How lucrative is the E-BOOK business

37 replies
I have talked to many people. Some people have given advice like '' don't waste your time''. However i have heard success story's of passive income through e-books.

The other major problem i am having is actually writing the eBook itself. I am a terrible writer but i can come up with amazing ideas that i feel would hit nice niche markets.

Any success storys or info would be a big help to many.
#business #ebook #lucrative
  • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
    Originally Posted by chrisbiz4444 View Post

    I have talked to many people. Some people have given advice like '' don't waste your time''. However i have heard success story's of passive income through e-books.

    The other major problem i am having is actually writing the eBook itself. I am a terrible writer but i can come up with amazing ideas that i feel would hit nice niche markets.

    Any success storys or info would be a big help to many.
    It can be very lucrative but not for terrible writers
    Signature

    Pen Name + 8 eBooks + social media sites 4 SALE - PM me (evergreen beauty niche)

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786878].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Big Money
      It is highly lucrative. It can make you a millionaire. If you're not good at writing then outsource it. Check warrior forum members for hire and Elance.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786890].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author J Bold
      Originally Posted by LilBlackDress View Post

      It can be very lucrative but not for terrible writers

      I beg to differ. 50 Shades of Grey anyone?


      As to the OP, how lucrative is any business? There's no answer to that question. I have met real estate agents who make $8 million a year. And that's their earnings, not their sales. And I have met real estate agents who are not even able to sell one house in a year of trying.

      There is no answer to that question. What someone else does has no bearing on what you will actually do.

      For example, you could say, "How lucrative is it to be a Major League Soccer player?"

      Well, some of them make $33,750 a year. It's true, look it up.

      And, some of them make over a million dollars per year.

      Huge discrepancy. Quit looking at what others make and start earning and trying for yourself to see how lucrative it can be, for YOU.

      To make good money, you have to be good at what you do.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787219].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author ckbank
        Originally Posted by J Bold View Post

        I beg to differ. 50 Shades of Grey anyone?


        As to the OP, how lucrative is any business? There's no answer to that question. I have met real estate agents who make $8 million a year. And that's their earnings, not their sales. And I have met real estate agents who are not even able to sell one house in a year of trying.

        There is no answer to that question. What someone else does has no bearing on what you will actually do.

        For example, you could say, "How lucrative is it to be a Major League Soccer player?"

        Well, some of them make $33,750 a year. It's true, look it up.

        And, some of them make over a million dollars per year.

        Huge discrepancy. Quit looking at what others make and start earning and trying for yourself to see how lucrative it can be, for YOU.

        To make good money, you have to be good at what you do.
        Wow. There's no way a real estate agent would make 8 mil a year if he or she didn't live in a place like Malibu or sold commercial real estate.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7789595].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
      Originally Posted by LilBlackDress View Post

      It can be very lucrative but not for terrible writers
      It's lucrative even for terrible writers. There have been many ebooks I have read where the punctuation and spelling were terrible but I knew the writer was making bank.

      The other thing a bad writer can do is outsource the ebook and have someone who is good at writing write it for them.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787699].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author LillySage
    The secret is to simply provide value...period. If you do, you can succeed...if not....well....
    Signature

    Get my 149-Page Kindle Publishing System WSO FREE TODAY...FREE WSO TODAY!

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786894].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kim Phoenix
    It is such a nice form of passive income. It was one of the first ways that I made some decent money online. If you're not a good writer, that can make things a bit more difficult, but it doesn't have to stop you. You can always try writing a short book/manual, and then hire someone reputable to proofread it for grammar and spelling.
    Signature
    http://www.BuyHealthPLR.com (PLR Written & Edited by a Healthcare Professional)

    http://www.TheOnlineChick.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786902].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author GuruGuna
    Hi there.

    Welcome to Warrior forum.

    Here you will find ton of information on this. e-book business is not dead. It is all about your sales funnel. How you sell the book and what you have within the ebook.

    My suggestion.

    1) find a niche
    2) look at what is selling the most
    3) jot down a few points on what you want on your e-book based on what is selling or what is needed within your niche
    4) go to odesk.com or other places and outsource your work to a qualified writer
    5) build a squeeze page
    6) capture the leads by giving away free products (look into PLR type of products)
    7) sell your e-book

    Obviously that is just one method.

    In short, no the e-book business is not dead. It has indeed grown.

    You just need to know what to sell and to whom.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786928].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thatjc
    If you follow the advice that you'll do better at something you really love to do, then my advice is not to build an ebook business - if you don't love learning, writing, creativity and marketing.

    Like others say, you can hire out the actual "writing it down", grammar, etc., if you can come up with good creative ideas and can write well enough to get those ideas across (in some detail) to your contract writer.
    Signature
    "You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed."
    Online Visual Communication expert
    Visual Marketing Info signup: Visual Marketing Online
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786953].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz4444
      Originally Posted by thatjc View Post

      If you follow the advice that you'll do better at something you really love to do, then my advice is not to build an ebook business - if you don't love learning, writing, creativity and marketing.

      Like others say, you can hire out the actual "writing it down", grammar, etc., if you can come up with good creative ideas and can write well enough to get those ideas across (in some detail) to your contract writer.
      Great idea, but how do i go about getting a writer. Also how do i know this writer will not steal my idea and then create his own ebook from it.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7786997].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
        Originally Posted by chrisbiz4444 View Post

        Great idea, but how do i go about getting a writer. Also how do i know this writer will not steal my idea and then create his own ebook from it.
        There are no guarantees. In fact, just recently an outsourcer sold the exact same book to two different authors and it was flagged by Amazon.

        Also outsource what you know about. I read a book by an author who shared on a forum he had outsourced. He didn't know his topic so he did not pick up the errors the outsourcer had made.

        It is almost impossible to tell if an outsourcer has borrowed content. It is unlikely to show up in Copyscape. So be sure to work with someone trusted and have them sign an NDA (non disclosure agreement).
        Signature

        Pen Name + 8 eBooks + social media sites 4 SALE - PM me (evergreen beauty niche)

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787012].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Evocess
    I believe that e-book business can generate huge amount of money.
    Being in this type of business you should think smart. You should produce a book
    that is needed or something that you can help the market/niche that you are in.

    You know your limitations, if you're not good in writing then ask somebody to write something for you.

    Hope this can help.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787033].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Paul Gram
    It can be VERY lucrative but it depends on the quality of your book and also very much depends on how good you are at marketing yourself and your book.

    One thing that can work for people that hate to write is to do an audio transcription and then pay someone to transcribe it into text and then they (or you) can proofread and edit.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787071].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Oliver Williams
    In this case it's not what you do it's how you do it, how you package, brand, market and present your content. Ebook is just one way.

    Ebooks are just a medium that information is sold on. If people desire the content strongly enough they will pay for it regardless of how it is packaged.
    Signature
    Don't believe everything you think
    \\\===========================///
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787106].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author DotComBum
      Once made, it can be sold for as long as you want, that's why it's a lucrative business model, you can hire a professional writer to write for you if you do not want to do the writing.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787136].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz4444
        Originally Posted by DotComBum View Post

        Once made, it can be sold for as long as you want, that's why it's a lucrative business model, you can hire a professional writer to write for you if you do not want to do the writing.
        Where can i find a professional writer?
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788737].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TimothyTorrents
    It can be very lucrative if you offer quality E-Books. The trick is to figure out what people need and give it to them.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787162].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author scrofford
      Originally Posted by timbonitus View Post

      It can be very lucrative if you offer quality E-Books. The trick is to figure out what people need and give it to them.
      Nope the trick is to figure out what people WANT and give it to them. Big difference. You can give them what they need later.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787702].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tomerep
    A person Can do well monetarily writing and/or publishing and/or marketing other people's ebooks. BUT, if you are looking at your writing as a way to make money, then you might want to do something else instead. You should write Not because you will make money - but - because you love to write INSERT THE THING YOU LOVE TO WRITE HERE (Screenplays, short stories, novels, etc.). That way, when the riches you dream about do not materialise, you will keep writing. And maybe one day you will make the money you fantasized about.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787205].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    it can be very profitable if you treat it like a business,can create great products and market effectively.

    Mike Geary makes 1 million a month with just one ebook, he has a great product that produces results and he is a very good marketer and knows how to drive targeted traffic.

    You cant really ask the question how much money will this type of business make?

    It depends on how good it is run by the person who runs the business.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787248].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author YoungAce
    I've had both good and bad ebooks. I poured my heart into my first one, but was unprepared for the promotion. It's doing well for being a unique niche, but is still not performing as well as I hoped.

    With what I learned, I created a good quality e-book (but spent less time) in a more profitable niche. I spent a lot of effort on promotion, and it did amazingly well. Now, I'm writing an e-book about how I made money with that e-book. It's a great cycle -- both for me and the readers!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787275].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author serafina
    depend on your ebook and the niche itself, it can be crappy otherwise it can also be very lucrative,...make sure you create your ebook with deep research,knowlegde, high quality and truth, don't forget the right niche also important.
    Signature

    Online World

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787818].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author m00d
    The ebook itself isn't the issue. Its how well your sales page is written and how well you can drive traffic to the page, everything comes down to traffic. I can sell a bag of crap if enough people come thru my store.
    Signature
    Cheap WordPress Hosting @ 3Host
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787846].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz4444
      Originally Posted by m00d View Post

      The ebook itself isn't the issue. Its how well your sales page is written and how well you can drive traffic to the page, everything comes down to traffic. I can sell a bag of crap if enough people come thru my store.
      Where did you learn how to drive major traffic?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788757].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Here's the dirty truth that nobody will tell you.

        Unless you are writing about a subject that is evergreen, like dating, how to pick
        up women/men, health, etc., most e-books, especially in the MMO niche, have
        a limited shelf life.

        For example, my first MMO e-book sold 200 copies a month for about 6 months.
        After that, sales tapered off and eventually, the book got old and stopped selling
        and I had to write another book.

        You'll have to write a series of books and continue writing if you want to continue
        making money at this.

        And even evergreen books eventually drop in sales volume. I doubt Harry
        Potter books are selling as much now as when they first came out, though I
        am also sure the author isn't hurting for money.

        Just don't expect to write something and have it become a big seller overnight
        and last forever. That is just not going to happen.

        Plus, you will have to promote the heck out of the book and also pimp for
        affiliates. The amount of work you will have to do AFTER the book is finished
        is staggering.

        I felt you had a right to know this up front.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788802].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author NewRiseDigital
    Just as a response to the 'I'm not a good writer' syndrome. If you are more comfortable speaking than writing, then how about getting your ideas / knowledge value down in an audio book instead? Unless there are specific technical diagrams (in which case you can simply include these as a bonus PDF with the audio) you can just as easily get your message across with an audio book broken up into MP3 chapters as you can with the written word.

    I personally love audio books (great for listening to in the car and on the move) and wish more eBook websites offered them as an option. We all spend way too much time in front of the screen and letting my ears give my eyes a rest is bliss...

    If you are confident in front of a webcam you can also do the same but in video form, although some people are camera shy so audiobooks are a happy bridge instead...

    Grab yourself a free copy of Audacity and get recording today.. ;-)
    Signature
    Interviews With The Top Digital Marketing Experts - Get The New Book "Essential Digital Marketing For Small Business http://newrisedigital.com/book
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7787915].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Um..........pardon me if I'm lost here. You are a terrible writer and want to explore writing ebooks as a business path? That'd be about like me deciding that I could make more money making websites without knowing code.

    Save your time and do something you are GOOD at. It doesn't matter how good your idea is if you can't get it across without some eloquence.
    Signature

    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788009].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author zpoll92
    Originally Posted by chrisbiz4444 View Post

    I have talked to many people. Some people have given advice like '' don't waste your time''. However i have heard success story's of passive income through e-books.

    The other major problem i am having is actually writing the eBook itself. I am a terrible writer but i can come up with amazing ideas that i feel would hit nice niche markets.

    Any success storys or info would be a big help to many.
    You can always outsource the writer and create an awesome eBook!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788026].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Vikram73
    eBooks are not a business. You build a business around products and services and sell those to different markets.

    The Truth About Abs: How To Make $1,000,000 Per Month with Digital Products (Plus: Noah Kagan results)

    That's not an "ebook" business. That's a guy who uses an ebook to get you into a sales funnel where he then sells everything from:

    - His competition's ebooks
    - Weight loss pills
    - Protein shakes
    - Organic meats (yes, there is an affiliate program for that)
    - Etc. etc..
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788143].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author onlineexperts
    Simple....get the quality content you've come up with and have it outsourced . E-books have always been a great way to get started on the internet but it has to be QUALITY content which is going to really help the buyer. Once you've done your e-book....you're on to the real hurdle....getting quality targeted traffic to your sales page and making sure it converts !
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788414].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wlasikiewicz
    This is what i do when planning a new ebook.

    1 - Find the solution to the problem that your ebook will address.
    2 - Break that solution down into sub sections and make a list.
    3 - Go through your list as you start to write your ebook and do as much research per sub section as you can.

    You will find at the end of this process you will have a nice ebook to either give away or sell.

    Good Luck
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788521].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author unclederek
    Ebooks are massive especially if you have good content that is adding value to that given market. IMO... I prefer creating ebooks then dealing with software. And the reason being is support issues on your backend. The majority of the software being sold here in this community is buggy and broken. However the people eat it up like its a magic pill, so you have all of these 3rd party IM people acting as if they are software engineers and they haven't even graduated from basic HTML yet. Stick to ebooks my friend and churn them out once a week. It will be minimum support in the backend for you..Not to mention you will be quicker and more efficient with getting ideas out there.

    GL

    DD
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7788544].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author schttrj
    Let me tell you something that nobody says.

    Sell what people buy.

    If you don't have a market for your product, you cannot sell. Period.

    Here's a two step process to follow:

    1. Find a product that sells.

    2. Make it better.

    That's it. You are "in the money", mate.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7789110].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MMonroe6
      It can be very lucrative if you build a following and market right (I've haven't done either with much success). I went from traditional publishing to self publishing through Kindle. I've done a couple novels and a non-fiction book.

      Many others have already answered the same way I would. Find a niche and provide value. And repeat.

      There is a guy name JA Konrath who has made hundreds of thousands with novels on Kindle/self-publishing.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7789386].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author tonyb23
    Is it lucrative? It can be. Extremely. Amazon last year sold $3.7 billion dollars worth of eBooks.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7789624].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lassy715
    Originally Posted by chrisbiz4444 View Post

    I have talked to many people. Some people have given advice like '' don't waste your time''. However i have heard success story's of passive income through e-books.

    The other major problem i am having is actually writing the eBook itself. I am a terrible writer but i can come up with amazing ideas that i feel would hit nice niche markets.

    Any success storys or info would be a big help to many.

    I went from $0 in January of 2012, to making over $1,300/mo in April of 2012....98% passive....

    That's my (short) success story.

    I'm at $2,200 to $2,500/mo now...with ONLY Ebooks
    Signature
    I Make $1,000+ Per Month Selling Kindle eBooks - Visit ShuckaBuck.com to Learn More!

    Need Help Starting Your First Website? Grab My Book - 30 Minutes to a Wordpress Website (ONLY $0.99!)

    Learn How to Make Money With A Blog (eBook) - Only $2.99!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7789800].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author chrisbiz4444
      Thats awesome, What are the basics to get started?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7790774].message }}

Trending Topics