On Giving Ideas Away

Used to be, I’d capture some idea and immediately (literally) scan the entirety of my phone book looking for someone to share it with. I’d sell them the idea like it was the best idea I’d ever had, that this was the most important phone call I’d ever make, that they’d ever received. And I’d present the idea proudly, like Jesse parading his sons in front of Saul, hoping one would be picked to be king.

Sometimes, they’d get adopted. A friend would share my vision and we’d share approximately 3.8 caffeinated conversations and 114 textual transmissions before he or I realized that the idea was too big or too small or too self-indulgent or too… already being funded by one or several venture capitalists. Sometimes, they were truly great ideas, but our timing or leadership or vision didn’t sync and we’d call it a cat’s-game. Or sometimes, we just needed to get out of the coffeeshop.

So, we’d concede the conspiracy and go back to being “friends” instead of billionaire internet pioneers or world-saving ministry partners. The idea remained dormant.

But now, I’ve got an idea within an idea (You were just incepted.)

What if we gave ideas away?

To be sure, there’s a lot of money in not giving ideas away. Good ideas can be pretty valuable pieces of intellectual real estate. I would never admit to the amount of time I spend (hours) day-dreaming about what I’d do if I sold some idea and what I’d do while living off of the fat of the acquisition. (I would buy barrels of great wine for all of my friends, I’d have them delivered to their house – it would be the best, most cumbersome gift ever.)

But, it’s also a lot of fun to watch an idea change shape and change ownership. So, for the first of hopefully many given-away ideas, I’d like to give:

Paragraphobia.com

Right now, it’s a clever name but little else. There is no business plan and there is no defined market. I don’t really know what it could be or what it should be – a suggestion would be something to do with writing and/or writing related fear. I figure I’ll leave that part up to you, though I do have a few conditions.

1) It can’t be slanderous.

2) It has to be about the larger Story. That is, it cannot be the name of your next personal blog.

3) If you ever make some money with it, we’ll have to discuss the split (I have wine barrels to order.)

Feel free to pass this along. If someone or group of someones wants a cool name and a push into a story bigger than their own, have them contact me. If “paragraphs” aren’t your thing, I’ve got a few more ideas I can’t wait to give away.