| Here is how to go about converting your blog to | | | | manuscript passes a simple single test: |
| book format. | | | | Would a reasonably intelligent person with little or |
| Start by coming up with about 10 - 12 chapters. | | | | no knowledge of the subject matter be able to |
| Then organize your blog posts according to these | | | | read and understand this book? |
| chapter heading- just to give yourself an idea of | | | | Ensuring that your book passes this test is also |
| what that chapter will include. Each chapter should | | | | the primary responsibility of your editor. Once you |
| be 15 - 18 pages long. If you need "filler" material, | | | | and the editor are satisfied with the organization |
| just quote other authors...just be sure to credit | | | | and flow of the content, the content will be copy |
| him or her with endnotes or footnotes. You don't | | | | edited to eliminate eliminate typos, glitches and |
| need anyone's permission to do this...you just need | | | | gremlins. This stage takes about another month. |
| to properly credit the original author. Don't know | | | | After the of copy editing, and revisions if any, the |
| how to footnote? That's okay, just have your | | | | book will be formatted. |
| editor do it. Tell yourself that you will write one | | | | Publishing Your Book in E-book Format |
| chapter per week (15 - 17 pages), and in 10 | | | | Traditionally books have been designed and |
| weeks, you are done! Of course, this is a little | | | | formatted for printing either as paperback or |
| more than an "hour per day" as I said earlier, but | | | | hardcover versions. Although a viable option for |
| this is a feasible goal to set. | | | | self-published book, this is a very costly and |
| Find An Editor | | | | time-consuming approach. A better approach is to |
| As far as being a good writer-- nobody is really | | | | publish a book in e-book format. E-books are less |
| good at writing and that's why the greatest | | | | costly to produce and distribute...through your own |
| authors in the world use editors. Often times | | | | website and also through online distributors. It's |
| published authors will go over your text with a | | | | always possible to produce a hard copy of your |
| fine toothed comb. He or she will fix any spelling | | | | version after the online distribution is well under |
| or grammatical errors and turn your "rough draft" | | | | control....and you are earning money from book |
| into a publishable manuscript At this point, it | | | | sales. As an avid reader and also a writer, I read |
| becomes irrelevant that the manuscript was | | | | many things...books, blogs, newsletters and so on. |
| developed by converting your blog to book | | | | In my mind, there is no doubt whatsoever that |
| format. Like all books whether fiction or | | | | many good blogs can be converted into very |
| non-fiction, e-book or hard copy, the manuscript is | | | | good...or even better books. What's better still, |
| continuously edited and revised. | | | | converting a blog to book format is not a terribly |
| This editing and revising continues until the | | | | difficult process. |