My book: Like a cure to cancer...but is it fastlane?

[Carlo J.]

For many days now I have been struggling with whether to write this book of mine or not. I'm hoping you guys could help me decipher in my decision making process.

But this is a good sign because it may tell me if this is really worthy of Fastlane---meaning it meets all the criteria of Fastlane commandments. The dilemma came like a double edged sword because after reading MJ's book, I was ecstatic to finally crack the real code to wealth after long years of searching but at the same time it made me a little uneasy because I was already working on a business idea that time and therefore questioned if that idea I was working on was already Fastlane worthy.

So what is my book? It's about how I recovered from a neurological condition that affects a unique subset of musicians, called Focal Dystonia, and it details what I did to recover from it and help others to be free from it too.

The problem with this is that it is a super-targeted niche. There could be well only be around 500 people in the whole world who has this condition. It is also called "writer's cramps" or in some areas in sports like golf, it is called the "yips". Though my book is about how I recovered from Focal Dystonia, I don't aim it for golfers and writers but only for people like me, musicians.

The dilemma now is that my book violates the commandment of Scale. Yes there is a definite NEED---there are only few people who have recovered from it 100% and I know exactly what to do to get them out of it. Yes there is ENTRY---it took me years of research and trial and error. Unless one wants to have this condition they would never know my wisdom and experience. Yes there is CONTROL---I will publish an e-book of my own. And Yes it corresponds with TIME---which means I can automate it, that's the easiest part.

However the amount of people who have focal dystonia in the whole world is too small which means my book won't be scalable. It saddens me because I know people need this but it doesn't seem to be profitable as I expect it to be.

The flash of insight came when I thought that "how about if I not only sell this book to musicians who are affected with the condition but also sell it to people who want to AVOID it?"

The condition has the potential to destroy one's music career and it comes by without warning---I know because I speak from experience. So definitely it could be possible that ALL musicians and instrumentalists will want to know how to avoid it! This means the 95% of untapped market or in other words, all musicians: guitarists, violinists, pianists, trumpeters, drummers ALL OVER THE WORLD (Focal Dystonia does not affect singers)

Could this now be a potential fastlane book?

From my book being named: "How I recovered from Focal Dystonia and how you can too"

By simply changing it too: "How I recovered from Focal Dystonia and how you can recover from it and avoid it if you don't have it!"

Would it now encompass a huge market and therefore be worhty of fastlane?

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

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[GuestUser152]

You want to help others. That's great. If you read through TFM MJ talks about having a a passion and a why for creating your Fastlane business around page 230 I believe. Something for the hard times, and when things aren't going your way its a reason to keep moving. I believe that's what you've found here.

My advice would be to refocus and find a Fastlane that fulfills the CENTS requirements, and use this goal of helping other musicians as a passion to keep you moving towards the financial freedom that would allow for it. Best of luck!

 

[Carlo J.]

You want to help others. That's great. If you read through TFM MJ talks about having a a passion and a why for creating your Fastlane business around page 230 I believe. Something for the hard times, and when things aren't going your way its a reason to keep moving. I believe that's what you've found here.

My advice would be to refocus and find a Fastlane that fulfills the CENTS requirements, and use this goal of helping other musicians as a passion to keep you moving towards the financial freedom that would allow for it. Best of luck!

Hi thanks for the advice benjispeer.

Just to make it clear, you're telling me to re-focus which means you don't think the niche market I am going into is not scalable enough for fastlane?

Like I said, if my market was only those affected with those who have FD than it is super limited but if I include other people who would want to avoid it which is 95% of the whole music population of the whole world, than wouldn't that already qualify as a Fastlane business? Or it still won't?

I may not be understanding your message clear enough that is why I may need you to elaborate on it further.

 

[csalvato]

The flash of insight came when I thought that "how about if I not only sell this book to musicians who are affected with the condition but also sell it to people who want to AVOID it?"

I think you will face a problem of scale...HARD.

You aren't fixing a problem. You're preventing one. And people hate prevention, but they love cures. (They don't like to eat well, but they love weight loss pills).

And even then, it sounds like the scale is very small.

I could be wrong, because I don't know anything about your market...but you need to ask yourself this:

"If I were going to get in front of the eyes of people who have this problem, how would I do it?"

If there is no good answer then you need to find it. And if you can't find it...well..it probably won't work.

 

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[Mattie]

This is just my opinion. I would write it for you. In the experience others will gain healing from it. It may or may not be a fast lane, but it heals people and helps them grow emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It's an obstacle in someone's life, and they relate and need the hope and inspiration. You write other books besides this one on other subjects that may be fast lane material.

 

[Mattie]

On another note when it comes to sickness and health people want something they can relate too. They want to know they can connect with the experience. They want to know they can get past there obstacles. They want to know there is hope. They want out of the pain and suffering. They want to know someone out there is like them with the same emotions, feelings, and experiences.

 

[Deleted20245]

I'd go ahead and write it. Perhaps keep it short. Maybe 100 pages tops.

This will probably lead to other ideas such as avoiding Repetitive Stress Injuries for Musicians (a MUCH wider audience) or a more general look at posture and positioning for musicians (perhaps making one for classical players, one for brass, one for rock guitarists). Your current idea could be a chapter in this book.

 

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[Carlo J.]

"If I were going to get in front of the eyes of people who have this problem, how would I do it?"

If there is no good answer then you need to find it. And if you can't find it...well..it probably won't work.

I am sorry. I don't quite understand this question csalvato. The only answer I could think of is that those who have this problem, that is FD, are already desperately searching for a solution and answer.

However your insight about people loving cures rather than prevention is something I have never thought of. Some definite take home for my thought process.

Hmmm, this is really hard for me. Should I postpone the writing of this book and put it under "weekend projects"?

 

[Carlo J.]

This will probably lead to other ideas such as avoiding Repetitive Stress Injuries for Musicians (a MUCH wider audience)

This is exactly what I was trying to say. The audience or the musicians who are trying to avoid RSI is the also the same audience I can market my book about Focal Dystonia. They are very closely intertwined. Being that said, is this a green light?

I'm still having mixed thoughts

 

[Carlo J.]

This is just my opinion. I would write it for you. In the experience others will gain healing from it. It may or may not be a fast lane, but it heals people and helps them grow emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. It's an obstacle in someone's life, and they relate and need the hope and inspiration. You write other books besides this one on other subjects that may be fast lane material.

Yes thank you. That's why it is so difficult for me to decide right now!

 

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[Mattie]

Is it fear that makes it hard to decide?

 

[Carlo J.]

Is it fear that makes it hard to decide?

I fear I might encounter a scale problem. Yes.

 

[Deleted20245]

Well make Focal Dystonia a chapter within a larger book about health for musicians. Seems like a simple solution that will scale up your book.

 

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[Magik]

With writing, you have to have either scale or a platform, ideally both.

With niche based non-fiction, you need to have a platform of some sort to further serve the market. The book becomes a marketing tool for something greater. MJ had the forum, some writers are consultants, celebs who write a book, etc. They can write a few books to further serve an already established or growing platform that is outside of writing. Then there is creative non-fiction (David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, etc.) and fiction where writers don't so much need a platform (nothing else to sell other than books), they just need scale in the form of higher book sales and more books. Although, fiction writers more and more are starting to see the value of having a platform, helps when books sales start to go flat between books.

Without a platform to further serve the market or the ability to build an audience through high book sales and multiple books, you're going to have a hard time.

 

[Dark Water]

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=how+many+people+have+focal+dystonia

"Almost 250,000 people in the United States have dystonia, making it the third most common movement disorder".

I think your market of 500 is not as small as it sounds. While it seems focal dystonia is one subset of all the dystonias, does your solution only provide benefits to those with focal or with all dystonias?

PS the title of your book doesn't determine your market. And the titles you've suggested are too long anyways.

I think such an extensive feasibility analysis is unnecessary - write the book (because it will be valuable and you deem it needed), then try to market it to whomever you're targeting - but it seems like this is all mental masturbation as you've been trying to decide for days. JUST DO IT!

 

[BHall]

Why not write an auto-biography about that time period. Don't include the exact steps you took to overcome it, but include plenty of emotion to resonate with a lot of readers. Learn how to market it, then follow up with another book or website product that includes the exact steps to overcome the problem.

You say your market is really niche so write the first book in a broader sense. People love hearing about how the underdog came back to win. Let your second book be the super niche book.

 

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[tafy]

Why dont you make a nich website instead of a book and make a load of articles? That can be started today

 

[Carlo J.]

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=how many people have focal dystonia

"Almost 250,000 people in the United States have dystonia, making it the third most common movement disorder".

I think your market of 500 is not as small as it sounds. While it seems focal dystonia is one subset of all the dystonias, does your solution only provide benefits to those with focal or with all dystonias?

PS the title of your book doesn't determine your market. And the titles you've suggested are too long anyways.

I cannot give advice to those who have Dystonia, only those who have FD. I'm thinking of making my book a preventive book as well for those who would want to be aware and know how to avoid Focal Dystonia.

I think such an extensive feasibility analysis is unnecessary - write the book (because it will be valuable and you deem it needed), then try to market it to whomever you're targeting - but it seems like this is all mental masturbation as you've been trying to decide for days. JUST DO IT!

Analysis Paralysis.

 

[RogueInnovation]

Write a first chapter, distribute it to the 500 sufferers, raise the price to be reasonable for you and them, affiliate with the highest ranked website regarding focal dystonia, give it to an expert and have them give help and credibility.

Barebones like that its not a fastlane, but 500 sales can equal 10k.
Be sure to get the sales upfront or something.


Relate the lessons to other things. Have a fun factor. And maybe mix in with music crowds and use this as a way to differentiate yourself
(make it an ebook to remove costs)

 

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[Andy Black]

Forget "is this Fastlane?" and just get off the launch pad.

You need to get out of the echo chamber and get some actual market feedback.

The difference between spectators and players is "movement".

And good things happen when you move at pace.

---

1) Go help someone - today

Find forum(s) where people are talking/complaining about the condition and/or it's symptoms and go start helping people there. If you can't find them, then take it as a warning sign. As you keep answering questions, you'll eventually tire of repeating yourself. Start a new thread and then link to it in future. You've now an "article" written. You later might want to link them up in an order that makes sense.

The beauty of a forum is that there is a ready made location of people who are already active online. See what titles get you the most clicks (you're now learning how to write subject lines - good for articles on your blog, emails you send out, and chapters in your book), keep an eye on what gets you the most thanks, and trace back to find out who thanked you and what they might have in common.

Example1 - A "lead magnet" I use (see where it leads at the end of the post):
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...-reason-people-lose-money-with-adwords.52715/

Example2 - My Story:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/the-biggest-benefit-of-adwords.52440/


2) Create a simple sales page and build a list of interested people

In your signature in the forum, link back to a simple sales page where people can "raise their hand" and express an interest in learning more. You may even mention a forthcoming book and take pre-orders (although I think that's getting ahead of yourself).

(You could also drive traffic via paid search and bid on search terms indicating the searcher is actively looking for a solution, or more information about the condition. It's niche, so anyone even knowing the name is likely quite interested in the topic. If you're going to use AdWords paid search just be aware of falling foul of their "information harvesting" policy. However, your hurdle here is learning paid search... so leave this for a while as you don't want to put up any MORE hurdles in your way.)


3) Then do this

...make a nich website instead of a book and make a load of articles

Example article on blog:
http://www.andyblack.net/launch-and-learn


---

Now guess what I'm going to do with this post?

 

[BHall]

I think you need to write it and work on a marketing strategy to increase sales. If it fails to sell, then you know your market analysis was correct and you can pat yourself on the back for succeeding during the due diligence phase.

In my mind, there are too many "what if" questions:
- What if your market analysis is wrong?
- What if, next year, the number of victims quadruples?
- What if the true number of victims isn't reported because people don't know they have it?
- Etc. Etc.

And of course in 10 years: "How would my life be different if I had actually written that book?"

 

[100k]

Would those 500 people suffering from it pay you a decent chunk of chain for a solution?

Once you have published your book you'll be in a sense removing the barrier - because now that info is in the open and anyone can "re-write" the book without that much research (just hire a medical person to verify).

I think you might be suffering from sunk cost. Don't be scared to call it a day and move on to something else.

Someone said that it could help more than 250k in America alone, why don't you see if it can help those people too, because then you have a decent chunk of people to market to, because if its just those 500 people - then I doubt its very "fast lane" since there won't be any scale.

 

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[Carlo J.]

Forget "is this Fastlane?" and just get off the launch pad.

You need to get out of the echo chamber and get some actual market feedback.

The difference between spectators and players is "movement".

And good things happen when you move at pace.

---

1) Go help someone - today

Find forum(s) where people are talking/complaining about the condition and/or it's symptoms and go start helping people there. If you can't find them, then take it as a warning sign. As you keep answering questions, you'll eventually tire of repeating yourself. Start a new thread and then link to it in future. You've now an "article" written. You later might want to link them up in an order that makes sense.

The beauty of a forum is that there is a ready made location of people who are already active online. See what titles get you the most clicks (you're now learning how to write subject lines - good for articles on your blog, emails you send out, and chapters in your book), keep an eye on what gets you the most thanks, and trace back to find out who thanked you and what they might have in common.

Example1 - A "lead magnet" I use (see where it leads at the end of the post):
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...-reason-people-lose-money-with-adwords.52715/

Example2 - My Story:
https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/the-biggest-benefit-of-adwords.52440/


2) Create a simple sales page and build a list of interested people

In your signature in the forum, link back to a simple sales page where people can "raise their hand" and express an interest in learning more. You may even mention a forthcoming book and take pre-orders (although I think that's getting ahead of yourself).

(You could also drive traffic via paid search and bid on search terms indicating the searcher is actively looking for a solution, or more information about the condition. It's niche, so anyone even knowing the name is likely quite interested in the topic. If you're going to use AdWords paid search just be aware of falling foul of their "information harvesting" policy. However, your hurdle here is learning paid search... so leave this for a while as you don't want to put up any MORE hurdles in your way.)


3) Then do this



Example article on blog:
http://www.andyblack.net/launch-and-learn


---

Now guess what I'm going to do with this post?

This is awesome stuff Andy. Thanks so much! Rep Transfer!

 

[Carlo J.]

I think you need to write it and work on a marketing strategy to increase sales. If it fails to sell, then you know your market analysis was correct and you can pat yourself on the back for succeeding during the due diligence phase.

In my mind, there are too many "what if" questions:
- What if your market analysis is wrong?
- What if, next year, the number of victims quadruples?
- What if the true number of victims isn't reported because people don't know they have it?
- Etc. Etc.

And of course in 10 years: "How would my life be different if I had actually written that book?"

Exactly. I also feel indebted to all the things that I have learned that has helped me resolve this condition. Besides, I'll treat it as a fun learning experience that will provide me lessons for my next businesses. For now, I need to help these people and solve a problem.

Thanks!