By Bookstorez · Updated
To make a workbook, break one skill or goal into short sections, pair each explanation with an exercise and space to answer, then export it as a PDF that buyers can print or fill in on screen. Below is a structure that works for a course, coaching or a classroom, the steps to build one, and workbook ideas to start from.
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What makes a workbook different from an ebook
An ebook explains; a workbook gets the reader doing. Every section ends with something to write, plan, answer or practise, so the reader finishes with pages of their own work. That makes a workbook a natural partner for a course, a coaching programme or a lesson.
A workbook structure that works
- A welcome page: who it is for, what they will have by the end, and how to use it, printed or on screen.
- A starting point: a short self-assessment so the reader can see where they are now.
- Sections with one idea each: a short explanation, an example, then the exercise and space to answer.
- Recap pages every few sections, so the reader pulls their answers together.
- An action plan at the end: what they will do next, and when.
- Answers or worked examples where there is a right answer, as in a classroom workbook.
How to create a workbook in seven steps
- Pick one outcome. "Write a one-page business plan" is a workbook. "Business" is a library.
- List the steps a reader takes to reach that outcome. Each step becomes a section.
- Write the exercises first, then write only as much explanation as each exercise needs.
- Design the pages. A design tool or a word processor both work. Use a clear body font and plenty of room: lined boxes for long answers, tick boxes for checklists and tables for plans.
- Decide how it will be filled in. For printing, export a PDF and test-print a few pages. For typing on screen, add form fields in a PDF editor that supports fillable forms, because most design tools export flat pages. Many buyers are also happy to write on a plain PDF in a tablet annotation app.
- Test it with a real reader. Ask someone who fits your buyer to work through it, and notice where they stall or skip.
- Add a cover and a contents page, then make preview images of a section filled in.
Workbook ideas
| Setting | Workbook ideas |
|---|---|
| Alongside a course | A companion workbook with one exercise per lesson; a project workbook that builds one piece of work across the course |
| Coaching | A 90-day goals workbook; a values and priorities workbook; a career change workbook |
| Classroom | A topic workbook with answers for one age group; a revision workbook; a reading response workbook |
| Personal | A budgeting workbook; a wedding planning workbook; a decluttering workbook |
| Business | A marketing plan workbook; a pricing workbook for freelancers; a business plan in a weekend |
Sell your workbook
On the product page, say whether it is printable, fillable or both, how many pages it has and who it is for, and show a filled-in section. Then list it on Bookstorez, a global marketplace where buyers browse workbooks alongside ebooks, printables, planners and templates, and share your storefront link with your students or clients. See how selling on Bookstorez works. Teachers and coaches will find more ideas in ebook ideas for teachers, nurses and coaches, and how to make printables to sell covers paper sizes and test printing.
What selling on Bookstorez costs
Bookstorez is a global marketplace where creators sell ebooks, printables, planners, workbooks and templates, and buyers browse every seller's work in one catalogue. The Free plan has no monthly charge: 3 live products and 10 drafts, at 12% + 30¢ per sale with card fees and tax handling included. The fee is the same whether a buyer arrives through your own link or finds you in the catalogue.
Creator and Pro add featured weeks, which put your products in featured placements across the site, and more books a month from the built-in AI ebook generator. See every plan side by side.
Keep planning
Read digital products to sell, how to sell digital products, how to sell ebooks online or where to sell digital products for free.
Questions
- How do I make a workbook?
- Choose one outcome, split it into steps, write an exercise for each step with a short explanation, design pages with plenty of writing space, and export a PDF to print or fill in.
- How do I create a fillable workbook?
- Design the pages, export a PDF, then add form fields in a PDF editor that supports fillable forms. Test every field before you sell it.
- What are good workbook ideas?
- A companion workbook for a course, a 90-day goals workbook for coaching clients, a revision workbook for a class, or a budgeting or business plan workbook.
- Can I sell a workbook that goes with my course?
- Yes, if the workbook is your own work. List it on Bookstorez and share your storefront link with your students. The Free plan includes 3 live products at 12% + 30¢ per sale.
Make room for your work.
3 live products free · 12% + 30¢ a sale · tax and card fees included · paid monthly on the 15th, once $50 has cleared. Smaller balances carry over and are paid before waiting 90 days.
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