How to Write an Ebook Fast With AI (My Exact Workflow)

The first ebook I wrote took me six weeks. It was 42 pages, half of which I eventually deleted because they were filler I'd added because I thought ebooks needed to be long.

The most recent ebook I wrote took me three days. It was 28 pages of dense, genuinely useful content that converts better than the six-week version.

Here's exactly what changed: I have a workflow now. And most of that workflow runs on AI.

The Mindset Shift First

Before I get into tools and steps, one reframe that changed everything for me: an ebook is not a book. It's a packaged answer to a specific question.

A reader of your ebook is not browsing. They have a problem. They searched for help, found your sales page, decided $19–$37 was worth it, and downloaded your file. They want the answer. They do not want fluff, padding, or philosophical detours.

This mindset cuts your writing time in half before you've typed a word. You're not writing literature. You're building a specific, structured solution to a defined problem.

Step 1: ChatGPT Outline (45–60 minutes)

Before I open a document, I spend 45–60 minutes with ChatGPT building the outline.

My prompt framework:

"I'm writing an ebook for [specific audience] who want to solve [specific problem]. The ebook should be 25–35 pages. Create a detailed table of contents with chapter titles, 3–4 subheadings per chapter, and a one-sentence description of what each section covers. The tone should be [conversational/practical/direct]."

ChatGPT returns a structured outline. I spend the rest of this session editing it — cutting anything that isn't directly useful, reordering sections that are in the wrong sequence, and adding anything the model missed.

After this step, I have a detailed skeleton. Every major section is defined. I know exactly what goes in each chapter.

Time: 45–60 minutes

Step 2: Claude Draft (3–4 hours)

I write the actual draft using Claude. I use Claude instead of ChatGPT for long-form drafting because I find the output more natural and less formulaic — it doesn't fall into the same repeating sentence structures that GPT tends toward in extended text.

My approach: I paste the outline one chapter at a time and ask Claude to write each section in first-person, specific, practical voice. I give it context about my background and the audience.

I do not paste the whole outline at once and ask for a complete draft. That produces generic, disconnected content. Section-by-section gives me control and better quality per section.

After each section, I edit immediately — remove anything that sounds generic, add specific examples from my own experience, and ensure the voice sounds like me. This editing pass takes about the same amount of time as the drafting.

Time per chapter: 30–45 minutes (draft + edit) Time for full ebook: 3–4 hours of active work

Step 3: Canva Design (2–3 hours)

Once the text is done, I move to Canva for formatting and design.

I use a simple approach:

• Find a Canva ebook template in the template library (search "ebook" and filter for the aesthetic you want — clean and minimal works best)
• Import my text section by section
• Design the cover page, table of contents, and chapter headers
• Export as PDF

The design doesn't need to be elaborate. Clean typography, consistent spacing, and a professional-looking cover are sufficient. I spend about 30 minutes on the cover (where buyers will judge the book's credibility before buying) and move faster through interior pages.

Canva AI features I use here: Magic Design generates cover variations I can customize, and Magic Write helps if I need to rewrite any section header or intro text within the design context.

Time: 2–3 hours

Step 4: Publish on MadeThis (30–45 minutes)

When the PDF is ready, I go to MadeThis.com to set up the product listing.

The specific workflow:

1. Upload the PDF file
2. Set the price (I typically start at $27 and test up from there)
3. Use the AI co-founder to draft the product description — I give it the chapter titles, who it's for, and the main outcome the reader will get. It drafts a description I then edit for voice.
4. Set up a cover image (exported from Canva)
5. Configure the thank-you email that delivers the download link

The checkout, file delivery, and email are all automated. Once this is set up, I don't need to do anything per-sale.

Time: 30–45 minutes

The Full Time Breakdown

• Outline with ChatGPT: 1 hour
• Draft + edit with Claude: 4 hours
• Design in Canva: 3 hours
• Publish on MadeThis: 45 minutes

Total active time: ~9 hours

That's for a 25–30 page ebook from concept to live product. Spread over a weekend, that's very achievable.

What This Workflow Doesn't Replace

Your own experience and examples. The AI handles structure and drafting, but the specific stories, data points, and real-world applications have to come from you. Those are what make an ebook worth buying — not the word count.

I write before I draft with AI. I'll spend 20–30 minutes writing rough notes about my actual experience with the topic — what worked, what didn't, specific numbers and situations. Those notes become the raw material I inject into the AI draft to make it feel real.

The ebooks that sell well aren't the ones that are longer or more polished. They're the ones where the reader finishes a section and thinks "yes, that's exactly what I needed to know."

If you're ready to publish your first ebook, MadeThis is where I'd set up the store — the product page, checkout, and delivery are all handled in one place →