Dear Auntie TUAW: I've got a great idea, now what?
Dear Auntie T.,
I have the best idea for an iPhone app, well, modestly speaking, ever! So how do I sell this great idea? Is there a forum for discussing how to get an idea sold? Any help you can offer will be appreciated.
Love and kissies and hugs,
Your nephew,
Mike (who isn't Max)
Read Auntie's answer below!
Dearest Mike,
It's pretty cold and dreary out there this winter. Are you remembering to supplement with Vitamin D? My doctor swears by the stuff -- tells everyone it's the secret to everything from better cardiovascular health to a brighter smile. Now, isn't that a nice image to keep in your head? Reason I put that shiny vision there is because the news I have for you is pretty bleak.
Unfortunately, the odds aren't good. According to Uncle Ernie, there is basically "a zero percent chance" that you can sell your idea and "make a million dollars -- or even score a free cup of coffee". The sad facts are these (and, I'm sorry, darling, but this is going to sound a little harsh): Ideas are cheap. Work is hard. And App Store is, I'm afraid, built on a lot of hard labor. If you really believe in your idea, you're going to have to work out a business plan, arrange for capital, hire and oversee artists and programmers, and market that baby to success.
Absolutely no one that I'm aware of is searching for new ideas or, more importantly, is willing to pay for them. Lots of people have ideas. Many people have way too many ideas. There is just no demand, market-wise. True, the "next, best thing" may be out there, but it's the doers, not the dreamers, that make that dream take shape.
If your idea is great -- and I have no doubt that it is -- it's yours for you to grasp. Whether you program it yourself or find a way to fund its creation, there is no road but hard work in order to bring it to its realization. I wish you the best of luck along that road and I can't wait to see it when you're ready to ship.
Take care and best wishes,
Auntie T.
