You've heard about the successes of ebook authors and are wondering if you should write one too. In this article, you'll learn more about information marketing and the questions that you should ask yourself to figure out if this is a direction that makes sense for you.

First, a little bit of inspiration. About four years ago, I purchased an ebook for $97 from a then little-known author, named Joel Comm. This ebook explained how to make more money from your web site using an advertising tool called Google Adsense. Joel sold so many copies of this ebook, he attracted attention from a major New York publisher who negotiated a deal to publish his work as a traditional book. Since this book would compete with other books on the shelves on related topics, it could not be priced at $97. Instead, it sold for about $20 per copy. But that didn't bother Joel because now he was making a second stream of income from his content.

If you read this story closely, you'll see that the benefits of writing an ebook are clear. An ebook can help you create a platform of readers online. This platform can translate to success in the world of traditionally published books. Your content can be repurposed, first as an ebook and then as a book.

Joel's ebook made him into an online and offline celebrity. It also made him a lot of money. He's since gone on to write an ebook about Twitter, the latest rage on the web.

So should you write an ebook? Here are three important questions to ask yourself:

• Do I have information that people need or want and would be willing to pay me for? If your answer to this question is no, are you willing to do the research to find out which problems your target market is desperate to solve and then write an ebook all about it?

• Can I put a unique twist on this information so that my work stands separate from the pack and is not just another me-too book?

• Can I write like I'm talking to a friend? Realize that you don't need to be a Hemingway to write an ebook. Case in point: I have read countless ebooks that were written by people whose spelling and grammar were not perfect. I continued reading these less-than-perfect ebooks because they were full of excellent information. (Of course, if you know that you are not good at spelling or grammar, then hire an editor (or at least, a good friend) to look over your book and make suggestions and corrections.)

• Am I willing to learn how to put up a simple web site to market and sell my ebook? With all the tools available today, even a person without a technical bone in their body can learn how to put up a simple web site that attracts readers who are looking to buy their information products.

If you answered yes to the questions above, then you may be feeling excited at the prospect of writing your first ebook. Use this excitement to take action. If you write an ebook and do it right, it could be the start of a new career, a way of making some extra money or even an online empire.