Are you too shy to ask "what's an eBook?"

I've always been a writer, even when I wasn't doing it professionally full time. Whenever you tell someone that you're a writer, the same question always comes up: "when are you writing a book?"

This isn't as simple a question as it sounds. In fact, the answer is the simple part.

First, the question presumes that the only thing that writers write are books. That's untrue.

Poets, rappers, playwrights, reporters, and even bloggers are all writers in one form or another.

The medium may change, but any act of writing is about using words to get the message out. It's all writing, even if we don't think of it in the traditional 'published author' sense.

The other false presumption is that a writer is naturally the best person to write a book. This is completely false!

So many things that we read on a daily basis, from a newspaper to an academic textbook to a small business website are often not written by 'writers.' Memoirs and autobiographies are usually not written by 'writers' either, although a good editor can do wonders.

Practically anyone can write a book on something that they're passionate about, and want to share with others. Here's a little insider secret though:

THAT BOOK DOES NOT NEED TO BE 500 PAGES!

There is no printed rule anywhere that says you need to write a book thick enough to display proudly on your coffee table. In fact, technology has allowed any of us to write books that are only a few pages, don't need to be printed, and can be written in a way that's accessible to anybody.

They're called eBooks, and you've probably read a few perhaps without even realizing it.

Think of an eBook as a really short book that you can read online. They can vary in length, but can even be 10 pages or less and still contain great information.

They are usually broken down into sections, which makes them easier for a reader to understand and easier for the messaging to sink in. An eBook can be detailed and scientific, or it can contain practical advice, but either way the writing should be clear and easily understood. The best part is that the format allows you to break up the text any way that you want, such as with images, text boxes, or other design elements that make things easier on the eye.

If your business has multiple stories to tell, or helpful advice to impart to potential customers and clients, an eBook might just be the way to go. While some eBooks cost a small fee to read, many businesses use them as a loss leader to gather potential client data - "sign up today to receive our newest publication..." This can be a great way to increase your bandwidth, and keep potential clients in the know about why they need to work with you.

An eBook may be the perfect format for your business to share valuable information. If you don't know where to start, I can help. Let's work together to come up with a strategy that will help you share valuable information in a way that's fun, engaging, and easy to read.

Contact The Write Stuff Agency today to learn how to get started.