My problem with “secrets.”
I have this pet peeve about the use of the word “secrets,” as in “10 Secrets to Losing Weight in Your Sleep.” We live in the age of unbridled information people, there are no secrets — not honest to goodness ones like, say, the launch sequence for a nuclear weapon.
I know, it’s just a turn of phrase. But the implication of the word “secret” is so often used to create a sense that whoever the author is, they hold some kind of special, exclusive knowledge. What they really mean is that they have real expertise or deep understanding.
The real secret is you.
Yeah, that sounded a bit cheesy, bear with me.
Have you ever seen an eBook and wished you’d written it? In my career as an occasional journalist, I’ve often seen articles written on topics I know well and thought, “I should have written that.” True exclusives are rare in journalism, most of us are part of the same media millieu and it’s a competitive game to get the byline. There isn’t a lot of really, really brand new information in the world.
There is one thing that you will always have that no one else does: you. Your point of view, your approach, your philosophy, your flavor. There’s a reason that one of the easiest ways to get your name in print is with a good personal essay about something that happened just to you, because no one can tell that story but you. If you embrace your unique personality and flavor, the competition begins to drop away.
I give you, not secrets, but The Sticky eBook Formula
Here it is! It’s with great pleasure that I present you my new eBook, the Sticky eBook Formula!
Like writing an article, an essay, a blog post — writing an eBook is a creative journey. And as with any creative process, there is a tendency for us to get stuck or go in circles.
So, I’ve distilled the eBook writing process into these 5 simple steps:
- First you decide where you want to take your readers, the promise and the payoff.
- Then you draw a map of your eBook so you can start by knowing where you’re headed.
- When you’ve got a map, you can gather and excavate all of the raw materials.
- Take the raw stuff and shape it into a first and second draft.
- Finally, polish and package your eBook for distribution.
Throughout, I’ve also included juicy bits to help make your writing more interesting, readable and essentially sticky.
Yes, there’s a sales page.
If you’ve been around this blog recently, you’ll know how I feel about hard sell sales pages. I trust you won’t find this one squeezey or annoying. I had to discover a balance: I do want to tell you what’s good about the product I’ve made and what others have said.
I don’t try to sell you empty promises of instant eBook profits so huge that you’ll be driving a Lamborghini tomorrow. I will say that it has been surprisingly gratifying to sell what I know about this process. If you sold just 50 copies of an eBook, how much would that gross at $27? At $47? It’s worth considering.
You bring the secret, I’ll supply the formula.
The Sticky eBook Formula is the recipe, and you’ve got the ingredients. Together we’ve got the makings of a delicious eBook!
- Kelly
P.S. The price goes up Friday 5/21 at midnight EST.
P.P.S. Interested in becoming an affiliate? Click here.
