If you have not finished writing all of the content you will include in your e-book, do that first.
When it comes to editing the most important step you can
take, one that can make the difference between serious sales volume and no sales at all, is choosing a great title.
When you were doing Amazon research earlier, you probably came across a lot of “stinker” titles. You also no doubt encountered some that were crafted so well, they made you want to buy the book. This is proof in itself that you can have the greatest information in the world inside your e-book, but if your title is horrible, your sales will be as well.
Here are some quick and simple, proven copywriting tips and strategies which ensure you come up with a click-magnet title.
Include numbers, and don’t spell them out. “Facebook Pay per Click Advertising Mistakes” is nowhere near as engaging as “Top 10 Facebook Pay per Click Advertising Mistakes”.- Talk about benefits. The words simple, fast, quickly, easy, overnight and automatic imply benefits. If you are writing about weight loss, adding “In Just 21 Days” to your title (as long as that time period or some other is applicable) instantly makes it more appealing.
- Look at the chapter titles you discovered in your Amazon research. Reading through them can give you an idea for a title that will guarantee sales.
- Use “How To” to start your title, include a number, and a short but achievable time-frame. “How to Write and Publish a Profitable E-Book in Just 21 Days from Start to Finish” is a very appealing e-book title.
- Always add a sub-title. A great subtitle for the tile just mentioned would be “Even If You Have Never Written Anything Longer Than an Email”.
One of many great headline writing resources at HubSpot is located at http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/headline-writing-tips#sm.0001h05b7pcvpfsdzda1hc845bdru. Several “fill in the blank” formulas for writing attention grabbing e-book headlines are included.
Editing Means Reading
You have come up with a can’t miss title, and you have written all of the chapters, introduction and conclusion of your e-book. It is time to start reading. Before you begin editing, take a couple of days off of writing. Don’t think about the book. Let your mind focus on life, and anything else other than your writing project.
Now come back to your e-book.
Just start reading. As you go, you will notice words, phrases, paragraphs and sections of text that you thought were excellent earlier, and realize they just don’t work. This is what editing is about. Highlight them for removal or editing later, and do this with your entire book.
When you are done, go back and make the necessary changes. You can also do this on a chapter by chapter basis if you do not have enough time to handle the entire process at once.
Put Your Friends to Work
Having other people read your e-book, especially those who would be interested in the topic, is an editing practice that the professionals use. You can read through your own work a dozen times, and you simply won’ perceive it the way someone else does. You can also reach out to your current clients and customers, and offer them a free copy if they give you honest editing advice.
Read Your Book Out Loud
This is a strategy the world’s wealthiest and most successful copywriters use all the time. You will be amazed at the problems you can spot when you read your content out loud, that you just can’t see when you read your book on a monitor. This is a huge help when trying to spot problems with how your content flows.
