| Nervous about writing your first e-book? Never | | | | her kids the right way. Give her helpful |
| fear. E-books are written in a conversational, | | | | instructions, and make her day!Fill up your e-book |
| informative style that's easy for the reader to | | | | with instructions of all kinds. Imagine you're writing |
| understand, and easy for you to imitate as you | | | | an e-book about knitting. This subject begs for |
| write them. Whether it's ten pages about Smart | | | | how-to copy! "How to Do a Basic Stitch." "How to |
| Finances, 50 pages on How to Care for Your Cat | | | | Knit a Scarf."How-to sections can be written in |
| or 250 pages covering Secrets of the World's | | | | numbered steps, but they don't have to be. It |
| Best Yoga Masters, there are several e-book | | | | depends on the topic. Suppose you wanted to |
| formats you can write to that are | | | | write a basic career guide. One major section of |
| thought-provoking enough to get your words | | | | interest might be, How to Get Along Better With |
| flowing, and flexible enough to make them as long | | | | Your Boss. You can easily break this up into bits, |
| or short as you like. Each of these formats is | | | | like so:- Put yourself in your boss's shoes |
| extremely appealing to the readers for its breezy, | | | | - Develop a positive outlook |
| informative style.Format 1: Q & A. Question and | | | | - Start thinking of the department's needs |
| Answer sections win major popularity points with | | | | instead of just your own |
| e-book readers for their direct, no-nonsense | | | | - Consider your own work habits from an |
| approach. Pose a question, offer an answer. This | | | | outsider's viewpoint |
| format is extremely simple to create because | | | | - Open the lines of communication |
| right from the get-go, the copywriter is forced to | | | | - Take a problem-solving approachYou won't |
| jump into the mind of the consumer, isolate his | | | | believe how quick and easy it is to fill in the details |
| concerns, and then offer solutions. Switching | | | | for each of these major points. If you keep it up, |
| perspectives is also a great mental exercise that | | | | you might eventually need your own instructions: |
| lets you to see both sides of a situation. Why | | | | "How to Stop Writing How-To Lists!"Format 4: |
| would you want to do this? If you can empathise | | | | Problem-Solution. The problem-solution format is a |
| with the reader, you'll be able to answer in a way | | | | lot like Q & A. It's another perspective-switching |
| that keeps his best interests in mind... and that | | | | technique that will sharpen your knowledge of the |
| makes him happy. If he's happy, he'll keep reading. | | | | reader's needs and wants while establishing you as |
| If he keeps reading, he may ask for more | | | | the person with the answers. Let's pretend you're |
| information like this. And presto, you just landed | | | | writing an e-book for a life coach. She plans to |
| yourself more writing work!The style in which you | | | | include the e-book as part of her coaching kit to |
| write your questions will of course depend on the | | | | help clients achieve more in their lives. What are |
| subjectmatter. If your topic is a dry one, write | | | | some problems a life coach's client might face? |
| your questions and answers in a formal tone. If | | | | Stress. Boredom. Loneliness.Tackle these issues |
| the theme is light and casual, try a conversational | | | | from the reader's point of view, as so:Things that |
| tone, like this:Q: How do I figure out what | | | | Keep Me from Moving Forward With My Life- I |
| questions to ask? A: That's easy; do some web | | | | have too much to do, and not enough hours to |
| research! There are forums for just about any | | | | do it all. |
| topic on the internet. Visit one or two, and find | | | | - My job is dull and uninspiring. |
| out what the most commonly asked questions | | | | - I don't have many friends to keep my energy |
| are. Let's say your e-book is going to be about | | | | levels up.Each heading will require a response on |
| quilting. Locate some handicraft or quilting | | | | your part; a paragraph or two where you can |
| websites, sleuth around the boards for a while, | | | | expound on ways to solve the issues at hand and |
| and you might find someone asking this popular | | | | help the reader realize that she's not locked into |
| question: How do I silkscreen family photos to my | | | | any situation. Problem-solution formats are inspiring |
| quilt? There you go! Real concerns, from real | | | | to write to because they replace negative, |
| people. Put them in your e-book!Another good | | | | self-defeating thoughts with positive, energizing |
| way to find questions is to scroll the annals of | | | | ones. You may find yourself catching the fever |
| your mind for real-life situations. Maybe you're | | | | even as you write them for your clients! And that |
| writing a book about senior citizen retirement | | | | will inspire you to accomplish even more in your |
| homes. Your grandma was in one, wasn't she? | | | | own life.Format 5: Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing |
| What were her concerns? How about, "What do I | | | | viewpoints is a fun way to play devil's advocate in |
| do with all my stuff before I move in?" "What if I | | | | your writing. Take the recent article I wrote on |
| don't get along with my roommate?" "How can I | | | | Copywriting: "11 Reasons Not to Hire a Freelance |
| ensure that my dietary needs are taken care of?" | | | | Copywriter (and Why They're All Poor Excuses!)." |
| Train yourself to think like the interested | | | | Throughout this piece, I set up points that the |
| consumer. Once you do this, you won't believe | | | | buyer might feel are valid reasons not to hire a |
| how quickly the ideas come.Format 2: Numbered | | | | writer- and then I "shot each one down" with solid |
| Lists. If you haven't noticed already, this article is | | | | evidence to the contrary. Some subheadings I |
| written as a Numbered List. Even though it's not | | | | used:Excuse 1. "Why pay someone else when I |
| part of an e-book, it could easily be incorporated | | | | can do the writing myself?" |
| into one. The numbered list will suit your e-book | | | | Excuse 2. "I know my product/business better |
| quite nicely.People are drawn to lists for several | | | | than anyone else." |
| reasons:1) The eye naturally wants to scan | | | | Excuse 3. "I find it difficult to work with someone |
| anything in list format from top to bottom.2) Lists | | | | in a remote location."This may seem like a sneaky |
| provide incentive, followed by accomplishment. If | | | | format, in that you seem to be writing from one |
| you're reading along and you come to number | | | | point of view when actually you favor the |
| eight in a list of 11 items, you know you're 3/4 of | | | | opposite; but it's a quick and effective way to |
| the way home! That's surely a reason to keep on | | | | hook the reader's interest and hold it. People love |
| trucking.3) Lists offer brief resting points that | | | | to argue; why not create an imaginary debate |
| allow the brain to absorb what it just read before | | | | scenario that they can relate to! If your e-book is |
| moving on.Lists are just as easy to write as they | | | | meant to persuade and convince people to try |
| are to read. Let's say you're writing an e-book, | | | | new things, the "opposing viewpoints" format is a |
| How to Enhance Your Children's Lives. In the | | | | classic way to develop a good argument and |
| e-book is a sub-section, Fun Activities for a Rainy | | | | entice the reader to follow your lead.Still |
| Day. The time comes to write it, but you're | | | | intimidated about writing your own e-book? You |
| drawing a total blank. Then you remember the | | | | shouldn't be! Whether you're a |
| numbered list format! It's worth a shot. In one | | | | wet-behind-the-ears writer or an old, seasoned |
| burst, you scribble:1. Bake cookies | | | | pro, writing e-books is an easy, fun and lucrative |
| 2. Paint with watercolors | | | | way to develop your credibility on the web as |
| 3. Teach them a new card game | | | | well as broaden your knowledge on a wide |
| 4. Write poetry together | | | | variety of topics. Use these tried and true |
| 5. Plant some garden seedsLook at that! In less | | | | formats to fill page after page with interesting |
| than a minute, you managed to come up with 5 | | | | information written in a friendly, conversational |
| intriguing topics that can be developed at great | | | | tone. Master the art of great e-book writing! It will |
| length. And what's this, you just thought of four | | | | win you new readers and keep the old ones |
| more! Once you're in the groove, it will be difficult | | | | coming back for more.Copyright 2005 Dina |
| to stop. That's the great thing about list writing. | | | | Giolitto. All rights reserved.Liked this article? Have |
| Can you see how this could quickly add up to lots | | | | more of the same emailed to your inbox each |
| of e-book pages?Format 3: How-Tos. Your | | | | month. Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing |
| e-book reader is forever searching for new ideas, | | | | Ezine from Dina at and learn to write search |
| practical advice and solutions that work. She | | | | engine friendly web copy and market your web |
| wants to be told, step by step, how to go about | | | | based business for free. |
| everything from home repairs to taxes, to raising | | | | |