Writing ebooks can generally be a fluid creative process but it is easy for this process to spiral off track and out of control. It is fine to allow creative license but this should be contained within the overall process and overall goal of the eBook you are writing.
It is far easier to treat your eBook business like creating a tangible product (such as a car). In doing so, the ‘product’ should have an early prototyping phase where ideas, ideation (the creation of more ideas) and innovation (the commercializing of inventions) can be nurtured. Prototyping eBook ideas can include activities such as creating mind-maps, drawing up story line arcs, writing rough drawing storyboards (high level chapters or stages of your book), etc.
After prototyping your eBook ideas you are ready to start into the execution phase of producing and writing your eBook. The stages mentioned below are formed in such a way that the overall goal of your eBook filters down into each activity.
• Establish the goal of your eBook.
Writing ebooks that put across a well defined goal will always prove better than a book that appears to be a mish-mash of posts/articles from your website. Set the goal(s) and stick to them.
• List off all the jobs you will need to do to complete the book.
This can be as simple as taking your rough listing of chapters, add any formatting/presentation that will be required and not forgetting research that you (or others) will need to do. You’ll have your own list of add-on tasks specific to your eBooks subject. Give each task a rough level of effort (e.g. 2 days to complete chapter 1).
• Highlight those jobs that require external help; source and schedule their time early on.
Planning to use a personal assist to do some research for your book? Intending interview some industry leaders to add some real world insight? Well, then you’ll need to front load booking their time and add this to your list of jobs/schedule.
• Put in a margin of error
Knowing this margin of error as a percentage only really comes to you with some experience of knowing how many days over your writing will go. As a starter, add 10 to 15% contingency.
By this stage you now have a list of all the work to be done. You could use project management software to plan this out and establish the duration of all your work. Alternately, use a whiteboard with the days of the week and add post-it notes for each action to be completed. Or just keep it simple by adding the actions to your diary along with any planned holidays you wish to take (so you know to work around them).
• Keep on top of things as you implement your plan so that you always know if you are on track.
As you start to write your eBook, refer back to your planned list of jobs (on the whiteboard/diary/PM software) and track if you are on time or falling behind. Deal with setbacks/changes as they arise and use your contingency if needed.
• Set yourself milestones and track them in a report.
To keep your motivation levels up, work to attaining minor milestones when writing eBooks that could include completing chapters, completing research, finishing formatting, etc. The prospect of writing a 300 page eBook is much more daunting than sprinting through a 10 page chapter.
• Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Last thing to do is a post mortem.
You’re done! Now you have completed your plan, take a look back at what was done right/wrong and how accurate your estimates were. Note down items you had not planned for which affected your timelines (delays with research/other work commitments/etc.) so that your next eBook will have more predictable timelines of delivery. Gauge what direction your own eBook business is taking and if there are smarter ways of creating your content.
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