If you need an eBook for your business or organisation,
Ginger Brown can help
One of the more increasingly common forms of content being created is an eBook. It is an incredibly powerful content tool in our increasingly digital age, but all the best ones have a few things in common. They need to be instructive, informative and well written, and offer an easy-to-read design.
Experienced journalists Andrea Beattie and Cathy Anderson know how to create professional content and this includes eBooks. They have more than 40 years’ combined experience as reporters, sub editors and journalists for a variety of publications and organisations across Australia and overseas. Both Cathy and Andrea understand the value of great copy, but also the importance of understanding the audience for an eBook.
Cathy and Andrea’s strength as eBook writers is their diversity of subject matters. They have written content for small businesses, not-for-profit and corporations as well as for arts organisations.
Ginger Brown’s subject expertise includes, but is definitely not limited to:
- Small business and startups
- Film, television and performing arts
- Travel (domestic and international) including caravanning and camping
- Real estate and DIY renovations
- Personal finance and technology
- Lifestyle including health and wellbeing, relationships, restaurants
If you need to create an eBook, Ginger Brown can absolutely help to guide the process and create killer content.
What is an eBook and why do you need one?
eBooks are used by various companies, sole traders and organisations as an easy way to present long-form information to members, clients or potential customers. Often, eBooks are used as a way to offer great content that will entice people to sign up to an email newsletter, to join an event or perhaps register for a service.
eBooks can vary in length in terms of not only the amount of words but pages, but generally they are not novels. Their purpose is to provide more information than an article, but less than a long-winded tome that no one has time to read. eBooks are ideally meant as reference materials that appeal to readers who are looking to solve a problem or need additional information on a subject.
Some practical examples of an eBook include:
- A gardening supplies company creates an eBook to share tips on how to plant winter veggies in a bid to entice more customers to buy seedlings, mulch, tools etc
- A consulting firm offering accounting services to startups creates an eBook explaining tax incentives particular to small businesses, sole trader and partnerships in an effort to enlist more clients
- A not-for-profit film festival creates an eBook on the top 25 films of all time in a particular genre to encourage enews sign-ups
eBooks, by their very nature, are digital publications. They are most commonly in pdf form but can also be created in a variety of other formats to suit varying ereader devices. They are usually either downloaded by audiences or sent directly via email. They are accessible and easily obtained. You can read eBooks on your desktop, iPad or tablet device and your smartphone, so they are designed to be consumed whether you are at home or on the go.
How do you create a structure for an eBook?
The first step is to identify who your audience is and what kind of information they are craving. Start with a working title and then begin to set out a chapter list. This should be linear — that is, you start with the basics and then delve into the nitty gritty of your messaging. Each chapter should be carefully thought out and clearly defined, and there should be a natural flow to the chapters as the reader progresses through the eBook.
At least three chapters in length is advisable to give the reader value for money — even if the eBook is free, it’s an investment in time to read it. The eBook should start with an overview of what the subject matter will be, followed by each chapter, and then a summary to conclude.
Where does the information for an eBook come from?
If you are an expert in your respective field, you and your team may decide to use your own experience to write the content. This offers a personal perspective and allows your reader to get to know your strengths a little better.
Alternatively, you might consult other experts and use their input. This would involve interviews with said experts, and using their information as both background and as direct quotes. In this way, your eBook becomes more like an extended news story, with the gravitas of well-respected specialists giving it credibility.
How do you design an eBook?
All eBooks should be designed with their audience in mind. This will determine its length, tone of voice and style, colour choice as well as the inclusion of images or illustrations such as charts (see below).
A more serious eBook, such as those that might relate to business, finance, accounting or law, might best be presented with darker, corporate colours, include images of professional, white collar workers and let loose with charts and graphs as they pertain to KPIs, profit and performance.
An eBook from a dog groomer about the best ways to untangle a mutt’s tangled tresses would instead most likely use bold, bright colours, be plastered with images of happy, furry faces and use flirty fonts in its design.
The use of ‘pull quotes’ or highlighted quotes is also an excellent way to hammer home key messages. These are usually only a sentence long and can either be a direct quote from a person or a key message within the text.
Do I need images and charts in an eBook?
Absolutely! Really sharp, well-structured images will really break up the copy within your eBook and can help to support the message you are trying to get across. No one wants to read slabs of boring text – that’s a surefire way to put someone off after the first few pages. We highly recommend having a professional photographer take images of your staff and business for this purpose. Ginger Brown has a well-connected network of photographers who can achieve amazing results for you.
Charts and other illustrations, whether they be comics or infographics, can be highly effective. They help to break the monotony of text and to make it look pretty (and interesting!). Each chapter should have some sort of image or design component to make it more readable.
How do I share my eBook?
Your eBook can be easily shared digitally, whether that’s via email or through a download link on your social media or website. The best part about sharing an eBook is that it’s free! No shipping charges required. It’s also environmentally-friendly, although readers may choose to print the book to have a physical copy.
If your eBook contains quite specialised information that is hard to get anywhere else, you may be able to charge a fee for people to download in — an added bonus for your business or organisation.
Let’s work together to create an eBook
Many news outlets, businesses and organisations have worked successfully with Ginger Brown to create eBooks — and you can too!
Cathy and Andrea are constantly chatting with different editors, content managers and companies to explore new opportunities, and eBooks are a core part of their content creation services.
If you would like to know more about the kinds of eBooks that Cathy and Andrea can create for you, please get in touch. Email Andrea: [email protected] or email Cathy: [email protected] to kickstart the conversation.
