3:  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.
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3. Outlining and Organization (continued)

1. Create a Plan of Action.

 

To help you achieve your goals and stay focused on the objectives, you should have a well laid out action plan.  This plan will cover the steps you need to take to get you from where you are currently, to the ultimate goal of where you want to be. 

 

Many folks tell you to set high goals and try to get to them.  Personally, I think that’s a recipe for discouragement.  If you set ten goals and you only get to one of them, how do you feel?  Like a failure.  At least that’s how I feel.

 

On the other hand, if you have ten REACHABLE goals and you nail them all, how do you feel?  Like a success.  And that feeling fuels you on to accomplish more and more.

 

I like to do what I call ”above and beyond goal setting.”  I set myself realistic, reachable writing assignments and then I try to go “above and beyond” that goal.  In other words, my goal for today might be to write 10 more tips for this eBook.  And I’ll shoot for 15.  If I get 15, then super-yippee!  But, if I only get the 10 done (which is very realistic) then I still feel like I’ve accomplished something.

 

It’s all mental.  And I like to keep my mind happy and feeling victorious.  )

2. 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.

 

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 ) 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.

3. Tackle One Goal at a Time.

 

Closely relating to that is HOW you tackle that checklist.  While sometimes with writing it’s important and necessary to look at the big picture and not so much the little things, when goal setting and staying focused, you might try focusing on only a few goals at a time.  If you start looking at everything at once, you can become confused and frustrated, and might lose sight of where you want to be. 

 

Instead, concentrate your efforts on THE NEXT ENTRY ON THE CHECKLIST.  Don’t look at the entire checklist, just what’s next. 

 

When we travel (which is a LOT) we take a look at the full map to see where we will be going and to get an idea of which way we’ll be traveling.  BUT, during the road trip itself, we focus on ONE ROAD AT A TIME.  All we need to know is which way to turn NEXT.  What’s important during the journey is the next step.

 

Same thing applies to writing an eBook — yes, take a look at the whole map and see where you are going — but focus on the next entry on the checklist.  You can’t complete the journey until you take the next step in front of you.

4. Establish Support Systems.

 

Maintaining some type of support system will help you keep it all together.  Writing, although incredibly rewarding, can also be very frustrating.  Keeping a strong support or buddy system in place will keep you focused and on track.

 

Keep people around you who will help you be accountable for your writing, people who know how to encourage, but also challenge.  When you want to celebrate a success, pull in your support system.  When you need a shoulder to cry on when something didn’t go as well as you would have liked, again, use your support system. (Hey, we all need somebody to lean on!)  Your support systems needs to consist of people whom love and care for you and share in your goal to succeed in writing.

 

But, you also want them to be HONEST with you.  If a chapter stinks, it would be better to know about it NOW so you can fix it instead of publishing your eBook and letting the world be your critic.  I tell my friends up front:  “tell me the truth, but go easy on me.”

5. Celebrate the 1/4 Milestones.

 

Just as you will reward yourself for completing your eBook, you should also celebrate what I call “1/4 milestones.”  They aren’t big enough to be considered a milestone, so they are like a quarter-milestone. 

 

If you have twenty chapters of an eBook to write, after you’ve written five chapters, celebrate with something small.  Then after the next five chapters, another small treat.  This will keep you focused on your objectives and gear you toward that next milestone, and then on to the big finale.

 

For me, I like to treat myself to a nice big bowl of cheese dip and a bag of tortilla chips.  And if you saw my picture, you’d see that I’ve passed a lot of 1/4 milestones in the past few years!  )

 

But seriously, it’s important to staying focused that you take the time to celebrate your achievements.  They may not be “Climbing Mount Everest” significant, but they are equally as monumental to getting your product completed.

 

How about a few more organization and outlining ideas that you can use?…

6. Use Color Codes.

 

As you start putting your ideas and thoughts together, try to separate them out using colored binders or color highlighters in notebooks.  Keep all relative research for each chapter separate and devise a system to coordinate each section.

 

This will help you stay focused on one thing at a time and keep your thoughts organized.  In addition, try a system using labels, in order to quickly and easily identify each section of the book.  As you need to add or change something, you can very easily pull out the appropriate file and focus only on that.

7. Plan An Idea Family Tree.

 

If you have a general idea for a story, with this exercise, you will start writing your thoughts about how that story will branch out – pretty much like the layout of a family tree or business organization chart. 

 

For example, let’s say you’ve decided to write about Movie Making.  Make “Movie Making” the top of the tree.  Then move down to “subordinates” and list those.  These could include “Directing”, “Producing” and “Acting.”  Then you move down again.  Now you might have “Movie Locations”, “Era”, “Subject Matter.”  This continues all the way down until the “tree” is complete and there are no more layers to add.

 

Once you’ve put everything out on paper, you may need to move a few things around but in general this will provide you with a good idea of how the story would flow, starting at the top and working all the way down to the bottom.  You can do this exercise for no matter what subject matter you’re working on.

 

It’s a great way to plan the STRUCTURE of your eBook and perfect for getting organized for your outline.  Once you complete it, it’s just a matter of “filling-in-the-blanks.”

8. Break it Up.

 

Rather than trying to cram all your outline ideas onto the pages, literally start at the top and work your way down.  On your paper, jot down three ideas and call them Idea 1, Idea 2, and Idea 3.  Place Idea 1 at the top of your paper, Idea 2 in the middle, and Idea 3 toward the bottom.  Come up with two or three sub-ideas for each main idea and list them under the appropriate title.  From these sub-ideas, you will start to build the sentences and paragraphs.

9. Design a Cover.

 

Don’t forget to get your own customized eBook cover art created to use on your webpage.  Statistics show that by simply having an eBook cover art graphic on your sales letter you can actually increase your sales by up to 300%.

 

That’s selling THREE TIMES AS MANY copies of our eBook simply because you have a visual representation of your eBook on your site.

 

Do you see how a visual representation of your product can increase sales?  It just looks more professional and more valuable. 

 

Presentation of your offer is JUST as important as your offer itself.

10. Graphic Outlines.

 

Why not try capturing your thoughts in free-association diagrams, without giving much thought to how it will all fit together.  The reason for this is that it helps you from worrying about keeping the thoughts in order.  In a way, it’s a form of brainstorming.  The actual name of this exercise is “idea-clustering” or “mind mapping.” 

 

It helps you to (a) organize your ideas and (b) come up with new ideas to share.

 

In our next installment, we’ll talk about staying motivated during the ebook writing process…

Part 3:  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…

 

1. 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 gameplan and to stick with it.  I’d be lost without doing it.

 

I’ve bought (and used, mind you ) 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.

 

2. Understand your Goals.

 

When you get serious about writing, sit down and actually write a mission statement.  Identify why writing is important to you, what you expect to get out of it, and what result you want from your writing.

 

• Do you want to earn money?
• Do you want to experience a sense of accomplishment?
• Do you want to be recognized as an expert?
• Do you want fame or credibility?
• Do you want to share your knowledge and experience to help others?
• Do you want ALL OF THE ABOVE?  (And then some!)

 

When you need motivation, look at your mission statement and re-read what it was that opened your heart to writing in the first place.  For the writer that finds great success, it’s perfectly fine to be proud of your accomplishments and awards, but don’t get so caught up in things that you lose sight of why you started writing in the first place.  A mission statement will also help keep you grounded.

 

3. 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.

 

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.

 

4. 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.

 

5. Have a Purpose.

 

I mentioned this briefly in another section, but certainly it applies here as well.  To stay focused on your objectives, you gotta have a purpose.  Something that drives you.  Something that is waiting 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.

 

6. 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?

 

7. Working Title.

 

Choose a title to get you going.  I always like to entitle the product before I even start writing on it.  It helps me to organize all of my ideas towards supporting the main theme of the eBook.  That’s what a title for an information product is — it’s a statement of the main theme of the eBook.

 

For example, when Jimmy D. Brown wrote List PROFIT System, that title helped him to organize his thoughts, remove information that didn’t belong, and add new ideas as he worked on the outline.  He structured that course so that everything he shared would work towards showing the reader how to profit from their online newsletter (Aka:  ezine)

 

You can also use the TITLE to help you create your actual chapter headings.  For example:  If you are writing an eBook on becoming a better golfer, you might entitle it “How to Become a Great Golfer.”  Your organization for the eBook might include chapters such as…

 

• Great Golfers aren’t afraid to take risks.
• Great Golfers develop their own unique style.
• Great Golfers invest in their game.
• Great Golfers blah blah blah

 

The TITLE of your eBook, in addition to helping you stay focused towards the theme, also helps you to organize the subheadings / sections of the eBook by incorporating it into the actual chapter titles themselves.

 

8. Thesis.

 

A thesis is one or several sentences that state the audience’s main problem and then how your book is going to solve it.  Go ahead and write your book’s thesis, knowing that doing this before your book is written will help keep you on track much better.  In this aspect, the chapters will all need to support the thesis so as you write, you will have that in your mind. 

 

Basically, you are expanding upon the title of the eBook.  “How to Become a Great Golfer” is the title.  Your thesis statement might be “How to become a great golfer in less than an hour a day by following 7 strategies of other successful golfers.”

 

Everything you write works toward accomplishing what you state as the purpose of your eBook.  If it doesn’t work towards that, then get rid of it.  It doesn’t belong in there.

 

9. Use The 4-Step Writing Formula.

 

Closely connected to writing your objectives down and then seeing if you are achieving those objectives (particularly in reference to WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE with your readers) is to  use the 4-step writing formula…

 

Step One:  Write Out A List of Everything You Want To Share.  That’s right, just write down everything you want to share in your eBook.  I’m talking just start rambling on paper (or your computer screen).  Everything you can think of that relates to the subject of your eBook.  Just a list of “ideas” you want to share.

 

Step Two:  Write Everything You Can Think Of For Each Entry.  For each entry on your list (I.E. Each “idea”) write down everything you can think of.  Explain each idea as thoroughly as you can.  Share research, examples, case studies, quotes, tips, resources — everything you can find for each section.

 

Step Three:  Organize Your Thoughts.  Take everything and put it into a logical order.  If it’s a tutorial, organize it chronologically in order of which steps come first.  If it’s a “tips” eBook, categorize the tips.  Put things in a logical order for your readers to be able to understand as they begin reading.

 

Step Four:  Edit And Pad The Sections.  Go back to each section and edit.  Take out what doesn’t need to be in there.  And add more content to the sections that need further explanation.

 

Congratulations.  You just wrote an eBook. )

 

10. 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. 

 

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

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. 

 

In the next installment, we will continue on the subject of Outlining and Organization…

Part 2 –   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.

1. 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 with 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!

 

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.  Let’s look at some (slightly less painful) ways of getting ideas for your eBook.

2. Collect Ideas.

 

I am what I refer to as an “Idea collector.”  I collect ideas to use later in my writing.

 

When something grabs your attention, no matter where you are, write it down and capture as much information as you can.  Thoughts could come to you at any time.  You might be grocery shopping or at your son’s soccer game.  The best thing is to be prepared and always keep a pad of paper and pen with you.  Or, even better than that is to have a small hand-held voice recorder. 

 

You’ll be amazed at where inspiration hits you.  For example, when sitting at your child’s outdoor sporting event, focus on things going on around you.  Perhaps you see a child playing off by himself in the dirt and you watch as another child around the same age slowly and shyly approaches wanting to make a friend.  Before long, they have bonded and are now sharing their toys together.  Write the scenario down and later think about ways you could use that story to illustrate a point when you are writing your eBook.  A pad of paper and pen (or the voice recorder) will soon become your greatest companion.

 

NOTE:  And the “ideas” you collect don’t necessarily have to apply to your CURRENT writing project.  I collect ideas that sit in my “idea file” for months — even years — before I ever use them.  But, they are there when I need them, always giving me something new to draw from, and something new and fresh to spawn ideas.

3. 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 you 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.

4. Make a List.

 

If you aren’t sure how the exact content of your article will come together, you might consider writing out a list.  Just start writing down different words associated with the subject you want to write about and in most cases, when you finish this exercise, you have quite a bit of information that you hadn’t considered before.

 

For example:  As I was writing the eBook you are now reading — I needed 77 ideas — so, what did I do?  I started jotting down a list of things to include.  As I reviewed the list, other ideas popped into my head (the next idea “Use A Dictionary / Thesaurus” came from THIS idea of “Make A List”). 

 

Just start writing down a list of things your reader would be interested in knowing.  Doesn’t matter if some of them don’t make sense — write them down anyway.  As you look back over the list, those seemingly unfitting ideas might launch into other related ideas that you CAN use.  Write down everything you can think of, and then decide what you can use.

 

You’ll almost always find 10-15 new ideas to write about — which can turn into a lot more content.

5. 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.

6. 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.

 

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.

7. Read. Read. Read.

 

An excellent way to get the writing juices flowing again is to read.  Look at magazines to get ideas.  Often times, an article will be well written but it might only touch on a portion of a subject.  An example might be that you open up an interior decorating magazine and spot a wonderfully written article on making quilts.  The article talks about things that a quilt could be used for and some basic instructions on how to make one.  However, without plagiarizing that article, what other things about quilts could be written on.  Perhaps historical information could be added, or locations of museums.  People might be interested in knowing the best type of fabric to use.  Many people start a good article but only cover a small portion of the subject matter.

 

One of my favorite things to do to generate ideas for my writing and to overcome the dreaded writer’s block is to spend a few hours in my favorite bookstore.  I love to browse through books and look for ideas.  Again, we’re not talking about stealing someone’s content, we are talking about finding ideas which you can write your own original content.

 

Visit a bookstore.  Or a library.  Or a magazine stand.  And just browse through materials relating to what you are writing about.  And you are almost certain to find some great ideas to write about.

8. 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! )

 

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!

9. 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
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. )

10. Look Around.

 

Look around your home.  Are there special momentums, pictures, smells, colors that bring a thought to your mind?  Sitting in a chair in your living room or family room, start at one side of the room and slowly look at each item.  Obviously, everything will have a meaning.  Perhaps it was a sculpture purchased when you were in Paris, or a candleholder given to you as a gift from your kids.

 

This is another visual exercise that helps to pull ideas into your mind when you’re struggling. 

 

A variation of this is to get out your photo book and revisit the experiences of the past.  They say that a “picture is worth a thousand words.”  Hmmm.  A couple dozen photos and your eBook will be done. <smile>

 

But seriously, looking through photo albums spawns a lot of feelings and memories that can be very helpful in generating ideas for your content…

 

If you are writing an eBook on dieting and see a picture of you and your friends hiking, it could easily launch into creative ideas for exercise (hiking, backpacking, park trails, mall-walking, mountain climbing, etc.)

 

If you are writing an eBook on planning vacations and see a picture of yourself at an “off-the-path” restaurant which could easily give you more ideas about “looking for the hidden gems” on your trip. (take the old highways instead of the interstates, stop in all the small towns and explore, here are 10 places you should check out, what to look for, etc.)

 

Additionally, by reliving your own memories through photographs,  it gives you more personal stories and experiences to share — giving you MORE content for your eBook, further establishing your expertise on the subject, further enhancing the reader enjoyment and better illustrating a point you are attempting to make.

11. Use the Internet.

 

The “information highway” is at your fingertips.  Just about anything you could want to know is only a few clicks away.

 

At any given time, there are millions of people around the globe on the Internet.  If you are looking for something in particular or trying to locate information on a person, place, or thing, the Internet has it.  The key to good Internet research is know where to go and how to search.

 

Although there are hundreds of search engines on the Internet, some of the larger ones will give you the most information.  Some of the top sites are Google.com, Lycos.com, Yahoo.com, DogPile.com, and Northernlight.com. 

 

Each search engine has what are called spiders or crawlers that go out and search the Internet.  They then bring the information back and is sorted and indexed.  When a person conducts a search, the results are coming from the indexes that have been built.

 

To obtain information, simply type in what you’re looking for in the search field and that’s it.  Searches consisting of two to four words get the best results.

 

I always recommend starting here.

12. Visit the Library.

 

The library has been around for many years offering archived and new information on millions of subjects.  New technology has allowed most libraries to offer better search tools, thus resulting in better results. 

 

If you need to locate information about a specific event that happened in 1957, you can go back to the archived microfilm and locate that very information.  Old newspaper stores, obituaries, weddings, and births can all be found.  Although the Internet has become the number one tool for conducting research, the library is still a viable source and in some instances, is still better.

 

Plus, you’ve got an assistant at the Library — the Librarian!  Ask her (or him) for help finding what you are looking for (much of it is even computer driven these days).

13. 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. 

14. Use Other Languages – Translations.

 

This is a fun exercise and a wonderful way to come up with new ideas.  Take words that you like, research them in other languages, and then translate them.

 

As an example, the word “hip” in Spanish is Cadera (Ka-dare-a).  That has a nice sound.  Look at various languages such as German, Italian, Spanish, French, etc.  If there is a word that’s significant to your book or article such as “cliff” or “ocean,” conduct some research and see how those translate.

 

The Latin term “Carpe Dieme” (“Seize The Day”) became the focal point of the wonderful movie “Dead Poets’ Society.” An expression from another language can turn into an entire chapter of your eBook (or even your next movie )

 

Explore and see what you can come up with.

15. Try Freewriting.

 

This exercise is powerful and a wonderful tool.  Set your timer for 10 minutes, have a pad of paper and pen in front of you, and just start writing.  (Or the ol’ computer, if you’re like me.)  You can write using sentences, words, poems, stories, whatever you want.  Just write and don’t stop until your timer has gone off.

 

This allows your mind to express itself freely without any limitations.  When the exercise is complete, dedicate some time to sit back and read what you wrote.  Some of it you may remember while a lot of it will surprise you.  This is a great way to organize thoughts and strengthen the mind.

 

And you’d be amazed at how many absolutely mind-boggling ideas come out of these brain storming sessions.  Really you would.

 

But don’t take my word for it.

 

Try it yourself.

 

In the next installment, we will go over how to outline and organize your research in order to help you get through your writing project a little easier. Don’t miss it!

Part 1 – Selecting your Topic

 

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 ten 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 ) 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. Self Help / Personal Growth.  Another classic topic for writing is what has commonly been referred to as “self help” or “personal growth.”  People want to improve their lives.  Some struggle with addiction and need help in overcoming the struggle.  Other people have low self-esteem or feel depressed.  Some people don’t know how to deal with relationship problems and want to know how to save their marriage.  The list could go on and on.

 

I’ll make you another guarantee:  show people how to better their lives and they’ll buy from you.  No question about it.

 

We all have things about our personalities that we would like changed.  Whether we’re shy in public or have a horrible temper or don’t know when to keep our mouths shut, there are things we’d like to improve.

 

And that’s an eBook waiting for you to write.

 

3. Weight Loss / Fitness. Even though obesity and illness are at the highest levels ever, people are working hard to reclaim their health and fit bodies.  Gyms are overflowing with sweaty people and stores are selling out of vitamins left and right.  Health and fitness is a writing subject that you can never go wrong with.

 

Heck, I’ll be your first customer. )

 

The point is this:  we, as a society, want to be healthier and we struggle with being out of shape. 

 

It’s no wonder that diet and exercise is a multi-billion dollar industry.

 

Might as well get your piece of the pie.

 

4. Dating / Relationships.  What another 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…

 

…we buy your eBook instead!

 

5. Everyday Problems. Let’s face it, we all face problems everyday in our lives.  And often we don’t know where to turn or what to do next.

 

For example:  If someone is facing foreclosure, do you think they would be interested in finding information on how to avoid it?  You betcha.

 

I know of one guy who wrote an eBook about BAD BREATH and is selling the thing like crazy.  It’s an eBook on BAD BREATH for goodness sake!  And yet for folks who are struggling with the problem (and I am told it is a common problem — I guess I’ve just been lucky ) they gladly shell out the $20.00 to find a cure.

 

Everyday problems.  They are a headache for US, but they are a product waiting to be created by YOU.

 

Think about things that people deal with every day that are annoying and cost money and time.   And help us out for crying out loud!

 

6. 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 )

 

Hobby related information products are most always a big hit and certainly warrant consideration when choosing a topic to write about.

 

7. Recipes.  Talk about a HUGE industry — recipes are IT!  I didn’t realize how big they were until a guy I know started making $30,000 a month selling a recipe eBook!  (That’s a nice chunk of change, don’t you think?) 

 

I did a bit of research at Google.com, the largest pay-per-click search engine and found out that recipes are searched for MILLIONS of times each month.

 

Anything getting that much attention is money waiting to be made for an eBook author.  I have plans myself to start tapping into that market.  I feel like I’m throwing away money every month that I don’t have a recipe eBook on the market!

 

You probably are as well.

 

Definitely something to look into.

 

8. UFOs.  I was never a Star Trek fan and I didn’t watch a single episode of the X-Files, but UFOs and unexplained phenomenon are HUGELY popular online.  I’m not sure exactly what the fascination is, but these folks tend to be die-hard fans and are passionate about the subject.

 

Any group of people who have that much interest is a group of people who ought to be offered an eBook.

 

9. 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.

 

10. Technology. 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. )

 

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.

 

In our next installment, we will walk you through how to generate ideas and research them thoroughy. Be sure to come back and check it out soon!

Check back for our upcoming crash courses…