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How to Write eBooks Fast – As Told by an eBook Author with 17 Titles

by DahliaV

Just because you want to be an author doesn't mean you have to spend months in front of a keyboard. Here are 3 tips I personally use for writing ebooks fast.

If anyone needed to learn how to write an ebook fast, it was me. I wake up at 6am and I’m usually not in the bed till after 12am. With the exception of one hour of Korean soap operas, lazing around on the sofa. (And I justify the Korean soap operas because I’m actually learning Korean as I watch.)

I’m an entrepreneur -- or more precisely, an infopreneur. I write and sell ebooks for a living.

With a CEO title like that, I know I gotta have the chops to stay focused and motivated. The food I put on the dinner table is dependent upon my ability to write the words that make people pull out their credit cards and say, “Yes! I MUST have that information.”

The more ebooks I write, the more money I make. So I’ve learned to write faster. And that’s what this article is all about.

Would you like to learn how to write ebooks fast?

Here are three tips I use to write my ebooks fast and write them well:

1) Outline until you can’t outline any more.

If alien robots came down and told me I could only keep one technique for writing my ebooks fast, outlining is the one I’d stash in my trusty messenger bag.

Stream of consciousness writing is good if you’re writing on a blog or any other article that's under 1K words. But when it comes to ebooks, the more comprehensive your outline, the faster your ability to get the whole project done.

I include EVERYTHING in my outlines, like:

  • Primary and secondary topics I want to cover in each section;
  • images, charts, graphs and screenshots I want to feature;
  • templates and checklists I think the reader should have;
  • Lists of helpful websites;
  • Personal stories and case studies I want to include.

I like organizing my entire outline into a mindmap. Mindmaps help me see the content of the entire ebook without having to scroll up and down. With Mindjet MindManager I can easily turn my mindmaps into a linear outline and use them in Microsoft Word. 

2) Find and take advantage of your peak writing time.

I don’t think most people (especially non-writers) realize the importance of writing when you’re most biologically fueled to write. I call this my writing biorhythm and when I work within its confines I’m a creative rock star.

I’m either the most productive first thing in the morning -- as soon as I roll out of the bed – or after 8pm. My second most productive time period rests between 9am-12pm. After that my brain starts to wander. This is usually when I'll do marketing stuff or make phone calls. 

Granted, I sometimes write during my off-peak hours. But I can promise you it doesn’t go as smoothly as when I’m in that writing biorhythm flow.

I advise you to write during different free times over the course of a few days, to see when the words flow most easily. I think you’ll find there is a difference. And when you notice that difference, seize that opportunity on a regular basis. 

Your productivity gland will thank you for it. 

Get those fingers moving if you want more passive income from your ebooks!
Get those fingers moving if you want ...

3) Time yourself.

As I’m writing this article I’ve got a timer going in the background. When the timer begins, I’ve got 25 minutes to put this entire article together.

At the end of the 25 minutes the timer goes off and I take a five minute break. If this article still isn’t done, I have another 25 minutes after the break.

This is called the Pomodoro Technique and it has helped me write at least 50% faster than when I wasn’t using it. Articles that used to take me 60-90 minutes, usually only take me 30. It’s like a time coupon!

I find that when you know you’re being timed, you actually become more efficient because you’re competing against that time. The writing mind likes a good challenge and this is a good way to give it one and benefit from an ebook that you’ve written in record speed.

3 More resources to help you write a great ebook

57 Tips That’ll Teach You How to Write an Ebook Fast
Here you'll find 57 quick tips and resources that'll help you improve your writing speed.

Creating eBooks that are Impulse Buyer Magnets
This is a complete (189 pages) outline of my entire ebook writing and marketing strategy.

The eBook Marketing Strategy I Wish I Knew a Year Ago
Sometimes you learn the best lessons from the worst disasters.

Updated: 03/26/2012, DahliaV
 
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Mira on 03/22/2014

You have some great ideas in there. Unfortunately it takes me several hours to write an article on Wizzley, sometimes up to nine or ten hours if I include the research.

KathleenDuffy on 03/22/2014

Really useful post! thanks.

klaird on 06/03/2012

I love outlines! Thanks for the tips. I'm still procrastinating about writing my first ebook. But I have lots of ideas. Time to start outlining my ideas or mind mapping them.

Marie on 04/02/2012

Yes outlines and mindmaps certainly work for me - really great methods of drilling down to the precise info you need for a long article or ebook.

katiem2 on 04/01/2012

This is great I will be back to review as I work to prepare my titles for publication on ebooks, thanks for the tips from experience in publishing.

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