For some, writing comes easy. But for others, it’s a struggle to put words to paper. However you feel about writing an ebook, you should be aware of the pitfalls that can get you into trouble. Here’s how to avoid 3 common mistakes that occur when writing e-books.
1 You Begin to Write at the Beginning
You are probably shaking your head thinking, well, of course, where else would you start? You might be surprised to learn that starting at the introduction isn’t the best place to start your writing. It’s really hard to know what you are going to include until most of your e-book is drafted. If you start at your introduction, it’s not going to be an accurate reflection of what will be included in your e-book.
Instead, start with your first chapter. Only after you have drafted the entire book, do you go back and write your introduction. At the back of the book, include the ‘About the Author’ where you can point yourself to the mailing list, email, website, etc.
2 Writing Only When You are Feeling Like Writing
Even when you make your e-book a high priority, it can be hard to find the time to work on it regularly. The trouble is if you are not writing regularly, you will not be able to build up enough momentum to get through the project. You write a bit, then you stop a week, goes by, and you write a little more, and then before you know it, a couple of weeks have gone by, and your project just gets stalled.
You don’t have to write hundreds upon hundreds of words all at once, but you have to set aside a specific amount of time and a specific day such as Wednesdays. Use your time effectively.
3 Make Sure Your Inner Editor Wait
If you are regularly writing but do not seem to be gaining too much ground, it is often because you edit as you go. Maybe you type a bit and then go back and make changes. If you are constantly tweaking as you go along, you will be in trouble because you will not get anything completed. Get your inner editor under control and wait until you are done. Then you can go back and make your changes.
These are three of the most common mistakes you can find yourself facing. Make sure you are aware of them and understand how to work around them, so they don’t become a problem.