This is a guest post by freelance writer (and my blog/Twitter friend) Susan Johnston. She just released her first ebook and is also kind of awesome… so pay attention.
This is Susan. She's pretty.
I appreciate the tactile sensation of a shiny new paperback and hope that publishers never stop printing books. Still, I also love the convenience of ebooks. With a few clicks, I can download an ebook and open up a new world without leaving my apartment or waiting for the FedEx guy. I also love knowing that in many cases, buying a self-published ebook means I’m supporting an indie author like myself.
But as an ebook consumer, I’ve noticed that some ebooks kind of suck. Actually, I’m not sure if they suck or not, because I’ve been so turned off by sucky marketing that I don’t buy those ebooks. Here are five ways to send potential ebook readers running in the opposite direction (and how to avoid these all too common mistakes):
1. Cheap-ass covers. Despite the adage to the contrary, readers do judge books (and ebooks) by their covers. If you want people to spend $9.99 or even $19.99 on your ebook, then it needs a professional-quality cover. Don’t use one of those generic-looking templates you downloaded for free and don’t design it yourself unless you’re a PhotoShop whiz. Befriend a graphic designer, hire a professional, or set up some kind of barter arrangement so you can get a decent-looking cover.
2. Descriptions that read like an infomercial. We’ve all seen those long-winded descriptions that promise to flatten your stomach without dieting or help you earn your first million without breaking a sweat. Oh, yeah, and all these amazing secrets can be yours for just three monthly installments of $29.99. “But wait! There’s more …” No thank you! I prefer humor and authenticity to puffery and excessive promises. And keep it short. If you think you need pages and pages of rhetorical questions (“Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to XX?” or “Have you ever dreamed about YY?”) and fake-sounding testimonials, then you’re trying too hard.
3. Too much biographical info (or not enough). I don’t give a bleep that your second grade teacher said you were destined to become a famous writer! Or that you make the world’s best fluffernutter sandwich (unless, of course, your ebook is a food-related and you have way to back up this claim). Focus on how the ebook will help readers rather than how it satisfies your ego. On the flip side, though, if I’m going shell out for your ebook, it would be nice to know why I should care about your advice. A few short, well-crafted sentences should be enough to establish credibility without causing eye rolls.
4. Promo pieces that don’t tell you anything. Equally annoying is when an author writes a newsletter or article or blog post under the guise of promoting their ebook, but the piece doesn’t actually say anything useful. There are no tips, no takeaway points, just one long sales pitch leading back to their product and why it will change your life. Shades of an infomercial all over again! It’s a delicate balance, because authors want to give readers a taste of their content and pique interest without giving it all away. (Hopefully this post strikes that balance.)
5. Ebooks that don’t fill a need. When I want light, enjoyable reading, I’ll pick up a new novel from the library and read it on the beach or at a coffee shop. When I want something informative that will help me solve a problem (and that problem can’t be solved with a quick Google search), I’ll order an ebook that I can download immediately and read on my computer. Ebooks should be fun for the author to write and for the reader to digest, but they should also fill a gap in the marketplace and/or help the reader learn a new skill. I don’t believe in writing a book for the sake of writing a book. It should say something new or at least bring a fresh perspective to an age-old problem.
OK, readers. I know you have opinions! What totally turns you off an ebook or other product?
Susan Johnston blogs at The Urban Muse and has contributed to numerous websites including AOL’s Lemondrop, DailyCandy.com, WomenEntrepreneur.com, and WritersWeekly.com. She just released her first ebook, The Urban Muse Guide to Online Writing Markets.
This is Susan's book. Go buy it.
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