How to Write an Ebook Fast: Your 30 Day Challenge

Wondering how to write an ebook fast? You’ve come to the “write” place!

The Bluleadz 30 Day Ebook Challenge is here to help reach your ebook goal.

Our aim is to get you in the right mindset to write an ebook, and here’s how we are going to do just that. We will help by:

• Ensuring you always know what to do next during your ebook journey.
• Keeping you motivated with a clear path to the finish line the entire way.
• Showing you that writing an ebook is more about persistence than genius.

Let’s jump in and find out how to write an ebook fast!

How to Write an Ebook in 30 Days (or Less)

Before we dive into the schedule for the next 30 days, let's get a few things in order.

First of all, this challenge is not meant for you to simply push out a quick piece of long-form content. In the end, you should be so proud of your ebook that you're excited to share it with your audience. 

Second, this process should be fun! We are not encouraging you to handcuff yourself to a desk all day, every day. Creating should be interesting to you, and the process, while sometimes tedious, should ultimately bring you some enjoyment. That really translates to your readers.

via GIPHY

Without further ado, let's get started!

Day 1: Figure Out Your Goals

Ask these three crucial questions before you start in earnest:

• What is your audience – that is, which buyer persona are you speaking to?
• At what step in the three-stage buyer journey will people read your ebook?
• What tangible value should readers be equipped with thanks to your book?

These are goalposts that guide your work and keep you moving forward. As long as you keep returning to them, you’ll stay focused for the long haul.

Days 2-4: Perform Research

Before you started, you probably had the seed of an idea. Now, you need to figure out what others have said about the topic before you.

A Google search for each relevant keyword will serve you well. Read every result on page one so you understand how others have already covered the topic.

Days 5-7: Create an Outline

Armed with a broader perspective on the subject, you can set up an outline. An outline can be loose, but it should clarify which ideas you definitely want to include.

From there, you can figure out chapter divisions. Jot down any sources you might want to consult while developing each chapter as well as interesting details you came across that need to be part of your final product.

Day 8: Write Your Intro and Conclusion

A week in, it’s time to lay down the scaffolding of your ebook. Wow!

The intro and conclusion are hugely important elements:

• The intro frames exactly what value your readers can expect to get from the text.
• The conclusion summarizes the work and moves readers along the buyer journey.

When you get these two sections done at the beginning of your writing stage, you're well-equipped to jump into the bulk of your ebook. 

Days 9-19: Draft the Text

Naturally, writing will take the most time in your ebook quest. Reference your outline and set a daily word count goal based on the number and depth of topics you’ll discuss.

The sweet spot for ebooks is the length of 10 blog posts, about 6,000 to 8,000 words total. This way, you can explore almost any topic in depth without leaving readers exhausted. Plus, it makes progress measurable.

After hitting your daily writing goals and reaching a point where you feel like you thoroughly covered the topic you wanted to address, you're ready to move to the next stage – sending your draft text over to any other stakeholders whose input will shape it, too.

Days 20-24: Edit Mercilessly

It’s good practice to proofread for basic mistakes as you finish each page. Still, some issues are likely to linger until you’ve spent time away from the writing desk. A final edit helps you catch them.

Look for:

• Spelling, grammar, and punctuation issues – reading a page in print can help here.
• Sentences that confuse the reader by going on too long or stopping in mid-thought.
• “Orphan” sentences, paragraphs, or sections from ideas you decided not to use.
• Chapter introductions and takeaway highlights to support retention of key ideas.

Days 25-28: Establish the Design

Not every ebook is a visual tour de force, but some basics help hold interest:

• Use a pop of color on headers to help them stand out.
• Consider using callout boxes for useful terms or ideas.
• Anchor each new chapter with an introductory image.
• Place dividers between text and page footer to add color.
• Ensure your typography makes the text easy to read.
• Make sure color choices match brand colors or theme.

Day 29: Conduct Final Proofing

Proofreading can be a drag. Give yourself another short break before your final runthrough on the text so you are refreshed and ready for tough-to-spot mistakes.

Here’s a professional proofing secret: Reading text backwards tricks your mind into focusing on words instead of their meaning, making it easier to catch problems. Using a team of three to four proofreaders is the best option.

Day 30: Publish It

Bring your ebook online, and take the rest of the day off. You’ve earned it! (Of course, your book should have its own optimized landing page ... but someone else on your team handled it, right?)

Day 31 and Beyond: Promote and Promote and Promote

As with every content asset, you can't assume your audience will find your ebook. No matter how well you created conversion paths on your site, readers might not know your ebook even exists. 

This is why you need to promote your ebook on a regular basis. Deploy your proven social media and email marketing strategies to drive readers to your new ebook.

You spent a lot of time and energy on this project over the last four weeks, so make sure you can deliver this value to as many relevant readers as possible!

If you’ve been pulling out your hair over how to write an ebook fast, now you have a complete roadmap. Have you taken the 30 Day Ebook Challenge? Tell us about it!