Today I’m sharing an in-depth interview that explains how to create an eBook. I recently talked with my friend Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog. Abby walks through how creating eBooks can become a meaningful source of income.
In 2015 Abby earned more than $110,000 from digital product sales (including eBooks) and was on track to surpass that in 2016. She began blogging three years earlier with no experience and now earns six figures annually, largely thanks to her digital products. Abby now teaches the methods she used to write and launch profitable eBooks, and her approach is smart and practical.
If you’re looking for a new business idea or a side hustle, learning how to create an eBook is worth considering.
Read the interview below to learn the practical steps for how to create an eBook. If you’ve ever thought about writing an eBook but didn’t know where to start, this interview will guide you through planning, writing, and selling your first digital product.
Related articles:
- 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
- 10 Ways To Make Money Online From The Comfort of Your Home
- My Income Reports That Show How I Earn Over $70,000 A Month Blogging
- How To Make Money As A Proofreader
Please give us a little background on yourself. Can you tell us more about your blog, why you started it, when you started it, etc.?
I launched Just a Girl and Her Blog in January 2013 on a whim while I was at home with my two sons. I wanted a creative outlet and a project to stay busy. I didn’t intend to build a business at first, but blogging quickly became a passion and I started learning everything I could about growing an audience and improving the site.
Today the blog focuses primarily on home decor and organization, and like many successful bloggers, we publish transparent monthly income reports to share how the business performs.
What’s your favorite way to make money blogging?
My favorite way to earn from blogging is creating and selling digital products—especially eBooks and online courses.
There’s a special satisfaction in earning from something you created from start to finish. Digital products let me help readers more deeply than a typical blog post, and they scale well as the business grows.
What made you decide to write an eBook?
My first eBook happened because my husband Donnie encouraged me to take the leap. I was nervous—worried no one would buy it or that I wouldn’t know how to market it—but Donnie helped set up the launch process and tools. Our first eBook, Building a Framework: The Ultimate Blogging Handbook, was the result.
We’ve since published two more eBooks: Simplify: 35+ Printables to Help You Organize Your Life and The Paperless Home: How to Use Evernote to Organize Your Life. We also created a printable planner called The Intentional Life Planner and launched our first online course, BookBoss: How to Write and Launch a Profitable eBook in 90 Days or Less.
If you don’t mind, how much money have you made from eBooks?
In 2015 we earned over $110,000 from digital product sales. In the first quarter of 2016 we made more than $58,000 from digital products alone.
Is it hard to learn how to create an eBook?
Writing an eBook isn’t necessarily easy, but it’s very achievable if you follow a clear plan. I recommend a 90-day timeframe to write and launch an eBook. Shorter timelines can be rushed and longer ones often lead to procrastination—most projects end up completed in the last 90 days anyway.
Who can make money from an eBook? Do they need to have a blog?
I recommend starting with a blog and a consistent posting schedule before attempting an eBook. You don’t need a massive audience or years of blogging experience, but having a small, engaged readership makes launching and selling a product much easier. In many cases people wait too long before publishing their first eBook.
What do you like about writing eBooks?
I appreciate that eBooks let me help readers solve specific problems in depth—far more than a single blog post can. They’re relatively simple to create, which allows you to focus on the crucial launch and marketing process.
EBooks are also useful for introducing readers to paying for your expertise because they’re typically priced lower than full courses. With the right systems in place, eBook sales can become a source of passive income, continuing to earn without constant maintenance.
What specific steps does a person need to learn how to create an eBook?
First, build a focused email list of people who are interested in your chosen topic. The quality and relevance of your list will strongly influence launch success. Second, create a detailed launch plan that covers timelines for blog posts, guest posts, emails, social media promotions, and technical setup like payment processors and landing pages.
Being specific in your launch plan makes execution straightforward because you’ll know exactly what needs to be done and when. After the launch, sustain sales by offering a related lead magnet, continuing topic-focused content and guest posts, and promoting across social channels.
What costs are associated with writing an eBook?
Costs can be minimal. For our first eBook we spent about $100 on a designer for the cover and handled everything else ourselves. Now we typically pay for cover design and promotional graphics (our designer charges hourly), and we use paid services like Instapage for landing pages.
There are also transaction fees and monthly charges associated with payment processors (we’ve used Gumroad and SendOwl) and email providers (we use ConvertKit). If you work with affiliates, you’ll pay a commission for affiliate-driven sales.
Are there any other tips for someone who wants to learn how to create an eBook?
Set a firm launch date, make a concrete plan, and take action. Many people say they want to write an eBook but never begin. Break the process into manageable steps, stay consistent, and you’ll finish and launch your eBook.
Are you interested in learning how to create an eBook?