How to Earn Money Online Selling eBooks? The Best Guide to Creating, Designing and Publishing an eBook in 2022
Are you, like me, locked up at home due to COVID 19 and looking for some work? Do you hear all your friends talking about making money online but don’t know where and how to start this seemingly impossible task? Well, don’t worry for I have just the solution for you: earn money online selling eBooks.
EBooks, yes I know you are a bit concerned because unlike traditional books, the task and process of authoring an eBook may seem too daunting and alien to you. It does to everyone in the beginning but the good news is I have everything covered here.
My take on selling eBooks will take you through all there is to know about how to create and publish an eBook. Rest assured, after reading this guide, you will leave confident and excited to embark on this new journey. Let’s learn how to make money from an ebook.
So, what are you waiting for? Jump right in!
Who am I?
My name is Aparna and I am a dreamer. A gal who is passionate about every aspect of her life; I am excited by variety, adventure, and new things that life brings me. They are what keep me going. Furthermore, I believe that you have to “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.
I avoid the nay-sayers, and the overtly careful. I prefer to forget the critics and believe that we should learn to cast aside our doubts and inhibitions. We are indeed the masters of our own destiny!
This life is our only chance. No one is getting out of here alive. It’s time to live our dreams, to take risks and to give it all we can. We only live once.
Today, I want to tell you about a really simple way to start making money online.
Yes, you can earn money online selling eBooks!
I have always believed in conveying the absolute truth, and so my articles do just that. You will get both the good & the bad. Basically everything related to what eBooks are all about and whether it is really worth writing and publishing one when it comes to making money online.
Let us see how this whole “eBooks” thing works, shall we?
What Is My Aim?
My aim is to find you the best possible ways to make money online. I understand that it obviously has to match your interests.
While I shall be telling you about Udemy here, you should know that there are literally a thousand ways to get rich online. You have to choose one or two methods and stick to them. Consistency is what is important
The money comes, that’s for sure, but only after some amount of time and effort has been put in.
So, if you wish to check out the many common and uncommon ways of making money online, please go through my list below, and click on whatever suits your fancy. Let’s make money some together!
Ideas For Making Money On The Internet | My Rating |
---|---|
Affiliate Marketing with Wealthy Affiliate | 9.9/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Authority Hacker (TASS) | 9.5/10 |
Making Money on YouTube | 9.5/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Income School 24 | 9.3/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with RA Wealth Partners | 8.7/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with 2020 Super Bundle | 8.6/10 |
Sell a Service on Fiverr | 8.5/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Partnership To Success | 8.4/10 |
Affiliate Training with Rich Dad Summit | 8.2/10 |
Create a Membership Site | 8.2/10 |
Making Money with the Amazon Associates Program | 8.1/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with 12 Minute Affiliate System | 8.1/10 |
Create a Niche Website | 8.0/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Legendary Marketer | 8.0/10 |
Write and Publish an eBook | 7.9/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with $1K A Day Fast Track | 7.8/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Click Wealth System | 7.5/10 |
Making a Coupon Website | 7.0/10 |
Affiliate Marketing with Super Affiliate System | 6.0/10 |
Selling a Course on Udemy | 5.0/10 |
GET THE WIN-WIN ADVANTAGE
As the owner of this website, I have tracked down special deals for some products and services mentioned herein. When you use the links on this page to make a purchase, I may also get a small commission, and you will definitely get a great bargain. For example, as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. This commission is paid by the product company and has absolutely nothing to do with the price you are being charged. The discount you get is due to my efforts to trace out the best available benefits for you. It’s a win-win situation all around. Full Affiliate Disclaimer.
A Quick Summary
Name of Program | Publish an eBook |
Website | Can be published on any platform like Designrr, Sqribble or www.kdp.amazon.com |
What Is It? | Come up with an idea to write about and get it published to earn big bucks online. |
---|---|
Price | FREE |
Owners | You or the publishing website depending upon the business model you opt for |
Located | California, United States |
Rating | 7.9/10 |
Verdict | Whether you decide to self-publish or opt for a recognised eBook publisher, the possibilities to earn money online selling eBooks are limitless and can help you make your first paycheck online! |
What are eBooks About? Writing eBooks 101
We live in the age of electronic everything. eCommerce, eBanking, eTickets, eGift Cards, and even eCigarettes! The list just goes on. Why? Well, people love the idea of doing everything from virtually anywhere. This becomes possible due to the handy mobile phone and laptop that you own.
With that said, it’s no surprise that we’ve started revolutionizing the way that we do just about everything. e-Books are a way to make readers’ favorite pastimes that much easier, and trust me when I say that they are here to stay.
An e-book is a text presented in a format which allows it to be read on a computer or handheld device. E-books are also used to make out-of-print work available, or to bypass print altogether, as with new works by aspiring authors. They can consist simply of the electronic text or may also contain extras, such as audio, video or hyperlinks, so there is something that rows the boat of every reader.
These books are not editable, are reflowable, and are usually distributed in the formats: EBUP, AZW, or PDF on websites such as Amazon.com. Did you know that Amazon is the biggest competitor to Google than any other search engine like Yahoo or Bing?
Let me tell you something even more interesting; more shoppers try to search for a product on Amazon than on any traditional search engine. So, when people want in-depth information on a specific topic, they don’t search for blog posts on Google but instead, try to find a highly recommended book on Amazon. This book can be provided by YOU if you are able to leverage the power of Amazon and other eBook providers. Their growing outreach and popularity can surely help you earn money online selling eBooks.
How to Get Started With Writing an eBook?
There are online platforms that will set you up for success in a way you cannot imagine. They will help you to design and write ebooks quickly through niche specialized pre-designed templates. Yes, you can use these platforms to produce delightful professional e-books for others, or for your own sales funnels, opt-in pages, and more!
Do you know that there are people ready to pay you hundreds of dollars for designing just one ebook? Those who produce top quality eBooks command over $1000 per eBook on Fiverr. And on Upwork, these services are even more expensive. Check out Upwork and Fiverr, and you will realize that there is a huge market for ebooks, if you have the requisite skills to design a good one.
For example, on Fiverr, as of today, there are presently:
- 7 people who are offering to design an ebook for you for over $1000.
- 50 services are available to make you an ebook for over $500 each.
- 68 designers are ready to make an ebook for $400 and above.
- 114 ebook designers available for $300 per ebook.
- 260 ebook makers for $200 and above.
- 933 people are ready to design you an ebook for $100 and more.
- 2124 services starting at $50.
What I am trying to tell you is that ebooks sell for a lot. And guess how these ebooks are designed? Obviously on Designrr, and Sqribble, and similar software platforms. It takes very little effort to learn, and you can literally make hundreds of dollars a day.
Designrr & Sqribble are often rated as two of the best eBook programs to help you convert content into eBooks in minutes.
How to Get Started With Publishing an eBook?
The path that will earn money online selling eBooks can be a bit overwhelming for most people. I thus bring you this comprehensive write-up on how to get started.
You Need to Know About These 6 Tips Before You WRITE an eBook
- Research, research, and research. It is the key to a successful Kindle eBook product. Research about what people are looking for in the domain related to your eBook’s topic. For example, if you are creating an eBook on ‘Yoga to lose weight’ look for how many people are looking for yoga exercises to lose weight on the internet and Amazon.
What are their expectations from a book? You can easily conduct this research by studying the comments, reviews, and popularity of the existing competitor’s books on Amazon and other eBook sites. - Write to one reader. When you know your ideal reader, you know how much he/she already knows. You can avoid boring him/her with obvious information, and you can provide exactly the information he/she’s looking for.
- Check out how many people are asking questions on the topic you have chosen, using websites such as Quora, Yahoo Answers, and WikiAnswers. More questions mean more people are looking for answers and that’s a good sign.
- Look out for the market gaps in your selected domain. And see whether there’s a demand for some topic, see whether your eBook can cater to that demand.
- Visit Amazon.com and see how many books are present in your selected domain. Are people buying those books? This will help you to understand the demand and purchasing ability of the market in your domain.
With that, you’ll be ready enough to write your very own eBook. Now, let’s look at the entire publishing guide, shall we?
You Need to Know About These 6 Tips Before You Publish Your eBook
- Make sure that your work is spotless. Trust me when I say that rushing through work won’t get you anywhere! Don’t jump the gun and publish as soon as you type out the last sentence, or even as soon as you finish a thorough round of edits.
Instead, put your manuscript away for a while, so you can come back refreshed enough to spot mistakes you missed on the last pass. Then bring in another pair of eyes — ideally, a trained editor who will leave your manuscript spotless.
I even recommend that you find a few friendly readers who match your ideal reader profile and give them your first draft. Not only will they help make your book better, but it will also boost your confidence. - Package your E-Book with the perfect cover. Remember the 4 P’s from our marketing classes? Well, the cover page is your e-book’s first and best marketing asset. It should look great in ads, draw likes on social media, and, above all, grab attention on crowded online marketplaces.
Unlike a print cover in brick and mortar bookstores, your cover needs to look good — and make sense — at full scale and in miniature. So whatever you, whether you hire a designer or do it yourself, make sure the cover is at least as good as the book and in the right size for display online. - Choose your publishing platforms. For most authors, the phrase “e-book publishing” automatically conjures up Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s digital self-publishing platform. With 67% of the global e-book market share, Amazon is certainly worth publishing on — you should release through KDP no matter what else you do. But if you choose to go wide, you can also publish your e-book through platforms outside of Amazon as well. The world is yours, my friend.
Sticking with Amazon alone will give you certain marketing perks through their KDP Select. This program lets you promote your e-book through price promotions and Kindle Unlimited, a popular subscription service for e-book lovers. On the other hand, diversifying through other platforms can help you reach readers who don’t frequent the e-commerce giant. This can be especially helpful if you plan to sell in countries like Germany or Canada, where Amazon commands a slimmer share of the e-book market than in the US and UK. - Once you know where you’ll be publishing your e-book, it’s time to go to your chosen platforms (and/or aggregators) and create your accounts. Some retailers like Barnes & Noble Press will let you upload your manuscript as soon as your account activates. Others, like KDP, will present you with several fields to fill out first. But either way, it’s best to have all your book information prepared beforehand.
Getting your metadata right means more traffic to your product page — and more sales for your book so make sure you are careful with this step. - Format your e-book one last time. We’re getting close to the finish line, can you feel it? Your job now is getting your e-book into its final form, so you can finally hit that “publish” button.You made your manuscript “word-perfect” way back in step 1.
Now it’s time to take that flawless text and convert it into an EPUB, the file format used by e-book publishers.
To be clear, platforms like Amazon will often allow you to upload a file in a different format, such as .docx or PDF. But when they convert your file into their preferred file type, you could end up with line break issues, spacing strangeness, and other visual quirks. That’s why we recommend getting your e-book into your publishing platform’s preferred format before you upload it. - Now, just set your price, hit “publish” and show off your e-book to the world. I’ll talk more about the pricing and fee structure in the how to earn money online selling eBooks section so do read on!
A Sneak Peek Inside the World of eBooks
Depending upon the publisher you choose, the process of uploading your eBook will vary. Here are two amazing guides on uploading your eBook to Amazon and iBooks.
Here is how the sign up page looks like before you can upload your eBook to KDP:
Here is the interface of KDP:
How Can You Earn Money Online Selling eBooks?
But can we really earn money writing ebooks? How to earn money from ebooks?
Self-published authors have had big success in recent years. Take Hugh Howey, who sold a series of science fiction books through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. At one point, he was selling 20,000 — 30,000 copies a month, which generated $150,000 in income monthly. Amanda Hocking, who writes “paranormal romance” and fantasy novels, has sold well over a million books on Amazon, generating over $2 million in sales.
You too can earn money online selling ebooks. How so? Well, if you decide to enter self-publishing as a moneymaking venture, make sure to research the market first and put in the time to create a product that’s optimized to sell. For more on that check the above sections.
You can sign up to any eBook publisher like Kindle Direct Publishing Program, Nook or iBooks. Uploading your content on their website is you awarding them with the exclusive distribution rights for your eBook to the ePublsiher. This will allow you to sell your eBook in all the countries where the website is available giving it a massive exposure at launch.
You’re going to handle everything yourself, including marketing and selling. And that means you get to keep all the profits. They’re nothing to sneeze at. Most authors earn around $1-$2 every time a customer reads their book this way, and that can mean big money if your e-book becomes popular on the publisher’s website.
I recommend creating a small niche site on the related topic and promoting your eBook through it. The more eBooks you sell the more money you make. An important thing that you’ll be deciding upon is how to price your eBook. Keep in mind that your royalty rates will change on some platforms depending on your e-book price.
Amazon self-publishing royalties for titles costing between $2.99-$9.99 are usually 70%. Prices falling outside this range will net you only 35% royalties. Pricing is one of the book details you can always change. This flexibility allows you to offer discounts (and even free giveaways) to entice more readers into clicking “Buy.” Nook and the iBook store are similarly priced.
If you are wondering how you will write your eBook, I suggest you look no further than these programs:
Designrr & Sqribble are the best eBook programs to help you design and write eBooks in minutes.
Check Out These Videos On Earn Money Online Selling eBooks & What They Are About
Earn Money Online Selling eBooks: My Final Assessment
What I Do Like
- Open market: by publishing electronically, writers can bypass the publishing process
- Environmentally friendly: paper-free books save trees
- The number of books available in e-book format is still quite limited so easy to penetrate market
- Cost effective
What I Don’t Like
- If downloaded on to a computer, e-books can be printed out
- Many e-books are not available in a Mac-friendly format
What do I Think About Making Money Writing eBooks?
The time has come to answer the million dollar question: is it worth investing your time in eBooks with hopes to earn money online selling eBooks? Well, like most of my opinions, it depends. The pros are many. Regardless of how you decide to publish your book, the world is increasingly moving towards electronic books. This gives a heightened demand for your product.
If you decide to self-publish, you’ll be able to bag more of the profits but the marketing process would be tougher. The other way around is to opt for a recognised eBook publisher and utilize their vast consumer base to market your books, albeit after sharing some profits.
We must also consider the piracy issues, since eBooks are so easy to re download and print. Many e-books are also not available in a Mac-friendly format. On the plus side, the number of books available in e-book format is still quite limited so it is fairly easy to penetrate the market and c.
No matter what you decide upon, alway remember that you might start out making some extra cash on the side – and later, with enough hard work and persistence, make a comfortable living out of it. The important thing is that you keep trying.
Only in persistence shall you find success.
That’s a quote by me so please take it with a grain of salt 😋
Selling eBooks IS For…
- It is for people who like to teach, explain, and solve problems.
- It is great for people who are able to provide detailed insights on a particular topic.
- It is for people who are able to provide some extraordinary tips for solving people’s problems.
- It is for people who wish to attain financial freedom and spend more time counting their earnings than worrying about it.
Selling eBooks IS NOT For…
- It’s not for those wanting to get rich quick.
- It’s not for people who have no time.
- It’s not for those who are not willing to put in the work it takes.
Final Verdict About How to Make Money From an Ebook
Earn Money Online Selling eBooks: A Hit or Miss?
- Earning money by selling eBooks is most definitely NOT A SCAM.
- Earning money by selling eBooks is great for gaining exposure and money depending on the business model that you choose.
- It is definitely in the TOP FEW ways to learn and earn through internet.
Are There Any Good Alternatives?
Ebooks can be a good tool for money-making depending upon your situation and the business model that you choose. However, there is other thing that I’d like to talk about. Have you ever heard of Affiliate Marketing? Why does everyone online seem to be doing affiliate marketing? What is it really about?
Well, let’s take a moment to understand the concept of affiliate marketing, shall we?
What is Affiliate Marketing?
So, lets say that you just got into the online money-making scene and exploring your avenues? Well, let us tell you about the easiest way to make a pay check online and that is affiliate marketing
You basically get paid to promote the product of others. So, no skills, product, or even a brick and mortar setup is required. You just need your laptop and an internet connection. Could it be easier? Affiliate marketing has given us some millionaires and they call it the best business strategy in today’s online world. Check out the Top 5 of them:
Others like Bob Proctor, and Zig Ziglar, and Russel Brunson, and Dean Holland, and Brian Clark, and Ian Fernando, and Zac Johnson are all internet gurus who worked towards being the greatest today.
Imagine Working Anywhere, Anytime and Making Money While You Sleep! That’s unbeatable, trust me.
And the money is GOOD. It’s not a side hustle we are talking about here. You can quit worrying about finances or losing your job. You would probably be spending more time counting your money and thinking of ways to spend it!
If you wish to understand a bit more about Affiliate Marketing, please check out the infographics in the short articles below!
As Always …
As an affiliate marketer, eBooks are a fine channel that you can utilize to make money online. If you have come this far in my “earn money online selling eBooks” article, please remember that only by taking positive action can you truly know what a program is like. I took the same plunge, a while before you, and I would not have been where I am today, had it not been for some wonderful programs that earn you good money.
Taking action is what counts for making money online. Only that can change your life.
Believe me, internet marketing is a great way to go! It may take time to build up your system because just like any good business, it cannot be built overnight. But the returns are great. There’s nothing like making money while you sleep.
The important thing is that you must join a program that is good, and learn exactly how to start making money online.
I Believe In Action
If you are still unimpressed with the idea of Earn Money Online Selling eBooks, I suggest you do not take it up. Part of the deal is that you have to be completely convinced for it to be of value. The reason for that is that it is going to be you who has to implement the system. And if you are not sure, then you may not work on it like it is required.
But there is also this other program that I wish to talk to you about.
Pull Open the Curtains
My top recommended money making system is a program called Wealthy Affiliate. It’s actually my #1 suggested program. According to my research, it is the easiest way to make money online.
Long ago, I took action by investing in and starting with a training course called Wealthy Affiliate. It is the ULTIMATE foundation course for learning affiliate marketing and getting your online business set up. It takes work, but if you work, so does the system. Completely GENUINE and easily the best training you can get online. And did I forget to mention, it is FREE to join, and not even a Credit Card is required.
I always talk about getting into a system that teaches you as well as helps you get set-up with a workable system that can earn you money. Well, that is exactly what Wealthy Affiliate is. It helps you to learn and put into practice what they teach side-by-side. By the time you finish the training course, you also have a website fully-ready to make you money. Now that’s what I call a proper “money-making program”.
Wealthy Affiliate is not really a resource or a tool. It is a platform that trains you to become an affiliate marketer and also helps you side-by-side to set up a full-fledged business, while they take care of all the resources and tools that you need along the way. Find out what is Wealthy Affiliate about, and give it a go for FREE. It is, in fact, the best way to make money online.
Sign Up For Wealthy Affiliate
Wealthy Affiliate is totally FREE. Not even a credit card is required. They give you time to understand the Premium level of the program fully for 7 days, without spending anything. In addition, you get a website free along with hosting, security, SSL, and other benefits. Even after the 7 days free Premium trial is over, you can continue with the free website. Please go to the Wealthy Affiliate login here.
If you wish to upgrade to Premium later, you can do that as it obviously gives better tools & functionality within the platform. Or you can continue to learn and build your website, without paying anything at all.
You can check out my reviews or Signup for Wealthy Affiliate by clicking below:
If you have any contributions to make, or questions to ask, you can put them down in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Good luck with your dreams. Remember, the best way to make your dreams come true, is to wake up.
Regards,
FAQs
What is an e-book?
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
Can I distribute my e-book for free?
What types of e-book publishing formats are there?
.epub
.mobi
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
Can I get my novel published in ebook format?
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
What is the future for ebooks?
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
To KDP or not to KDP?
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
How to price my eBook?
To properly understand how to earn money online selling ebooks and whether or not it is a worthwhile tool to make money online, check out the article above!
10 Comments
Paolo
I have been considering the idea of writing an ebook. I know that I could deliver useful insights on a topic that would be interesting to read for people that are in a very specific niche. I had also been considering enrolling on a course on Udemy that dealt with this topic.
But up till this point I hadn’t made my mind. Your post has not only made me believe this is a goal I can accomplish but it has also excited me about it. Thank you very much!
admin
I’m so happy that you are motivated Paolo
admin
Absolutely must give it a go Paolo!
By the way, there are ideas on my website for side hustles that will, at most, earn you and me a few hundred or thousand dollars every month.
I wonder, though, if you are interested in the REAL thing! The actual big-bucks! Affiliate Marketing with Wealthy Affiliate! Do check it out.
Love
Aparna
Dexter Teo
I particularly love this suggestion of kindle publishing as a way of making money. Publishing kindle ebooks gives people a chance to be an author unlike the past, where they have to go through the hassle of facing publishing companies and printing hard copies. Now it’s much easier to get their message out there.
Amazing tips on what to do when publishing an ebook. Even an expert does need to do a little bit of research because you just never know what new information you might find that will also be able to help your readers!
evansese
so thoughtful of you to put up such an informative review on how to earn money by publishing ebooks.. I must say that I admire your effort and courage in sharing such an information on how to make money from ebooks.. I must say a big thank you and please keep up the good work have a great day and stay safe
admin
Thanks Evansese
Tush
This is one of the most brief but powerful and indept guide on making passive income by simply publishing an eBook. I have always wanted to publish an eBook in order to make things easy for others in some particular topics. Amazon is the biggest place to leverage the power of an eBook in generating passive income. I sincerely appreciate you sharing this helpful guide. I’d utilise it.
admin
Hi Tush, i am myself working on it. Hope u succeed too.
Michel
Publishing their own book is a dream that many people have, but how many actually go through with it. Luckily now, due to the internet and Kindle, it is easier than ever to publish your own books and at a minimal cost compared to what you would have to pay a publisher for a hard copybook.
It must be great to have a few successful books out there and the best part is you write the book once and it can sell copies for years after that.
admin
Thats so true Michel. It feels awesome to be a writer. I already have paperbacks to my name.