Get a little Quirky and invent something great!
You were one of the lucky ones…. Woken from a deep sleep with the best idea you’ve ever had, you manage to scribble down your brilliant invention concept onto the blank notepad lying in wait on your bedside table. This act alone is a notable achievement, since so many ideas – good, bad and ugly – float into our brains and back into space almost seconds after popping into our consciousness and are gone forever. But not your genius concept – you’ve held onto a little nugget of pure gold, so congratulations! By simply jotting down your musings and putting pen to paper, you’ve taken the first crucial step in the journey of transforming your invention from a vague, abstract idea into a possibly tangible reality.
Right before you drift back off to slumber, you’re struck with a swift bolt of reality – you have not the faintest idea as toyour next step in the invention patenting process. Your mind races with questions – “Do I need to get a patent right away? Must I have a sketch of my prototype ready to go? What does ‘prototype’ even mean? I can’t draw a straight line, so how will I sketch my imaginary product?” At this point you might be doubting the overall feasibility of your seemingly brilliant invention. All of a sudden, it seems a goal too lofty to reach.
Thanks to Quirky, you do not have to worry about how to get your invention off the ground, because their unique and collaborative platform will lead you through the entire process along with an incredibly knowledgeable and talented community of inventors. If you’ve got a great idea, Quirky will be your secret weapon in the quest to bring your innovative idea to life, having already helped to produce over 150 products. Here’s what to do next….
Research
It’s been said that great minds think alike – usually a compliment to the thinkers’ intelligence. However, this truth can sometimes be rather disappointing in the whacky world of invention when one realizes a truly wonderful idea, only to discover through internet research that another bright mind patented the same exact idea two years earlier! That roadblock does not mean you must hang up your inventor’s hat forever – It simply means that you keep trying. And when you do stumble across another ingenius idea – and you WILL – first do a quick Google search to learn whether a fellow inventor has already brought your creation to life. If the answer is yes, no worries – just keep on grinding away at that idea mill. If the answer is no, well – you could just be the next Thomas Edison – and Quirky is ready to work for you!
Document the details
Once you’ve confirmed that there’s no invention in existence exactly like your idea, you’ll want a couple of hours to sit down with a big cup o’ Joe, plenty of paper and whatever else inspires you and hash out some details about your invention: what exactly IS it? What is its purpose and what consumer industry or category would it fall under? Ponder the size, color, construction, material and price of your invention, and any other aspects that would need to be considered if a prototype were created. Jot down some instructions on how to use your invention – if it’s that type of creation. The more details you nail down, the easier it will become to judge the possible potential in your product.
Access Quirky’s community for sketches, 3D models and more
If the idea of even loosely sketching the elusive image of your invention in your mind’s eye strikes fear into your heart because of lack of skill, you’ve come to the right platform! With an online community of over 1 million members, the folks at Quirky are passionate about creativity to say the least and are ready to offer their unique skills to give your idea wings. Whether you are looking for a great writer to craft some compelling descriptions about your product, a digital artist’s expertise, or simply need some honest and unbiased feedback, there’s likely a member on Quirky that can meet your needs – a unique creative tool you won’t find anywhere else.
Utilizing this peer-to-peer community of Quirky benefits both the inventor and those providing input on a possible invention – whether going public with your invention or only working privately with a few team members. Inventors can receive invaluable services from not only artists and 3D model producers, but can even gather feedback from knowledgeable people in their invention’s industry to provide a applicable content for each idea. AND those who contribute to the idea in some way can earn a portion of the influence, or a cut of the product revenue.
Submit a completed project to Quirky
Think you have a great idea on your hands, but don’t quite have the confidence – or maybe the deep pockets – to apply for an expensive patent? No problem, simply submit a completed project idea with details, sketches, a 3D model, even a 1-minute video pitch to Quirky and let us vote on it! It’s a common misconception in the invention industry that you MUST apply for a patent immediately after coming up with a bright idea – but that’s not always the best move. Why not let people knowledgeable and passionate about inventing vote for the product most likely to succeed?
Keep imagining!
If you need help with your idea, work with the talented Quirky community to fine-tune the details, explore new possibilities, or even throw your invention out the window and begin fresh with a new concept. Everything in our world in 2018, whether a thought, book, object or experience was “invented” by someone at some point in history. Since you’re working with infinite invention possibilities, your chances of stumbling upon something great aren’t too shabby. So, go get a little Quirky and start building your first invention today!
