Five top tips for ebook success
in the
Christmas period
So you've been meaning to write that ebook
all year in time for Christmas – after all, isn't that when everyone goes
'shopping crazy'? So surely it's the best time to self-publish? But (damn, it's that annoying little
word again that keeps creeping in every time you have a great idea), you just
didn't quite get round to it, and now you only have a matter of weeks left...
All is not lost.
Who needs a novel when you can have a novella?
Not only is it less daunting to write
something short and sweet, but there are plenty of Christmas themes that fit
perfectly into this category and that would have everyone yawning if they were
any longer anyway. Let's face it, Christmas has become more and more gimmicky
over the years, which, while rather sad, does leave plenty of space (and
potential customers) for topics such as "the Christmas Survival
Guide", "Quick and Easy Christmas Recipes" or, if you're feeling
a little nostalgic which I hope some of you are, "A Guide to Reviving
Christmas Traditions". There are endless
possibilities for a topic that needn't take long to write and that could prove
popular to many!
Give them a taster and leaving them hanging…
Leading on from the tip above, why not
write a short prequel or a teaser for a project that you want to work on in the
New Year? Make it short and exciting and introduce the characters leaving the
reader hanging on to find out what happens next. We all love a cliff-hanger!
People do judge a book by its cover
Although our parents, and their parents
before them, tell us it's what inside that counts, if you write an ebook and
the cover is rubbish, you'll put a lot of people off before they've had a
chance to read anything – even the blurb. Choose something eye-catching and
festive for the cover, and if style isn't your thing, find a friend who can
help – everyone knows someone who's got an eye for design.
Target after-Christmas sales
More and more people are buying e-readers
and Christmas is understandably most e-reader retailers' biggest sales period,
so why not target those 'newbies' who are just dying to download tons of ebooks
to fill up their new device? Hmmm, so how do you get them to buy YOUR book?
What the heck… just give it away! If you want to get your name out there, what
better way than by offering a free ebook? If you've followed the tips above and
written something short that wasn't too time-consuming, then its no great
shakes to get into the festive spirit (and wheedle your way into people's
devices) by offering your book for free. Everybody loves a freebie and once
everyone knows what a fabulous writer you are, they may just look out for your
name next time round.
But do I really still have time?
If you want to get an ebook out there,
there's no time like the present! For a little help check out Copyblogger's How to Write a High Quality eBook in 30 Days.
© Alice Bowden