Are you a rabid reader or working on a book of your own? You might want to think about taking a closer look at digital publishing. This can not only be an exciting way to expose readers to your own work, but it can become a pleasant way to make some money on the side. There are a number of ways to sell e-books, from signing up with the formidable Amazon.com to setting up your own website. Demand has grown over the past few years for e-books, with Amazon now selling more electronic downloads than it does paper books. This shows there’s money to be made in this niche, particularly if you have a natural interest in publishing.
Publishing your Own Books
If you already keep a blog online, you could have the beginnings of your first book. Many of us write about topics we’re passionate about, distributing our writing online for the benefit of others. While in the past you’d need to find an agent and publishing house to publish a full-length book, you can now publish it on your own. E-books are becoming increasingly mainstream thanks to publishing sites like Lulu, Smashwords, and CreateSpace.
Whether you choose to write fiction or non-fiction, you’ll want to choose a topic that you think would have wide appeal if you plan to turn this into a side source of income. Choose catchy headings, titles, and images to round out your book’s appeal. If you’re serious about making a profit through selling books online, it may be in your best interest to invest in professional editing, design, and marketing. Many self-publishing sites are able to provide these services for you, or you could hire freelance professionals to help.
Sourcing Outside Work
In addition to writing and publishing your own book, you could also commission work from writers you admire. Reach out to other authors or bloggers to see if they would be interested in creating an e-book that you could then help market and sell. If you plan to source work from the outside it may be a good idea to create your own ecommerce website to serve as a central bookstore. This allows you to retain full control over the sales and profits.
Marketing and Promoting your Books
Whether you sell tickets online or children’s clothing, you’ll have to compete with a wide range of other vendors. The same principle holds true when selling e-books, even if your products are completely unique. Once you’ve written, sourced, formatted, and designed enticing covers for your books, you’ll be ready to start promoting your online bookstore. You’ll need to create a strong and consistent author profile, preferably across multiple channels. Work on creating a personal brand, using tools such as your blog, social media networks, Goodreads profile, and Amazon author account to reach out to potential readers.
Your blog can serve as a teaser for the full-length book, giving free samples to potential readers. Encourage your audience to share these sample chapters or essays with their own social networks to help spread the word. Take part in reader forums and other literary blogs to share your insights, and drum up interest in what you have to share.
It’s no longer necessary to go through hundreds of rejection letters before you are able to publish your own book. Self-publishing can provide a side source of income while helping you grow your readership at the same time.
