For those who haven't made a sale yet...

[Isaac Odongo]

Feels a bit complicated for me when I'm just thinking about making a sale, instead of helping one person.

You're probably thinking too much about "how to make a sale this week", instead of thinking "how to help someone this week".

Let's get back to the current goal you have.
You've got a collection of poems and stories that you want to wrap inside two different books and sell at least one copy this week.

From what I've seen, the problem you're trying to solve is:
- Either help someone to learn English, or
- Help someone improve his English skills

I don't know exactly what type of poems and stories you have. But, you probably got a bit too busy with the building stuff on here.

Let's pretend that you're trying to solve the second problem first. As an English teacher, you already saw the demand for this. Next, look at what solutions are already serving the market. How do people already improve their skill. Be it at school, online apps or already published books. How accessible are those solutions ?

First, look at what the already existing books are offering. Look at what they are already doing to fix the gap. And then, think about how you could do it better. Maybe the stories they got are too long. Maybe they got an ugly cover design that you could improve.

Second, look at the reviews they got. What problems did they mention ? You need to value skew here. Their problems are opportunities for you.

Lastly, just think about other features and ideas you could implement. Maybe you can also add a copy of each story translated into your native language, so the people will find it easier to understand the sense of the story. You need to add things that will help the customers even more into solving their problem.

Now, making the actual sale will depend on how good you executed all of this. After you publish the books, I suggest you grab some copies and give them to some of your students who really want to improve their English skills and are already taking action towards that goal. Give them a book and listen very carefully to their feedback.

Maybe most of them can't find themselves reading because the books are boring, and it's easier to just watch a movie or something. This is a potential value-skew. Figure out a solution. Change the stories and make the books more interesting. Act, Asses, Adjust and then Act again.

I know this scenario is a bit too simple, and you probably know most of this stuff already. But I think you got too much into the building phase (It's normal to do it like this when your goal is making a sale). The most important thing you have to consider is how you're going to help them and solve their problem. Would they consider paying for such products ? Just don't forget about the people you're serving, and before considering how you'll make a sale, think about how you'll help them.

Hope this helps !

Thank you for reaching and taking your time to write this.

It has things I hadn't thought of and lights up things I could better in.

I will post a longer, more detailed response later today or early tomorrow, according to East African Time.

True my aim is to make a sale this week. I want to get to the process of selling.

It is much better to help someone instead and get paid as a result. Make someone live better.

I will post today's progress and a detailed response later.

~Isaac~

 

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[Isaac Odongo]

From what I've seen, the problem you're trying to solve is:
- Either help someone to learn English, or
- Help someone improve his English skills

On helping someone improve English skills, I already do this at school. As I said, many people in my country already use English. But at school I focus learners with special needs in English and those who can get from good to better. I helped a learner who was resitting last only because he had F in English. I coached him. He only needed the right kind of more work and he scored a credit this time. This year I have another in a similar situation.

I have a project to design a book for these group, this project is in the background, as I cannot start it and make it ready for a sale by end of week. Is a book necessary? It is. The one available, for grammar, is quite arcane and unfriendly. The other with both grammar and comprehension is in black and white. Which makes it unfriendly too, and boring. Others are there that have colour, but they have inadequate activities especially for final year students who need more practice. A new book with friendly language and interesting, engaging activities is needed.

I am gravitating towards in the next weeks teaming with someone, a fellow teacher of English and literature to complete this project.

However,
My other skill, which I am really good at. Is creative writing fiction and poetry.

Been writing for upto 7 years now. I have written poems and short stories. I started writing because I wanted to. I learned in the process. Writing, reading, improving. I saw my work to some strong statures.

In 2018 I was nominated for the Writivism Short Fiction Award for my debut short story.

Ever since then, writing has been second nature to me. I write everyday.

I have written about a hundred poems and ten short stories and one feature length story. They are mostly already processed. They are ready for sale. I only need to package them and put out there. It would take me only a few days to get this poems and short stories packaged for publishing.

Note that I am treating these written pieces of mine as exclusive from my project of English teaching and English teaching books. I know when they are published they may greatly contribute to my teaching English. But they will be like plugins.

I know there are people out there who love a good story or a good poem or both. Of my dozens of poems there dozens that will catch someone's mind and move their souls. Of the short stories there are those that will spark discussion in the readership. This way I will help my readers cognitively as they may see other ways of perception.

Note that I do focus on these poems and short stories because of the speed with which I may prepare them for the market in comparison to the English book.
If I can't start it in 7 days it's too complicated for me yet.
And money loves speed.

I want that experience of selling something to someone. I can use this as an opportunity to do it and learn what happens out there in the market.

That's my purpose

I Will get to work on the manuscript of poems now.

It is 20:22pm in Uganda.

~Isaac~

 

[Artiom O]

On helping someone improve English skills, I already do this at school. As I said, many people in my country already use English. But at school I focus learners with special needs in English and those who can get from good to better. I helped a learner who was resitting last only because he had F in English. I coached him. He only needed the right kind of more work and he scored a credit this time. This year I have another in a similar situation.

I have a project to design a book for these group, this project is in the background, as I cannot start it and make it ready for a sale by end of week. Is a book necessary? It is. The one available, for grammar, is quite arcane and unfriendly. The other with both grammar and comprehension is in black and white. Which makes it unfriendly too, and boring. Others are there that have colour, but they have inadequate activities especially for final year students who need more practice. A new book with friendly language and interesting, engaging activities is needed.

I am gravitating towards in the next weeks teaming with someone, a fellow teacher of English and literature to complete this project.

However,
My other skill, which I am really good at. Is creative writing fiction and poetry.

Been writing for upto 7 years now. I have written poems and short stories. I started writing because I wanted to. I learned in the process. Writing, reading, improving. I saw my work to some strong statures.

In 2018 I was nominated for the Writivism Short Fiction Award for my debut short story.

Ever since then, writing has been second nature to me. I write everyday.

I have written about a hundred poems and ten short stories and one feature length story. They are mostly already processed. They are ready for sale. I only need to package them and put out there. It would take me only a few days to get this poems and short stories packaged for publishing.

Note that I am treating these written pieces of mine as exclusive from my project of English teaching and English teaching books. I know when they are published they may greatly contribute to my teaching English. But they will be like plugins.

I know there are people out there who love a good story or a good poem or both. Of my dozens of poems there dozens that will catch someone's mind and move their souls. Of the short stories there are those that will spark discussion in the readership. This way I will help my readers cognitively as they may see other ways of perception.

Note that I do focus on these poems and short stories because of the speed with which I may prepare them for the market in comparison to the English book.
If I can't start it in 7 days it's too complicated for me yet.
And money loves speed.

I want that experience of selling something to someone. I can use this as an opportunity to do it and learn what happens out there in the market.

That's my purpose

I Will get to work on the manuscript of poems now.

It is 20:22pm in Uganda.

~Isaac~

I don't know that much about poems and literature. If you have found a true need for this and you can also execute it better than what's already on the market, then you're good.

Now, one problem I see is that you're probably targeting too much work for the week. I don't think you could release something that qualitative in only one week.

You said your goal is just to make a sale. You could try to just test the demand you saw and help someone by selling to him some of your poems (sounds stupid, but can't think of anything else).

Before publishing anything I would just test the need the market has and make only one sale based on that problem. From what you've said, you're planning to release more of a complete product that could be sold at scale, right away

I would personally prefer to test eveything and do it the progressive way. If my primitive solution (like selling my poems to someone, or even posting them on the internet), at it's core made someone say Thank You, then you have your foot in the door.

 

[Isaac Odongo]

I don't know that much about poems and literature. If you have found a true need for this and you can also execute it better than what's already on the market, then you're good.

Now, one problem I see is that you're probably targeting too much work for the week. I don't yhink you could release something that qualitative in only one week.

You said your goal is just to make a sale. You could try to just test the demand you saw and help someone by seeling to him some of your poems (sound stupid, but can't think about anything else).

Before publishing anything I would just test the need the market has and make only one sale based on that problem. From what you've said, you're planning to release more of a complete product that could be sold at scale, right away

I would personally prefer to test eveything and do it the progressive way. If my primitive solution (like selling my poems to someone, or even posting them on the internet), at it's core made someone say Thank You, then you have your foot in the door.

Again thank you for this probing.

I will find ways of testing or ensuring I test.

Possibilities are
#Public reading
#Sampling a part and giving the market
#Entering a contest
#Submitting to a magazine

Public reading and sampling a part and giving the market may suffice.

Otherwise I consider the releasing of them to the market as a form of testing. The response of the market is my feedback, where from I Assess and Adjust.

However,

That poetry and fiction are not pure Fastlane products is obvious. Nobody really needs them. People just enjoy them. Like paintings and other art pieces.

However, they've have been sold over the years. Sometimes they've have sold a huge amount and made millions. I am not an idiot to dream that this is my Fastlane venture. My sole aim is sale.

What writers do to test their products is publish them and see the market's response. Which is either positive or negative. Sometimes it is lukewarm. And they keep writing and testing what they write.

Sometimes a piece of art is rejected yet at later point it explodes in sales and critical acclaim. Emily Dickinson is an example. Faulkner is another example.

I know I have to find something real Fastlane. But as I wait to do so, I'd rather first sell something and get feedback on what I have produced. That feedback impacts what I may produce later.

In writing improvement comes with more writing. And maturity. The passing of time may lead to the refinement of craft.

In fiction authors sometimes do readings to a group and those groups provide feedback. Then the feedback is incorporated onto the piece in question.

Many of these poems are from 2017 and subsequent years. At the time I would write and post on Facebook, WhatsApp and the like. And the response was positive. Though our markets of poetry and fiction are sometimes tricky.

I stopped using Facebook and WhatsApp because of copyright issues that may affect my poems.

 

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[Artiom O]

Again thank you for this probing.

I will find ways of testing or ensuring I test.

Possibilities are
#Public reading
#Sampling a part and giving the market
#Entering a contest
#Submitting to a magazine

Public reading and sampling a part and giving the market may suffice.

Otherwise I consider the releasing of them to the market as a form of testing. The response of the market is my feedback, where from I Assess and Adjust.

However,

That poetry and fiction are not pure Fastlane products is obvious. Nobody really needs them. People just enjoy them. Like paintings and other art pieces.

However, they've have been sold over the years. Sometimes they've have sold a huge amount and made millions. I am not an idiot to dream that this is my Fastlane venture. My sole aim is sale.

What writers do to test their products is publish them and see the market's response. Which is either positive or negative. Sometimes it is lukewarm. And they keep writing and testing what they write.

Sometimes a piece of art is rejected yet at later point it explodes in sales and critical acclaim. Emily Dickinson is an example. Faulkner is another example.

I know I have to find something real Fastlane. But as I wait to do so, I'd rather first sell something and get feedback on what I have produced. That feedback impacts what I may produce later.

In writing improvement comes with more writing. And maturity. The passing of time may lead to the refinement of craft.

In fiction authors sometimes do readings to a group and those groups provide feedback. Then the feedback is incorporated onto the piece in question.

Many of these poems are from 2017 and subsequent years. At the time I would write and post on Facebook, WhatsApp and the like. And the response was positive. Though our markets of poetry and fiction are sometimes tricky.

I stopped using Facebook and WhatsApp because of copyright issues that may affect my poems.

I consider anything worth paying for Fastlane.
I understand that you want to do something more simple for now, and then go with a Fastlane thing.

But even to the smallest scale, like making one simple sale, I still think that you need to do something Fastline like. At the end of the day you need to help someone for a transaction/sale to take place.

But yeah, I'm not an expert in literature or writing. I think you're fine, if you say that there is demand for those poems and people have enjoyed your works.

So, what are you planning to do ? Release the two books ? What's going with the progress ?

 

[Isaac Odongo]

I consider anything worth paying for Fastlane.
I understand that you want to do something more simple for now, and then go with a Fastlane thing.

But even to the smallest scale, like making one simple sale, I still think that you need to do something Fastline like. At the end of the day you need to help someone for a transaction/sale to take place.

But yeah, I'm not an expert in literature or writing. I think you're fine, if you say that there is demand for those poems and people have enjoyed your works.

So, what are you planning to do ? Release the two books ? What's going with the progress ?

Publish,
Get Feedback,
Assess Feedback,
Adjust,
Repeat.

It is rare for a failed piece of art, (written) to be corrected and improved. You just write more stuff and the trajectory goes up towards best whenever you put terrific effort and craft in the writing.

What's my progress
I am completing the collection of the manuscript. Adding some poems I wrote between last year and 2019 that I had not yet added to the list. They are stronger than the ones I wrote earlier.

I need to proceed from here to upload the manuscript on a desired platform and format it there. Cover page design and the like.

I have created an account with SmashWords. Turns out Draft2Digital, that I wanted to avoid has acquired SmashWords. I had to complete an account with D2D as well. Their website is not mobile friendly. I guess I will need to create an account with another platform and compare contrast the different places before deciding.

Went through a list of books on display for sale. The pricing is worth attention. I need to find out what makes a book appear fast on tje display. Because I believe there are thousands of books out there.

~Isaac~

 

[Isaac Odongo]

Hello Fastlaners,

I hope you are great

I published my collection of poems on Draft2Digital.

I published on Draft2Digital yesterday afternoon.

Now my task is to gain sales.

That's where my focus now is.

I also began to read The 7 Day Startup. Very practical for Fastlane. Can be applied in any field of interest.

 

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[Artiom O]

Hello Fastlaners,

I hope you are great

I published my collection of poems on Draft2Digital.

I published on Draft2Digital yesterday afternoon.

Now my task is to gain sales.

That's where my focus now is.

I also began to read The 7 Day Startup. Very practical for Fastlane. Can be applied in any field of interest.

You could try and give some free copies to someone right from the start.

It will just prove the demand for the product. Don't forget that it has to be someone who struggles with that problem. (I still can't understand much of it)

 

[Isaac Odongo]

You could try and give some free copies to someone right from the start.

It will just prove the demand for the product. Don't forget that it has to be someone who struggles with that problem. (I still can't understand much of it)

If I change the price on Draft2Digital to free, so that people can easily access it, will it ensure readership? That's maybe what I need to test out as you suggest.

Then, afterwards, I may decide whether to monetize it or not, depending on the response of the world. Or I may monetize something that results from it. Or I may move on to something else.

Poems are hardly bought as you said. But good poems may earn one a few rights and privileges here and there. Or even some awards. Point is there are an overwhelming number of poets and poems out there than there are readers of poems. Goodness of the piece is what differentiates.

 

[Artiom O]

If I change the price on Draft2Digital to free, so that people can easily access it, will it ensure readership? That's maybe what I need to test out as you suggest.

Then, afterwards, I may decide whether to monetize it or not, depending on the response of the world. Or I may monetize something that results from it. Or I may move on to something else.

Poems are hardly bought as you said. But good poems may earn one a few rights and privileges here and there. Or even some awards. Point is there are an overwhelming number of poets and poems out there than there are readers of poems. Goodness of the piece is what differentiates.

I was saying that you could just give one or two copies to someone you already know, who is an active reader. But I think that this will work too.

Even if there are more producers than readers, you could probably modify the solution, so it could affect a bigger range of people.

For example, you could add paintings, simplify the content and then sell them as teaching books for children.

You got the point. There are potential use cases for the poems/stories you have.

 

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[Isaac Odongo]

I was saying that you could just give one or two copies to someone you already know, who is an active reader. But I think that this will work too.

Even if there are more producers than readers, you could probably modify the solution, so it could affect a bigger range of people.

For example, you could add paintings, simplify the content and then sell them as teaching books for children.

You got the point. There are potential use cases for the poems/stories you have.

Thank you very much for taking the time always to respond.

Sure it does affect a big range of people. Which means people should be in position to access them.

My first task should be to get it into the hands of people, at least into the hands of serious readers.

I may make substantial improvements, such incorporating illustrations and getting them out to an audience that buys them.

This may be possible through using editions. So this one I have just created is a first edition. I may now seek to make a second edition.

I may then make

 

[Isaac Odongo]

Thank you very much for taking the time always to respond.

Sure it does affect a big range of people. Which means people should be in position to access them.

My first task should be to get it into the hands of people, at least into the hands of serious readers.

I may make substantial improvements, such incorporating illustrations and getting them out to an audience that buys them.

This may be possible through using editions. So this one I have just created is a first edition. I may now seek to make a second edition.

I may then make

Additionally, I may keep this as free as possible and include a brief biography showing my writing portfolio.

I am a short storist and novelist. I have a long story. I may include a biography in this poetry collection and distribute it wide and large. So that my name spreads out there.

I may as well add contact information to link me with readers. Then I can exploit these in future as I produce more material.