figures). Jimmy has helped
thousands of people
establish and grow online businesses since 1999, and
has created *dozens
of best-selling internet marketing courses*. When he’s not
working, Jimmy is found
spending time with his family (lovely wife Paula and “just
as stubborn as his
daddy” son, Jacob) or out playing tennis. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
4 of 29 He has an online
daily devotional site
at Living4Jesus.com where over 700
of his original
devotionals are archived. Other
products from Jimmy: For the first-time
ever, people just like
you are learning how to start their own
Infoproduct Empires (and they
certainly aren’t writers!) ... Would you like to
know how? Get
a FREE copy of my Report “5
STEPS TO A BIG-PROFIT, S.M.A.L.L.™
REPORT BUSINESS” Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
5 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
6 of 29 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. Let's
begin by looking at WHAT to write about... FREE REPORT
-> "5
STEPS TO A
BIG-PROFIT, S.M.A.L.L.™ REPORT BUSINESS
" Discover
my *exclusive* system that will show you how you can turn
7-15 page
small reports into a Six-Figure Information Empire! Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
7 of 29 Section
01: Hot Topics
To Write About .............................................................................................. 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... Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
8 of 29 ...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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
9 of 29 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. FREE REPORT
-> "5
STEPS TO A
BIG-PROFIT, S.M.A.L.L.™ REPORT BUSINESS " In
this free report, you’ll discover my *exclusive* system that
will show you how
you can turn 7-15 page small reports into a Six-Figure
Information Empire! Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
10 of 29 Section
02: Generating
Ideas and Research .............................................................................................. 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! Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
11 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
12 of 29 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 Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
13 of 29 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. Want
to know what it is? Click
Here for more information. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
14 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
15 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
16 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
17 of 29 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. -------------------
Sidebar --------------------- 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 Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
18 of 29 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.) -------------------
Sidebar --------------------- 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
19 of 29 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 Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
20 of 29 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 Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30 Writing
Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
21 of 29 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) Are
your ebooks
selling? If not, click here. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
22 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
23 of 29 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. -------------------
Sidebar --------------------- 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. -------------------
Sidebar --------------------- Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
24 of 29 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). Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
25 of 29 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) Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
26 of 29 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.> Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
27 of 29 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. Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
28 of 29 Instead,
sell a million copies! God bless, Jimmy D.
Brown Author, www.SmallReportsFortune.com PS… Did
you Grab a copy of
my free Report “5
STEPS TO A
BIG-PROFIT, S.M.A.L.L.™
REPORT
BUSINESS” yet? What’re
you waiting for? Jimmy
D. Brown’s 30
Writing Tips for eBook Authors ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ©
2008 – Jimmy D. Brown Page
29 of 29 Recommended
Resources • List
P.R.O.F.I.T. System™. Free Report
Teaches Beginners The Exact Same List Marketing System That
Every "Guru" On The Planet Uses To Make Money On
Autopilot. Click
Here for more
details. • S.M.A.L.L.
Reports Fortune™. Learn the
exact 5-step system I personally use to create tiny reports
(like the one you’re reading right now) that rake in thousands
of dollars in profit every single month! (I'll show you PROOF
inside with 3 separate case study examples of the system at work.). Click Here for more
details. • S.A.L.E.S.
A.R.M.Y. Secrets™. Ask any of
the Top Internet Marketers what their #1 source of traffic is
and, (if they're honest with you) they'll give you an answer that
might surprise you. (I know, because it's my #1 source of
traffic, too.). Click
Here for more
details. • Six-Figure
Formula™: How to Earn $100K A Year In Only 3 Hours A Day. I'll
Personally Show You How I Run My Own Business And Together
We'll Custom Tailor A Plan of Action You Can Use To Build a
Six-Figure Business In Only 3 Hours A Day. Click
Here for more
details. Return from free writing tips for more internet marketing books. Return from writing tips and strategies to compare-work-at home.
|
