| It couldn't be easier to select a topic for an ebook. | | | | manual. |
| People are hungry for information, and people are | | | | Anyway, back to the point. Any phase of life, way of |
| looking to the Internet to feed their hunger. After | | | | coping with life, or large or small thing about life can be |
| you've read this chapter, you will feel confident enough | | | | the subject of a how-to book. |
| to choose your own topic, or you can literally pull your | | | | Looking young |
| ebook topic directly from this ebook and use it! How's | | | | Perhaps sixteen year old girls don't want to look |
| that for a deal? | | | | younger, but from that point on, and for most of the |
| Observe what's going on around you. | | | | population in Western society, looking young is a |
| If you're smart enough to read this book, you're smart | | | | common desire. Everybody wants to find the fountain |
| enough to look around you and determine what | | | | of youth, whether it be in a pill bottle, a special diet, |
| interests you and those around you. Think of what | | | | surgery, or an ebook. |
| problems you've recently solved, and what kinds of | | | | An ebook about staying or appearing young in the |
| problems others have had and solved. Any problem | | | | face of growing old will have a solid future. Here are |
| that has been solved in your world could easily be the | | | | some title ideas, and I'm sure you can come up with a |
| subject of your next book. People love to read how | | | | truckload more. |
| other have solved a problem that they currently have. | | | | · "Drop ten years and ten pounds in ten days" |
| So, brainstorm a list of problems in your life and in the | | | | · "How to look 28 forever" |
| lives of those around you. Your friend Bob lost his job? | | | | · "100 ways to look younger" |
| Your sister's child had chicken pox? How did they | | | | · "Grocery store products that will help you look |
| cope or find solutions? While you're at it, start another | | | | younger" |
| list of unsolved problems evident in your corner of the | | | | · "Look 30 again without surgery" |
| world. Write down problems you wish you had solved. | | | | · "How to live to be 100" |
| Aha! These are subjects that people will really be | | | | This topic is red hot. Botox, surgery, chemical peels, |
| interested in! How to lose the last ten pounds. The truth | | | | lasers, diets, acupuncture, electronic pulses, mega |
| about UFOs. The straightest path to becoming a | | | | vitamins, prescription teas, thigh cream, and teeth |
| millionaire. From your personal corner, your | | | | whiteners are being purchased by baby boomers, the |
| step-granddaughter is pregnant at age 14? Your | | | | elderly, and even women as young as 20 ! No one |
| grocery bill is double what it used to be? Your roof | | | | wants to look a day older than they have to. |
| leaks? These are problems waiting for ebook solutions! | | | | Health |
| These unsolved problems would also be great ebook | | | | Health is a concern to anyone who is growing old or ill |
| topics. Remember, you don't have to know the solution, | | | | or faced illness with a loved one or wants more |
| just the topic. You're going to get someone else to do | | | | energy or, basically, everybody. Health ebooks are a |
| the research and write the book for you. You will not | | | | good investment for you to make. And doctors don't |
| actually be writing one word. | | | | have to be the authors. Anyone with any credentials, |
| Spend a few minutes Googling | | | | or no crendetials at all, can write books on health. Just |
| The Internet is a great way to find out what people | | | | be sure you don't claim to be a doctor if you're not |
| are looking for at any given moment. You can search | | | | one. |
| for almost anything. Googleâ„¢ is a popular | | | | Here are some health topics you can hit at this |
| search engine you can use, or you can try any of the | | | | moment in time and be almost guaranteed immediate |
| others like Yahoo!Â(R) or Type in phrases like "top | | | | interest, readership, and sales! |
| concerns of Americans," "best-selling nonfiction topics," | | | | Disease prevention and cure.As our baby boomer |
| or "popular how-to manuals." Common worries of | | | | population ages, most will be afflicted with heart |
| 2005. | | | | disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, or some other |
| And while you're on the Internet... | | | | malady. Give these people some hope. Create an |
| Find out the most popular nonfiction books from the | | | | ebook on how to cope, how to find the best |
| New York Times bestseller list, Amazon, and a Google | | | | practitioners, how to avoid disease triggers, or cures |
| search for ebooks. Your findings will tell you exactly | | | | American doctors are unaware of. |
| what book subjects people are buying right now. | | | | Natural remedies. People are curious about alternatives |
| Try this. Go to From the tabbed menu running along | | | | to standard medicine, and are anxious to try herbal, |
| the top of the Amazon home page, click "Top Sellers." | | | | natural, or holistic treatments. Create a book on any |
| I did this one day in September 2005 and found a | | | | disease that covers alternative cures. For example, |
| Harry Potter book, several other fiction books, and | | | | "How to Treat Lymphoma, Naturally." Or, you could just |
| titles such as Natural cures "they" won't tell you about, | | | | address natural supplements in general, "The best |
| How what you wear can change your life, How to | | | | natural remedies for common ailments," or "Holistic |
| profit from the demise of the dollar, and The official | | | | health." |
| SAT study guide. I've paraphrased to some degree, | | | | Diet. What we eat is always a hot topic. There are |
| but you get the idea. | | | | literally dozens if not hundreds of diet fads currently |
| Here's what I learned just from spending a few | | | | out there. Pick any one of them for an ebook. Then |
| minutes on Amazon that day. People are reading good | | | | there's obesity, general health, and also diet |
| fiction from already-best selling authors (Da Vinci Code, | | | | supplements like vitamins. Think "How to equip your |
| the Harry Potter series, and others). Secondly, | | | | kitchen for macrobiotic dieting." Or, "Eat to cure |
| Amazon buyers, buying over the Internet, are | | | | cancer." |
| interested in nonfiction topics such as improving their | | | | Travel |
| lives and making more money. For these books, just | | | | Never has so much travel been available to so many. |
| about any author will do, even virtual unknowns or | | | | People today want to get in touch with the people |
| people who went to prison for lying to the American | | | | they love. They want to experience different parts of |
| public. | | | | the world. See exotic things. Be entertained. Also, |
| And that quick visit only confirmed that the straightest | | | | because, especially in America, adults sometimes work |
| route to ebook profits is in the nonfiction ebook market. | | | | well more than 40 hours a week, people need really |
| This is for a number of reasons. Fiction readers tend | | | | good vacations. They're doing their research to make |
| to like to curl up in a chair with an actual book. Some | | | | sure that they will really enjoy their precious few |
| of them attend book clubs where the physical books | | | | weeks off each year. |
| are brought around someone's kitchen table with wine | | | | Here are some topics for you: how to trade frequent |
| and cheese. Fiction readers tend to purchase from | | | | flyer miles, how to keep airport security off your back, |
| authors they're already familiar with. Fiction can be | | | | how to travel on a dime and get change, and how to |
| more difficult to write and deliver well. Also, many of | | | | keep your children happy on long car trips. |
| the classics in fiction are available as free ebooks. A | | | | Beyond the how-to's, there is plenty of room for books |
| reader interested in fiction could just download those. | | | | like, the best amusement parks for your money, top |
| So stick with nonfiction unless you're feeling particularly | | | | 100 campgrounds, things you must see and do in Utah |
| bold and experimental. | | | | before you die, and free things to do when visiting |
| Here is some more good news, and if you didn't | | | | Washington, D.C. |
| already know this then you are going to be smiling big. | | | | Get the idea? The good thing about creating travel |
| Drum roll please... ideas are not copyrighted, therefore | | | | ebooks is that you may already know a lot about a |
| any idea you see, hear, or read anywhere anytime, is | | | | place that other people may be interested in visiting. |
| yours to use for an ebook! You can create books | | | | Makes it easy! |
| around the same ideas that are covered in the | | | | Money |
| Amazon best seller list, and turnaround and create an | | | | Money makes the world go around (well that and the |
| ebook on the exact same subject! | | | | earth's axis and planetary forces), and so it would |
| Now, copyright law does protect the way ideas are | | | | make sense that ebooks would abound on the topic |
| expressed, so you want to make sure your hired | | | | of money. They do, but the market is nowhere near |
| author does not plagiarize or copy book text outright. | | | | saturated. There's always room for more. From getting |
| And you cannot use the title word for word either. But | | | | rich to just saving money day-to-day, people are |
| there's nothing stopping you from creating another | | | | always interested in how-to books related to money. |
| book or ebook that covers the same subject with a | | | | Ideas below: |
| different voice. It's all as completely legal and guilt-free | | | | · "How to feed your family on less than $40 a |
| as nonfat Haagen Dazs. This is why looking at | | | | week" |
| bestseller lists is a great way to get topic ideas. | | | | · "How to get free stuff" |
| Digging a little deeper | | | | · "How to pay almost no taxes" |
| There are groups of people who are willing to buy | | | | · "How to buy a retirement home for no money |
| nonfiction ebooks: hobbyists. At any given time, these | | | | down" |
| people are looking for ways to spend their money on | | | | · "How to be richer than your parents" |
| their hobbies. Their passion is your financial gain. | | | | · "How to buy cars at auction" |
| What avid hobbyists want will always make great | | | | · "How to start a financial management business" |
| ebook material. Note that I did not say what hobbyists | | | | Life enrichment |
| need. You may have certain opinions on what exactly | | | | In these days, although fewer and fewer are attending |
| certain people should need or should read. But those | | | | churches, more and more are flocking to purchase |
| are not necessarily good topics for immediate ebook | | | | self-help books. Self-help books are leaping off shelves |
| profit. Those topics may be areas for you to dabble in | | | | at brick and mortar bookstores. People want to feel |
| at your leisure. However, if you want to make money | | | | that if they read a self-help book, they have all the |
| at this, find out what niche groups want, and hit those | | | | power to change their lives. Whether or not this is true |
| groups with your ebook. | | | | is moot. Changing your life, soul searching, and helping |
| Find hobbyists and niche groups by searching the web | | | | thyself, are all great ebook topics. |
| for "popular hobbies," "enthusiasts," or "what America is | | | | As much as ever before, people want to know how |
| buying." Or, you can search specifically for forums and | | | | to find peace with their pasts, how to be creative or |
| discussion groups for hobbyists. In the forums, people | | | | spiritual in a consuming society, and how to find true |
| talk with each other to share ideas with one another. | | | | love. There is no end to how-to books you could |
| Often, they will exchange testimonials for equipment, | | | | create in the category of self-help, or life enrichment. |
| upcoming events, and books. | | | | Here are a few more ideas here: |
| One popular site where hobbyists go to talk to one | | | | · How to marry for life |
| another online is Yahoo!. Check it out. Go to Click | | | | · How to unbreak your heart |
| "groups." On the groups page you'll see a list of | | | | · How to stay sane in a crazy world |
| categories such as Business & finance, and Religion. | | | | · How to meditate |
| For demonstration purposes, click on "Games." | | | | A few more topics bound to explode |
| On the games screen, game subcategories are listed | | | | These are fiery hot topics that are sure to be on the |
| followed by numbers. The numbers indicate how many | | | | rise. You can pull any one of these to use for your first |
| discussion forums are available for that subcategory. | | | | ebook. Then come back and pull another topic for your |
| These numbers reveal a lot. Notice how "role playing | | | | next ebook. |
| games," and "video & computer games" have factors | | | | Using the latest electronics. We are a society |
| of ten or in some cases factors of 100 more forums | | | | obsessed with having the latest and greatest |
| than other subcategories. "Wargaming" and "paintball" | | | | technology. Do an ebook on iPods, email/camera cell |
| don't even come close, although those categories are | | | | phones, wireless Internet, digital TV, or any combination |
| much more discussion-laden than "horseshoe pitching." | | | | of these items. |
| For fun, one day I continued selecting subcategories | | | | Home improvement. There's so much of a craze in |
| until I arrived at a list of over a thousand (yes a | | | | this area that do-it-yourself (DIY) stores are on every |
| thousand) discussion groups on Yahoo having to do | | | | corner of major cities. If you haven't been to a Home |
| with vampire role playing. Here's how I got there: | | | | Depot or Lowe's lately, then you are one of the few. |
| Games>>Role Playing Games>>Live Action>> World | | | | Sure, apartment dwellers and young students aren't in |
| of Darkness>>Vampire: The Masquerade. | | | | this market, but people with homes and money to |
| Some of the forums are open to new members, and | | | | afford them are in this market. In fact, some cable TV |
| you can join to read what everyone's discussing. Once | | | | services offer entire channels dedicated to home |
| in the forum, you can review discussion threads from | | | | improvement. |
| today, yesterday, or a year ago. Don't go back too far | | | | Especially of current interest are in-home automation |
| if you want to find out the hottest possible ebook | | | | systems. DIY home improvers are eager to learn |
| topics. You can participate in discussions if you like. FYI, | | | | about and buy things that will make their home lives |
| do not drop into a discussion group just to market an | | | | more relaxing, high-tech, or fun. Create a book to |
| ebook; hobbyists consider this spam and will drop you | | | | teach them how to make their lights come on for them |
| from the group. | | | | before they get home from their jobs, or how to press |
| When you read and/or participate, you'll find out what | | | | a button to adjust window blinds, music, or |
| this group is buying. All you have to do is skim to find | | | | temperature. Or how Bill Gates' house works. Or how |
| out what questions they are asking each other about | | | | to add automation to an existing home, or how to |
| products or traveling or information. What they are | | | | build-in automation when a house is constructed. |
| interested in buying is a key piece of information | | | | Identity theft prevention. Especially because ebooks |
| because passionate consumers love to research | | | | are marketed on the Internet, this is a great topic. This |
| before they buy. This is an immediate ebook market. | | | | is because people who purchase over the Internet are |
| Create a book on how to select the best this or that | | | | concerned that their credit card numbers will not be |
| on the market, related to the current wants of the | | | | seen by others or misused in any way. Even away |
| enthusiasts. | | | | from the computer though, consumers are on-edge |
| Enthusiasts come in all shapes and sizes. Think | | | | about identity theft. Today, people are shredding their |
| brides-to-be, golfers, whitewater rafters, people who | | | | receipts, removing their personal information from the |
| collect vintage baseball cards, wine connoisseurs, | | | | face of their checks, and cautiously covering |
| gardeners, frequent vacationers, video gamers, and | | | | themselves when they type in passwords at public |
| parents who put their children into private tutoring, ballet, | | | | terminals or ATMs. Microchips are being installed on ID |
| and violin lessons before age 3. | | | | cards. People are worried. Tap into this with an ebook! |
| There are some hobbies that seem to continually | | | | Safety. Along the same lines as worrying about |
| attract enthusiasts, like playing golf, watching football, | | | | identity theft, people are worried about their safety |
| restoring old cars, and listening to music. These are | | | | from other things like crime, chemical warfare attack, |
| classics. Then there are some hobbies that seem to | | | | and natural disasters. Watch the evening news tonight, |
| come and go in waves, such as Red Hat Societies | | | | and you will be able to list at least twenty things that |
| participation, snow boarding, or line dancing. Pick either | | | | people are afraid of. When you talk about safety, you |
| a classic hobby or a fluctuating hobby in its peak | | | | are speaking their language. Titles along the lines of be |
| season for your best odds. | | | | prepared for any natural disaster would go over well, |
| A big market on the Internet is the 20-30 set. Here's | | | | as would those like never be a crime victim again, how |
| what they are doing right now, according to one | | | | to defend yourself in a parking lot, or prevent sudden |
| survey. They're snowboarding, wakeboarding, traveling, | | | | infant death syndrome (SIDS). |
| camping, listening to music, taking photographs. They're | | | | How-to manuals for any new product recently on the |
| drinking gourmet coffee, rock climbing, playing guitar, | | | | market. This harks back to the Dummies series but |
| camping, dancing, looking for online love, shopping for | | | | takes it one step further. Target your ebook to people |
| computers and other electronics, attending sports | | | | who want to buy the most current commercially |
| events, studying the Bible, exercising, trying to find jobs, | | | | available item. How to use the new model John Deere |
| and watching movies. Any one of these subjects | | | | tractor. You will be sure that no one else has a book |
| would make a great ebook with a buying market | | | | like yours, and you can say so in your sales pitch. |
| standing by. | | | | How to survive any phase of life. People face |
| How-to's and hot topics | | | | numerous demons and battles as they live their lives. |
| There is almost no limit whatsoever on the | | | | For many, when they're in need, they'll be reaching out |
| marketability of how-to books. Everyone wants an | | | | for help. Support groups, private therapy, being with |
| instruction manual, advice, and encouragement that | | | | friends, starting over - these are all solid topics for an |
| they can do anything they read a how-to book for. | | | | ebook. You could also reach out specifically to certain |
| Anything you know how to do, anything you've ever | | | | people needing emotional assistance. How to get |
| wanted to learn, or anything that's teachable at all, can | | | | through the terrible two's. How to cope with a cancer |
| become a how-to ebook. | | | | diagnosis. Living with your own shortcomings. How to |
| How-to books for hobbyists are a good way to go, | | | | live with someone who is dying. Surviving high school. |
| and this overlaps with the discussion above. A hobby | | | | Any of these will do. |
| how-to ebook could be anything from how to build a | | | | Anything to do with pets. People are pampering their |
| home from hay bales to how to play Texas Hold 'Em | | | | pets more than ever before. Some pets are treated |
| to how to understand Shakespeare. | | | | better than people. It's the people who spend small |
| One book publisher knows how hungry we are for | | | | fortunes on their pets that will also be willing to pay |
| how-to information, and has created a whole series of | | | | good money for an ebook that gives them ideas on |
| "Dummies" books around the market. Further, there | | | | how to treat their animals even more royally than they |
| are other similar book series', and all of them are doing | | | | already do. |
| quite well! "The Everything" series, "Idiot's Guide" series | | | | Write books on how to pamper your parakeet, |
| and others are all cashing in on the how-to | | | | homemade meals for picky dogs, where the pet spas |
| phenomenon. | | | | are, how to train your kids to be cat-friendly, million |
| You could cash in by creating ebooks on any or all | | | | dollar homes for mutts, which animals make the best |
| subjects covered in any of those series'. Go to and | | | | pets, or pet psychology. |
| check out their list of titles. Pick one you like, and move | | | | Traveling mixed with the subjects above. Not only are |
| full speed ahead! | | | | people traveling like crazy, but they want to customize |
| Remember that even though the books have | | | | their itineraries and their methods of travel with their |
| "Dummies" in the title, that the books are as popular as | | | | hobbies and lifestyles. Try a few of these on for size: |
| they are because the readers are not treated like | | | | where to dine around the globe and still stay on a |
| dummies at all. The authors cater to a person who | | | | low-carb diet plan. Hotels with the best exercise |
| wants to find out the easiest way to do something | | | | facilities. How to travel exquisitely with large dogs. |
| without too much tangential discussion. When you | | | | Crime-proof your campsite. Be creative. There's a |
| have your ebook written and when you choose a title, | | | | market here. |
| make sure you are appealing to a reader's smarts! If | | | | Using the Internet to meet people. As I said, the craze |
| you use words like stupid, dumb, or hopeless in the title, | | | | is upon us. Everyone's online, and sometimes folks |
| make sure that it is clear that the meaning would not | | | | spend more time chatting with Internet buddies than |
| extend to insulting the individual reader. | | | | they do talking face to face with actual friends. I know |
| Ebooks, because of their brevity and because they | | | | I've been guilty of this one myself. Anyway, along with |
| are marketed primarily on the Internet can target | | | | the advent of the World Wide Web, came people |
| smaller audiences. You don't have to write a universal | | | | who need a little help figuring out how to get where |
| book like How to use a computer (which may not be | | | | they want to get. They want to find like-minded people, |
| interesting enough to sell anyway in this decade). | | | | find a date, find love, find support. |
| Ebooks can cover more specific territory. Knowing this, | | | | There's a huge ebook market for hooking people up |
| you can 1) create your ebook in a specific way for a | | | | with people online. Here are just a few things that |
| specific niche readership, and 2) create additional | | | | could be covered: speed dating online, virtual music |
| ebooks for different facets of the same subject, and | | | | jams, taking online classes, hooking up with people who |
| sell each one separately! | | | | share your hobby, and finding online support groups. |
| Say you've decided to write an ebook on fishing. (FYI, | | | | Any of these and more are of interest to people who |
| this is one of those hobbies where enthusiasts are | | | | wish to get maximum benefit from their ability, thanks |
| willing to spend money!). You could create "How to | | | | to the Internet, to network with people in the farthest |
| Catch Freshwater Trout," "How to Tie Your Own | | | | reaches of the world. In fact one of the appeals with |
| Flies," or "How to Plan a Successful Deep Sea Fishing | | | | online communing is that distance does not matter. |
| Trip." Almost anything related to the hobby can | | | | Help these people in foreign lands find each other with |
| become a separate ebook depending on how much | | | | an ebook. |
| detail you include. Clearly, "How to put on waders," | | | | Topics of special interest to women. The facts don't |
| probably wouldn't be a great choice (though some | | | | lie. Women dominate the Internet, and they spend or |
| would say it's impossible to underestimate today's | | | | influence spending of 80 cents for every dollar |
| consumer), because you would have to strain to fill up | | | | changing hands. What women want has never been |
| 60 to 100 pages on such a simple topic. You get the | | | | so important to business owners and authors. |
| idea. The topic would need to be, in most cases, book | | | | Certain topics appeal particularly to the female set. |
| worthy. Use good judgment. | | | | These include beauty, health, decorating, emotional |
| Then, life itself requires instructions, as we know from | | | | support, and life enrichment. Women do a few things, |
| "Life's Little Instruction Book." So, life also qualifies as a | | | | generally, that men don't. They play bunko, wear |
| good how-to book topic. There are numerous | | | | make-up, and talk for hours to their girlfriends on the |
| subtopics, and you'll never run out of ideas. Here are a | | | | phone. They send more greeting cards, prepare more |
| few examples: | | | | casseroles, and vacuum more often than men. They |
| · "How to ensure your child gets an A+ in math" | | | | eat more salads and go shopping more often for |
| · "How to have a successful garage sale" | | | | clothes. They get more pedicures and love to dance |
| · "How to organize your home office" | | | | more than the average man. |
| And while we're on the subject of how-to books, I'd | | | | There are two things to keep in mind with regards to |
| like to make one quick point. The titles of these ebooks | | | | women and ebooks. If you want to attract a female |
| do not need to be incredibly clever. Be sure the words | | | | market, you need to write about a topic that women |
| "How to" are the first part of the title, and the rest | | | | like to read about, and you want to make the title |
| should tell exactly what the ebook is about. | | | | friendly towards women. |
| For example, which of these three titles would be | | | | Here's a female-oriented subject and title: Where to |
| best? | | | | find great shopping bargains in Taos. And here's a |
| 1. "How to have a successful garage sale." | | | | male subject: Where to catch the most fish in Taos. |
| 2. "One weekend away from a cleaner house" | | | | Here's a female-friendly title (same as above): Where |
| 3. "How to sell your old shoes for a profit" | | | | to find great shopping bargains in Taos. And here's a |
| Although numbers 2 and 3 are clever, a little punchy, | | | | male-friendly title on the same subject: Keep your |
| and correspond with the ebook content, I would still | | | | money in your pocket in Taos. See the difference? |
| recommend using title number 1. "How to have a | | | | Know your market, and if you need to choose |
| successful garage sale" sums it up pretty well and will | | | | between one or the other, you're safe going with the |
| catch the eye of an Internet surfer who is interested in | | | | women's title. |
| putting together a garage sale and needs a how-to | | | | |