Selling eBooks is one of the businesses to start in Malawi if you want to make money.  The amount of money one can make selling eBooks is unlimited.

Generally, eBook publishing in Africa, including in Malawi is still in the early stages.   This is an opportunity for anyone who wants to join the eBook publishing in Africa.

An eBook is a book published to be read on computers or mobile devices. It can be of any length.   But most experts recommend a minimum of 40 pages for a small eBook. However, the author has control over the length of the eBook.

As more people are beginning to trust the internet as a source of valuable content the demand for eBooks is on the rise. Digital publishing is one business that can make someone become rich in Malawi or anywhere.

The beauty with eBooks is that you write once but can continue selling as long as you want. EBooks provide an alternative source of passive income.

Writing eBooks is easy than most people would think. Unlike the traditional printed hard copies publishing soft copy, books, is pretty easy. Forget, about the many procedures, long process, and the delays in publishing print versions.

How to publish an eBook easily?

Decide what to write about. Research the topic in details. If it is based on your experience organize it well to know what to include and what not include in your project.

Set up a deadline. Use the information you’ve gathered to set a timeframe. Determining the approximate time it will take to write the eBook will help you concentrate and speed up the process.  Taking too long to finish writing the eBook might be boring.

Write the draft using a text editor of your choice. It can be Word for windows computers and always remember to save your work.   Give the eBook a visual appeal by inserting images, charts, and graphs. You can also insert links to external sources such as affiliate links.

Congratulations you have the draft ready for next activity, editing. Always remember to edit your work. Involving an external editor is preferred. Ensure the finished work is free of grammar and spelling errors.

Once done with editing convert the word document into a PDF file. Using PDF converting software the task is so easy. It is at this time when you’ve to secure the eBook with a password to prevent other people tampering with the content in the book.

Finally, make the eBook cover. Hire a graphic designer or use eBook cover making software. The cover should be visually attractive because it creates the first impression of the book. Know that to an extent some people judge a book by its cover.

Now, let’s look at a few key important things to consider when starting eBook publishing.

5 Things to consider when creating eBooks in Malawi

First and foremost is that the book must add value to the reader. Readers want valuable information that will help them solve a problem or meet a specific need. Creating satisfying content is the number one thing to have in mind. No need to rush. Take time to come up with valuable and well-edited content.

I suggest you first discover some problem or need to be solved. And then create a product that aims to solve that particular need or problem. Also, remember to gauge if the target audience would be willing to pay for the product. Product research will help you whether to go on with the idea if it is promising or abandon it to save both your time and energy.

The second most important aspect of selling eBooks successfully is strategic marketing. Hey! Hope you know it already; the internet is a huge market. It is as big as all oceans combined. It is not going to be easy for a person to find your content if it is not well marketed. Make sure the message about the eBook is well spread like fire.

Use social media like Facebook and Twitter, to publicize your content to get as many people as possible to know your product. If you already have a popular blog with a mailing list, use the list to further make the announcement of the eBook. You may also have to blog about it more than once.

Read also: How to Start a Blog in Malawi

The other factor to consider when it comes to selling eBooks in Africa is pricing. Study your target audience and their spending behavior. Avoid making the price of the eBook too low or too expensive. Before deciding the price of the eBook consider looking at how others are pricing similar products. This will give you a hint about the expected price range. Selling your product too cheaply may give potential customers a bad feeling that the product is of low quality.

To make money selling eBooks also requires efficient payment options. Decide what payment gateway to use for buyers when paying for the eBook. Integrating PayPal on the book sales page is the most common way because PayPal is widely used globally.

However, the use of PayPal is not popular in Malawi, so the best payment option for selling eBooks in Malawi is through mobile money or mobile banking. To learn how to create a PayPal account in Malawi click here.

Make sure you register on Airtel money or TNM Mpamba.

And then publicly display the numbers on your sales page for the book.

One of the best places to publish and sell eBooks globally is Amazon.  Using the Kindle self-publishing section you will be able to self-publish your book on Amazon in a few minutes. Publishing on Amazon enables you to sell to a global audience using well-established payment structures. Amazon collects payment then gives you loyalties after making some sales or when earnings reach the payment threshold.

Hot topics for eBooks in Malawi

There are many topics that are untapped for eBook publishing in Malawi. Currently, the number of eBooks published in Malawi is so tiny. There is no completion.  Read below some of the hot topics for eBooks in Malawi.

• Job interview tips
• Romance and Relationship
• Malawian Literature books
• Scholarship guides
• Business guides
• How to make money
• A history of Malawi
• Healthy guides
• Language guide for foreigners
• Foreign Malawi Investment guide
• Fashion and Beauty

Self-publishing in Africa of which Malawi is part as indicated above is still on the infancy stage.  The right time to join eBook publishing in Africa is now