How I Cracked the E-Book Code & Built a Passive Income Stream from Scratch (Don’t Miss It If You Love Money!)

Sweta Sharma
Write A Catalyst
Published in
8 min readJun 10, 2024

(5-Step Framework to help you make $$$)

‘Passive Income’ — this term is making buzz on the net.

The more you surf for ways to make money online, the more you’ll come across this term.

Generally speaking :

Passive income means earning money regularly without active involvement.

It’s about making an initial investment of time, effort, or resources that continues to generate income on its own.

When it comes to building passive income streams, selling digital products like e-books stands out as one of the top choices.

I’ve heard creators recommending creating & selling e-books to earn passive income.

But frankly speaking, I never thought seriously about this business, until I started writing on Medium.

As I started writing on Medium, I began thinking of ways to make money while also helping my readers.

So, as I mentioned in this post, I figured out Gumroad, which is a digital product-selling platform.

Here’s the 5-step framework I used to create my e-book, which you can also use to create and sell your own e-book, just like me.

Step 1: Identify Your Niche & Target Audience

Start by figuring out what specific topic or area you are passionate about and knowledgeable in.

This is your niche.

It could be anything from cooking tips to personal finance advice.

In my case, it’s Pinterest Marketing!

To brainstorm what particular niche you should choose you can browse Pinterest or even take a look at Gumroad's home screen.

You can also use ChatGPT or Bard to brainstorm ideas.

Use the data you gathered to make a wise decision about your niche.

Next, think about who would be most interested in your niche.

These are your ideal readers.

Consider their age, interests, problems, and goals.

Understanding your target audience helps you create content that resonates with them and meets their specific needs.

You can again use ChatGPT for this!

I’m using Pinterest Marketing as my niche, but you can replace the word with whatever niche you're choosing.

Note down all these details in either Google Docs or Notion or at whatever place you like and draw conclusion on the basis of them.

Step 2 : Develop Reader-Focused Content

Start developing your content by creating a detailed outline that organizes your content logically.

Decide on the format for your book.

Would you like to write and design it using Canva, Google Docs, Notion, or any other software?

I use Notion because it’s mind-blowing at content organization.

Now, break down your e-book into chapters, sections, and subsections.

Once you have this initial blueprint of your e-book, start writing.

Begin your e-book with a captivating introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and sets the tone for the rest of the e-book.

Clearly state what the reader can expect to learn or gain from reading further.

This is the introduction to my Pinterest Master Guide.

You can also create an intro page like this, just to let your readers know who you are!

You can also guide them on how they can use your e-book.

Author’s E-Book

After finishing all the basic stuff, you can continue writing the specific sections.

Keep your writing style, tone, and voice consistent throughout the e-book.

This helps in building a connection with your audience.

Incorporate relevant visuals such as images, diagrams, charts, and infographics to keep readers' attention intact.

Bonus Tip: Break up long paragraphs into shorter ones, use bullet points and numbered lists where applicable, and include subheadings to improve readability.

Photo by Amelia Bartlett on Unsplash

Once you’re done writing your e-book, thoroughly edit and proofread your content for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity errors.

Step 3 : Design the Cover

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, but make sure its cover is worth a look.” — Anonymous

Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash

The cover of your e-book is the first thing that your potential audience see when they’re surfing through the marketplaces.

Think of it like a first impression — it needs to grab attention quickly.

While creating your e-book cover try to keep it straightforward but captivating, with clear text and images that represent your book’s message.

I personally use Canva to design my e-book covers.

It has a lot of inbuilt templates which helps me get inspiration.

Make sure you choose colors and visuals that match your book’s vibe.

This is the cover of my Pinterest Master Guide.

As you can see I kept this cover minimal and straightforward.

It only includes the title, a hook, a complementing visual, and the Author's name.

That’s it!

You should also try to keep your cover as clean and as catchy as possible.

Step 4 : List your E-book on Marketplaces

Now that you’ve your cover and content ready, it’s time to list them on a marketplace and reach your target audience for sales.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

You can use the following platforms to sell your e-book :

  • Gumroad: Head over to this page to know how to do this.
  • Payhip : Head over to this page to know how to do this.
  • Systeme.io : Head over to this page to know how to do this.

Step 5 : Spread the Word!

Lastly, spread the word about your e-book far and wide!

Utilize your social media accounts, email newsletters, and even your website to promote your e-book to your audience.

Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash

You can start creating content that leads users to your ebook.

Collaborate with influencers or bloggers in your niche to reach a wider audience.

Gumroad recently launched a program that allows you to do that.

I’ve written a detailed post on this, you can give it a read!

Don’t forget to encourage satisfied readers to leave reviews and share their experiences with others.

Review for Author’s Pinterest Master Guide

Final Thoughts🎯

Use this 5-step framework, keep spreading the word, and deliver value. You’ll definitely see success!

See you in the next value-packed article.

Till then, keep learning, and keep growing!

Note: Just a friendly heads-up — This blog contains affiliate links. If you’re up for it, click away, and we can both share in the goodness together! By the way, the content is absolutely free and by using these links you’re supporting my work, which means a lot to me.

Hey, pals! 👋 I’m Sweta — An Editor Turned Digital Content Creator.

If you’re on the lookout for content related to Passive Income, Digital Marketing, AI, etc. tap that ‘Follow’ button and be a part of my amazing community.

It feels great to have awesome people on the team❤️

PS: I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Feel free to drop a comment or message. Your input makes this journey even more special. 🌟

--

--

Sweta Sharma
Write A Catalyst