Monday, March 13, 2006
How to Write a digiBook
The hardest part of writing is the first sentence.
When you look at the whole project, it seems like an impossible task. That's why you have to break it down into manageable tasks. Think of climbing a mountain.You are standing at the foot of it and looking up at its summit vanishing into the clouds.
How can you possibly scale such an immense and dangerous mountain?
There is only one way to climb a mountain -- step by step.
Now think of writing your ebook in the same light. You must create it step by step, and one day, you will take that last step and find yourself standing on the summit with your head in the clouds.
The first thing you have to do, as if you actually were a mountain climber, is to get organized. Instead of climbing gear, however, you must organize your thoughts. There are some steps you should take before you begin. Once you've gone through the following list, you will be ready to actually begin writing your digibook.
Beginning Steps to Writing a digibook
First, figure out your digibook's working title. Jot down a few different titles, and eventually, you'll find that one that will grow on you. Titles help you to focus your writing on your topic; they guide you in anticipating and answering your reader's queries. Many non-fiction books also have subtitles. Aim for clarity in your titles, but cleverness always helps to sell books -- as long as it's not too cute.
For example, "Remedies for Insomnia: 20 different ways to count sheep."
Or "Get off that couch: 15 exercise plans to whip you into shape."
Next, write out a thesis statement. Your thesis is a sentence or two stating exactly what problem you are addressing and how your book will solve that problem. All chapters spring forth from your thesis statement.Once you've got your thesis statement fine-tuned, you've built your foundation. From that foundation, your digibook will grow, chapter by chapter.
Your thesis will keep you focused while you write your digibook.
Remember: all chapters must support your thesis statement. If they don't, they don't belong in your digibook. For example, your thesis statement could read:
We've all experienced insomnia at times in our lives, but there are twenty proven techniques and methods to give you back a good night's sleep.
Once you have your thesis, before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to write your digibook. Ask your self some questions:
* Does your digibook present useful information and isthat information currently relevant?
* Will you digibook positively affect the lives of your readers?
* Is your digibook dynamic and will it keep the reader's attention?
* Does you digibook answer questions that are meaningful and significant?
If you can answer yes to these questions, you can feel confident about the potential of your digibook.
Another important step is to figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of people you will be writing to, and this group will dictate many elements of your digibook, such as style, tone, diction, and even length.
Figure out the age range of your readers, their general gender, what they are most interested in, and even the socio-economic group they primarily come from. Are they people who read fashion magazines or book reviews? Do they write letters in longhand or spend hours every day online.
The more you can pin down your target audience, the easier it will be to write your digibook for them.
Once you've written your digibook, tell me and let's publish it. You can sell it at www.digiBook.ph.
============================================
IAN Del CARMEN, 27, is a TV writer and Internet entrepreneur. He is the CEO of the first Filipino-owned and Philippines-based eBookstore on the worldwide web with a real-time payment facility, DIGIBOOK DOT PH. He owns DIGIBOOK PUBLISHING HOUSE and the network of web sites including www.digiBook.ph, www.eAklat.com, www.TripToQuiapo.com, www.GoogleAdsensePowerPack.com, www.PodcastingPowerPack.com, www.BloggingPowerPack.com, www.PublicDomainExtreme.com, and an up-coming webcasting network, www.YeheyTV.com.
When you look at the whole project, it seems like an impossible task. That's why you have to break it down into manageable tasks. Think of climbing a mountain.You are standing at the foot of it and looking up at its summit vanishing into the clouds.
How can you possibly scale such an immense and dangerous mountain?
There is only one way to climb a mountain -- step by step.
Now think of writing your ebook in the same light. You must create it step by step, and one day, you will take that last step and find yourself standing on the summit with your head in the clouds.
The first thing you have to do, as if you actually were a mountain climber, is to get organized. Instead of climbing gear, however, you must organize your thoughts. There are some steps you should take before you begin. Once you've gone through the following list, you will be ready to actually begin writing your digibook.
Beginning Steps to Writing a digibook
First, figure out your digibook's working title. Jot down a few different titles, and eventually, you'll find that one that will grow on you. Titles help you to focus your writing on your topic; they guide you in anticipating and answering your reader's queries. Many non-fiction books also have subtitles. Aim for clarity in your titles, but cleverness always helps to sell books -- as long as it's not too cute.
For example, "Remedies for Insomnia: 20 different ways to count sheep."
Or "Get off that couch: 15 exercise plans to whip you into shape."
Next, write out a thesis statement. Your thesis is a sentence or two stating exactly what problem you are addressing and how your book will solve that problem. All chapters spring forth from your thesis statement.Once you've got your thesis statement fine-tuned, you've built your foundation. From that foundation, your digibook will grow, chapter by chapter.
Your thesis will keep you focused while you write your digibook.
Remember: all chapters must support your thesis statement. If they don't, they don't belong in your digibook. For example, your thesis statement could read:
We've all experienced insomnia at times in our lives, but there are twenty proven techniques and methods to give you back a good night's sleep.
Once you have your thesis, before you start to write, make sure there is a good reason to write your digibook. Ask your self some questions:
* Does your digibook present useful information and isthat information currently relevant?
* Will you digibook positively affect the lives of your readers?
* Is your digibook dynamic and will it keep the reader's attention?
* Does you digibook answer questions that are meaningful and significant?
If you can answer yes to these questions, you can feel confident about the potential of your digibook.
Another important step is to figure out who your target audience is. It is this group of people you will be writing to, and this group will dictate many elements of your digibook, such as style, tone, diction, and even length.
Figure out the age range of your readers, their general gender, what they are most interested in, and even the socio-economic group they primarily come from. Are they people who read fashion magazines or book reviews? Do they write letters in longhand or spend hours every day online.
The more you can pin down your target audience, the easier it will be to write your digibook for them.
Once you've written your digibook, tell me and let's publish it. You can sell it at www.digiBook.ph.
============================================
IAN Del CARMEN, 27, is a TV writer and Internet entrepreneur. He is the CEO of the first Filipino-owned and Philippines-based eBookstore on the worldwide web with a real-time payment facility, DIGIBOOK DOT PH. He owns DIGIBOOK PUBLISHING HOUSE and the network of web sites including www.digiBook.ph, www.eAklat.com, www.TripToQuiapo.com, www.GoogleAdsensePowerPack.com, www.PodcastingPowerPack.com, www.BloggingPowerPack.com, www.PublicDomainExtreme.com, and an up-coming webcasting network, www.YeheyTV.com.
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