13 ms·

Just curious, since you have been successful publishing ebooks, how do you determine what to write about? Do you look it purely as a business proposition (ex:

Just curious, since you have been successful publishing ebooks, how do you determine what to write about? Do you look it purely as a business proposition (ex: google search for subject matter x is trending over the last 6 months, I'll become an expert in that and write a book) or do you write about things you already know and care about?

ahoyhere 16y ago
I think you're making a false dichotomy. I write about things I know about, and that fall under the category of solving a specific problem. :) The bits I don't know, I research obsessively. I don't really pay attention to search traffic overall, except to drive a few extra sales here and there, but figure that if all the experts I know talked about it last year, everybody will want to learn it this year. The three things I recommend are: solve a real problem (see DSO above, if you don't have the first clue about this), and build an audience and a mailing list, and charge a lot more than you think you should. Charge enough and you only have to make a thousand or so sales to make a very pretty penny.
- ohashi 16y ago
  How are you marketing/selling them? 40k is not bad, definitely got my attention.
  - ahoyhere 16y ago
    Watch this space. I will soon be offering you the best damn guide for making a living off content (as a developer/designer) that's available anywhere. For sale, of course ;) But if you want less-compiled, less-curated info now... check out my old blog: http://slash7.com http://slash7.com. I talked about the book, you can see some of my marketing first-hand. My new, biz-focused site is http://unicornfree.com http://unicornfree.com. But it's still ramping up, as you can see, since I'm focused on growing http://letsfreckle.com http://letsfreckle.com at the moment to >$10k/mo.
    - ohashi 16y ago
      To me, that's where the pyramid scheme sounding stuff starts. It has always seemed like the ones getting rich are the ones telling others how to get rich. Where is the actual value being created?
      - ahoyhere 16y ago
        Easy - my primary products are a JavaScript ebook and a time tracking SaaS for freelancers. I didn't "get rich" selling books on how to get rich. I have two of what I call 'primary' products -- and the number is only growing. One of the reasons geeks stay broke & unsuccessful is because they view anybody who charges for their knowledge with suspicion... regardless of evidence.
        ohashi 16y ago
        I think that's wildly inaccurate. They look for evidence. It's ONLY based on evidence that they are convinced. You also assume broke and unsuccessful. Yet you're on HN telling us all this? That seems to be the very antithesis of this entire community. It's about geeks being successful.
        ahoyhere 16y ago
        Oh sure, the community is about being successful, but the people it attracts want to be successful... there are a few people who hang out here who are already successful, but mostly it's aspirants. If the community wasn't mostly aspirants, there wouldn't be so much posting about how to make yourself work, how to work more, how to attract VC, why not to attract VC, how much to charge, etc., etc., etc. Or so many people making elementary mistakes. And all the time, they convince themselves they are the world's best empiricists. Take the OP for example. He's choosing to focus on the revenue streams he can least control. I'm glad he's striking out on his own, taking the risk, but that last bit is not the wisest choice. Did you click on my profile? I have 10x the karma you do. That's because I'm here helping people. I see people here all the time making stupid decisions that keep them from earning money. And then I point it out. Mostly, like you, they get their feathers in a ruffle at the mere insinuation that they might be mistaken (itself a counter-indicator of future success), but when they listen, I can go on knowing I was able to help somebody.

ahoyhere 16y ago

I think you're making a false dichotomy. I write about things I know about, and that fall under the category of solving a specific problem. :) The bits I don't know, I research obsessively. I don't really pay attention to search traffic overall, except to drive a few extra sales here and there, but figure that if all the experts I know talked about it last year, everybody will want to learn it this year. The three things I recommend are: solve a real problem (see DSO above, if you don't have the first clue about this), and build an audience and a mailing list, and charge a lot more than you think you should. Charge enough and you only have to make a thousand or so sales to make a very pretty penny.

ohashi 16y ago
How are you marketing/selling them? 40k is not bad, definitely got my attention.
- ahoyhere 16y ago
  Watch this space. I will soon be offering you the best damn guide for making a living off content (as a developer/designer) that's available anywhere. For sale, of course ;) But if you want less-compiled, less-curated info now... check out my old blog: http://slash7.com http://slash7.com. I talked about the book, you can see some of my marketing first-hand. My new, biz-focused site is http://unicornfree.com http://unicornfree.com. But it's still ramping up, as you can see, since I'm focused on growing http://letsfreckle.com http://letsfreckle.com at the moment to >$10k/mo.
  - ohashi 16y ago
    To me, that's where the pyramid scheme sounding stuff starts. It has always seemed like the ones getting rich are the ones telling others how to get rich. Where is the actual value being created?
    - ahoyhere 16y ago
      Easy - my primary products are a JavaScript ebook and a time tracking SaaS for freelancers. I didn't "get rich" selling books on how to get rich. I have two of what I call 'primary' products -- and the number is only growing. One of the reasons geeks stay broke & unsuccessful is because they view anybody who charges for their knowledge with suspicion... regardless of evidence.
      - ohashi 16y ago
        I think that's wildly inaccurate. They look for evidence. It's ONLY based on evidence that they are convinced. You also assume broke and unsuccessful. Yet you're on HN telling us all this? That seems to be the very antithesis of this entire community. It's about geeks being successful.
        ahoyhere 16y ago
        Oh sure, the community is about being successful, but the people it attracts want to be successful... there are a few people who hang out here who are already successful, but mostly it's aspirants. If the community wasn't mostly aspirants, there wouldn't be so much posting about how to make yourself work, how to work more, how to attract VC, why not to attract VC, how much to charge, etc., etc., etc. Or so many people making elementary mistakes. And all the time, they convince themselves they are the world's best empiricists. Take the OP for example. He's choosing to focus on the revenue streams he can least control. I'm glad he's striking out on his own, taking the risk, but that last bit is not the wisest choice. Did you click on my profile? I have 10x the karma you do. That's because I'm here helping people. I see people here all the time making stupid decisions that keep them from earning money. And then I point it out. Mostly, like you, they get their feathers in a ruffle at the mere insinuation that they might be mistaken (itself a counter-indicator of future success), but when they listen, I can go on knowing I was able to help somebody.