In my last post we talked about researching content for your ebook. So it makes sense to carry on this discussion today and talk about the actual writing process of your book.
One important note that I also want to add regarding the research process is that this is also a great time to look for inspiration for your ecover. This is where saving images and even font styles comes in handy, they make a good starting point for when it comes time to design your ecover.
Now that you have all of your notes in place it is time to start the actual writing of your book. There are several ways this can be done including just writing the book from start to finish as a first draft. Or you may prefer to be a bit more methodical and create an outline first.
The outline would consist of the main points that you want to cover in your ebook. These would become chapter or section headings. Outlining can help you make sure that you are writing in a logical order and helps you see if you are missing any important information.
Once your outline is completed your next step is to go back and start filling in each point with information. Again this helps you by allowing you to see right away if you have covered each point completely. If any information is missing then simply go back to your research notes and gather some additional material.
By the time you have filled in each main point your ebook will be practically completed, the first draft anyway! You can then go back and see if you need to create any sub headings or topics.
If you are creating your book in Microsoft Word then you can add an automatic table of contents. This is done by using the Styles tab and making each of your Chapter titles a Heading 1.
After that is done you go to the References tab and then click on Table of Contents, choose the style you wish to use and insert. Just make sure you have your cursor where you want the table to appear.
Even if you make changes to your book it is easy to update the table of contents. Just right click on the contents page and choose update field or entire table. I usually choose the entire table option as this will change the page numbers as well.
Once your book is complete it is time to let it sit for a day or two. This allows you to revisit it with fresh eyes. When you reopen your document it will be easier for you to find mistakes and errors. When proofreading your book pay attention to the actual wording as well as your use of grammar and punctuation.
It can be helpful to give your book to someone you trust to read for you as well. They may pick up on additional mistakes that you may have missed. They can also let you know if they understood the topic or if they felt as though something was missing.
Remember you do not want to rush the writing process of your book. Instead take the time to write it and edit it until you are satisfied. You are more than half the way to publishing your book now.
