How To Focus When You Write

Your Own Book or Course

Ted

Ciuba MMIII

tedc@realprofit.com

How do you cover the depth and breadth of the profession of writing in a few pages?...
This could easily be a course by itself...
The Importance of Mindset
The most important thing I want to communicate is just how easy information products
are to create! Believe me, if they werent I wouldnt be doing it!
Writing a book or a course is just like writing an essay in school except you arent
being graded. In fact, a book is nothing, really, but a series of integrated essays. The only
difference is that when theyre in a book we call them chapters. But its the same thing. Your
essays (chapters) quite simply treat the important different aspects of a single subject,
problem, or opportunity.
Recognizing that the process is actually this simple, helps a whole lot!
Start With Idea Generation and Move Into Product Development
Its always easiest to start with what you know. Start with your own hot buttons. What
turns you on?... What turns you off?
Just start thinking on paper. Let your pen freewrite... That means just write rapidly about
what product in what market with what improvements youd like to see... What needs to be said?
Let the sentences, diagrams, headlines flow... Be as messy as you can here because ideas, not
form is what youre after here. Let the ideas flow... Let the ideas tumble over one another in
abandon... When you have the ideas, well, you can clean them up edit and revise later.
Without the ideas, you dont have anything.
(In fact, ideas are so important that I recommend you keep 3x5 cards and a pen with you
at all times, so you can capture any stray ideas you might get, anywhere, anytime!)
Make a list, quickly, of all the things you love to do. The things you do well... Even the
things you would like to do well... Golf, fish, guns, read, write, paint, landscape, travel, cook,
sell cars by classifieds, etc. Anything.
Consider, what trends are clearly visible in society. It could be anything. How about, just
for starters, health and aging, the internet, homebased business...
If there was ever a place where Ready, Fire! ...Aim... was necessary and applicable, this

- Page 2 is it!
This is not work. This is adventure. This is a time to enjoy the process. Enjoy getting to
know yourself... Enjoy getting close to the person you are going to be later. Discovery is a
necessary part of the writing process.
Let your thoughts tumble. Catch strands of these thoughts and peg them to paper as the
stream of consciousness flows past you..
After youve been free-writing for 20 minutes... or a couple of days... whatever suits you
best, then look your ideas over. Explore them... Maybe write or doodle a little with a few ideas.
What youre looking for now, is some unique or superior angle to develop.
Then try and develop an outline of sorts. About this point I like to work up my first
efforts of a Table of Contents. I call it my imaginary Table of Contents... Itll evolve, for sure,
but when you do that, you start giving form and definition to the subjects youll cover. More
importantly for your sanity, however, is that youve broken the task of writing a book or
designing a workshop down into a few essays or lessons.
What you can do at this point, once
This is not work. This is adventure.
you get the big picture coming into focus, is
to open up files for each chapter. Do this
either on your computer or in manilla folders.
Now you start saving articles, reports, sayings, your own scribblings and notes and... youre off!
Then its a good time to do a little preliminary research, checking out whats already on
the market. Thinking things over. Putting more notes in your files.
Then, when youve settled on your one product, buy, rent, or borrow whatever you can of
the other material in your subject arena thats already on the market. Send off for all the special
reports you see offered. Buy the programs that appeal to you most. (Remember, if you have to,
you can send them back.) Its important to know whats on the market.
When you follow this process, first, you find out what youre competing against, but,
more importantly, when you see their weak points, youve just discovered a great angle for you
to go after! Take the methods, processes, and products you see working and improve on them.
Model them.
Strive to develop your own niche. Your uniqueness. Your own point of view...
With the research youve done which is nothing but market knowledge this should
happen by itself.
Some of the stuff you want to use is copyrighted, of course. It youre going to go beyond
short quotes, you would need to get permission to quote. Again, theres no mystery to it. Just
write a brief letter complimenting the author, identify your own credibility, clearly identify what
youd like to use and how youd like to use it.
Ive had all kinds of nice comments written to me with the permission notes, from some
of the leaders of the world. Truth is, theyre flattered. Ive also received profitable joint venture
offers in the process! You will too!
Ted Ciuba * 615-662-3169 * fax: 615-662-3108 * GetRichOnTheInternet.com

(Please turn to next page L)

- Page 3 If you have a copy of module 2 of The Mail Order in the Internet Age System, How To
Get Your Own Million Dollar Product, flip to the end of it and youll see an actual copy of the
exact request to quote I wrote to mega-multi-millionaire legendary marketer Ted Nicholas to
request permission to use the display ads of his that are in The Mail Order in the Internet Age
System. I had to track him down at his British home, but, that wasnt too difficult. I dont know
of a marketer in the world whos trying to hide out, do you? It simply required pressing a few
keys on my fax machine, and waiting a few hours...
And when youre outlining and writing, remember, the substance or subject of a work is
not copyrightable. The subject, the knowledge, the advice, the training method is not
copyrightable. Only the actual words written on the page or spoken on a video or cassette are
copyrighted.
Now you would never copy the exact words without giving credit. Thats a crime. And
you wouldnt just take someones material and distribute it in a book youd written, following
their format tit-for-tat. Thats too close for respect from your peers and the market
But there are times youll want to do a little creative emulation. Big difference. You
can describe anything you want in your own words.
Creative emulation is what every successful marketer will tell you to do. Enter a market
where things are selling! Write something to serve that profitable market. Create, model, and
mimic products that are selling but make yours better.
And if you want something thats profitable, what do you think you should model but
what is selling! Duh! this should be a no-brainer. This is what people want!!!
You dont have to invent, but to reinvent! In fact, why would you want to take the
marketing risks to invent an absolutely new product or try to break into a new market. The
costs and the efforts are much higher, and the percentages for failure much graver!
How To Think About Your Product
The reason why most people fall into a quandary when they think about what product to
sell is that they just dont know how to evaluate a good product. That is, they dont really have
the sensitivity to distinguish a good product from a bad product.
I developed the following sequence of questions to help my clients and myself! focus
in on product choices to market. These are the Product Decision-Making Grid and the
Product Development & Marketing Think-Sheet. These exercises, like all exercises, dont
have correct and incorrect answers. The point behind these exercises is to give you input to
make mindful decisions on what you should market. The sooner you start thinking in these
directions, the better off youll be.
First, the Product Decision-Making Grid...
Consider... Answer these questions... Theyre all very important. They'll make every
decision you make more focused, on target, and wealth productive than your competitors...
I like to think of these questions as a springboard to product development:
Ted Ciuba * 615-662-3169 * fax: 615-662-3108 * GetRichOnTheInternet.com

(Please turn to next page L)

- Page 4 Doodle a bit, or, as the hillbilly folks in my own state of Tennessee say it, Thinks a bit,
dreams a while. Truly, asking these questions and you might want to add a few of your own
will virtually ensure you a successful product and a successful, happy, productive life.

Product Decision-Making Grid

Is this something I like

to do? Can I get
passionate about this?
Does it fit with my
goals?

Is it a quality product?
Does it deliver a
genuine value for the
money my customer
invests?

Will I be proud to
market this product?

Is there a market for

this product? A
starving crowd?

Is it an information
product? Do I want an
information product?

Does the product have

a high perceived value
and a low production
cost? Does it have
extremely high
markups?

Is it a product that
appeals to people with
money that are
willing to spend it?

Is it riding a trend?...
Is it one of the hot
subjects?

Is the product easy to

handle, easy to store,
and easy to ship?

Ted Ciuba * 615-662-3169 * fax: 615-662-3108 * GetRichOnTheInternet.com

(Please turn to next page L)

- Page 5

Can it be produced
locally and in small
quantities? Is it a
setup for publishingon-demand?

Is the product selfsufficient, requiring

no tech service on my
part?

Can I take my orders

through an ordertaking service and
ship through a
fulfillment house?

Does this product lend

itself to a backend,
where I make the real
money in an ongoing
relationship?

Can the business be

put on autopilot?

Should I create the

product myself?

Would it be better to
joint venture or
license a product?

These questions address all the important points to gage a products profitability, both
financially and for your quality of life.
Answer these questions, stick by what your heart is telling you, and you will guide
yourself to pick a product that will give you the best of everything. A product that contributes to
the well-being of its purchasers which simultaneously fulfills all your particular goals, making
you all the money you desire in the process.
Next! Another Killer Product Development Aid!
The Product Development & Marketing Think-Sheet
Thinking about, deciding on, and developing or acquiring a product is a multidimensional project that never ends... Its the Ready, Fire! ...Aim. concept all over again. The
more you think about your product with marketing and profit-taking ideas prominent in your
heart, the better your future will unravel.
Ted Ciuba * 615-662-3169 * fax: 615-662-3108 * GetRichOnTheInternet.com

(Please turn to next page L)

- Page 6 I want to share with you another of the question and focus grids I developed to help you
focus in on marketing. By the way, its not an either-or issue Should I complete the Product
Decision-Making Grid or the Product Development & Marketing Think-Sheet? You work
with them both at different stages of the process. Use the Product Development & Marketing
Think-Sheet when youre down in the trenches developing a specific product and its marketing
plan. You use Product Decision-Making Grid when youre deciding on ideas... This one when
youre making the final decisions and preparations to go to market.
Lets look at an filled-in example... Im sharing with you one of my early workups with
Mail Order in the Internet, not to say that your answers should look exactly like mine they
shouldnt! but just to illustrate what a representative project might look like.
What you see here is my notes when I started the Mail Order in the Internet Age project.
Its not literature, but then its not intended to be... Its only to help me decide if I should go
ahead with the product, exactly what its going to be, and how Im going to present/market it.
Every product has substance, a personality, and a basic offer. Thats what the form helps
you discover. Once youre clear on what you have, youll find it incredibly easier to write... and
to sell!
Pay close attention, because theres a few blank think-sheets in the supplemental section
at the end of this report for you!

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How To Rake In $3,287 Per Hour,
Starting with Zero Cash, Without Working,
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Product / Product
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Sales letter:
envelope w 1) lift, 2) order device, 3) extra bonus!
Teaser: Dont You Dare Tear Into This Envelope Until Youve Ravished My Letter!
Bonus Report

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Lead-Generating... leads into Mail Order in the Internet Age System and Protg
Build value in!
It is stuffed full of valuable backend offers

Market

People interested in Homebased Business, Mail Order, &

Opportunity Seekers in general

Goals

Get the book in lots of hands!...

1,000,000 copies in distribution by 31 December _____

- Page 7 USP

Using todays simple technology tools like the phone, a fax, and your computer, and the
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Testimonial
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In followup letter/offer.

Ted Ciuba * 615-662-3169 * fax: 615-662-3108 * GetRichOnTheInternet.com

(Please turn to next page L)

The sooner you start answering these question for your own book or course, the better off youll
be. Its incredible how this will clarify, focus, and direct your thinking and your efforts, and
unfold your own incredible opportunities.
Let me know how it helped you!

Product Decision, Development & Marketing Guides

Product Decision-Making Grid
Product Development & Marketing Think Sheet

Ted Ciuba, author of several amazing books, including Mail Order in the Internet Age and How To Get Rich On
The Internet, available at Amazon.com
Ted Ciuba * Parthenon Marketing, Inc * 2400 Crestmoor Rd #36 * Nashville TN 37215
+615-662-3169 / fax: +615-662-3108 * tedc@realprofit.com * www.GetRichOnTheInternet.com

Product Decision-Making Grid

Is this something I like to do?

Can I get passionate about
this? Does it fit with my
goals?

Is it a quality product? Does it

deliver a genuine value for the
money my customer invests?

Will I be proud to market this

product?

Is there a market for this

product? A starving crowd?

Is it an information product?
Do I want an information
product?

Does the product have a high

perceived value and a low
production cost? Does it have
extremely high markups?

Is it a product that appeals to

people with money that are
willing to spend it?

Is it riding a trend?... Is it one

of the hot subjects?

Is the product easy to handle,

easy to store, and easy to ship?

Can it be produced locally and

in small quantities? Is it a
setup for publishing-ondemand?

Is the product self-sufficient,

requiring no tech service on
my part?

Can I take my orders through

an order-taking service and
ship through a fulfillment
house?

Does this product lend itself to

a backend, where I make the
real money in an ongoing
relationship?

Can the business be put on

autopilot?

Should I create the product

myself?

Would it be better to joint

venture or license a product?

Product Decision-Making Grid

Is this something I like to do?

Can I get passionate about
this? Does it fit with my
goals?

Is it a quality product? Does it

deliver a genuine value for the
money my customer invests?

Will I be proud to market this

product?

Is there a market for this

product? A starving crowd?

Is it an information product?
Do I want an information
product?

Does the product have a high

perceived value and a low
production cost? Does it have
extremely high markups?

Is it a product that appeals to

people with money that are
willing to spend it?

Is it riding a trend?... Is it one

of the hot subjects?

Is the product easy to handle,

easy to store, and easy to ship?

Can it be produced locally and

in small quantities? Is it a
setup for publishing-ondemand?

Is the product self-sufficient,

requiring no tech service on
my part?

Can I take my orders through

an order-taking service and
ship through a fulfillment
house?

Does this product lend itself to

a backend, where I make the
real money in an ongoing
relationship?

Can the business be put on

autopilot?

Should I create the product

myself?

Would it be better to joint

venture or license a product?

Product Development & Marketing Think Sheet

[Headline:]
[Title:]
[Subtitle (if appcl.):]

Product / Product
Components

Packaging

Strategic
Positioning

Market

Goals

USP

Pricing (incl s/h)

Bonuses

Guarantee

Testimonial
Request

Product Development & Marketing Think Sheet

[Headline:]
[Title:]
[Subtitle (if appcl.):]

Product / Product
Components

Packaging

Strategic
Positioning

Market

Goals

USP

Pricing (incl s/h)

Bonuses

Guarantee

Testimonial
Request