An idea for an invention can come to you anytime, from anywhere. It is important to take notes on your idea as soon as you have it, and do so in the simplest form. Later, you can add details if necessary. It will be easier for you to remember what you did not do, as well as how to improve upon it. Inventing an Idea
Brainstorming

Brainstorming an idea can be an effective way to come up with new ideas. It can help you organize your ideas, and it can also help you see what you don't know. Brainstorming has some interesting neurological effects, such as increasing attention and clearing your head space. The best way to use this technique is to have as many people as possible participate in the process.

Brainstorming is like compartmentalization, but instead of focusing on one idea, you should be open to several concepts at once. When you can think freely, you will be able to come up with fresh ideas. Inventing an Idea
Prewriting

Prewriting, also known as brainstorming or pre-writing, is a crucial step in the writing process. It involves using visual and verbal strategies to think about ideas before writing them down. For example, you can create a concept map to organize the ideas you have and connect them into larger clusters. You can also create storyboards to illustrate major parts of your text.

While freewriting is often chaotic, prewriting is an essential step in the invention process. This is the stage where you play with ideas and words to develop the structure of your story. You start by listing ideas one by one, highlighting their key phrases and sentences. Once you have generated a list of ideas, you move on to the next step, drafting the first draft.
Creating a prototype

When developing an invention, it is crucial to create a prototype. Prototypes allow you to test the functionality of your product and identify flaws. They also help you come up with additional invention ideas. The goal of creating a prototype is to make the product as close to the final design as possible.

When creating a prototype, you should consider the cost of the product. If you want to make a cheaper version, you can cut down on the design without sacrificing functionality. For example, you might replace plastic parts with metal ones. Then, you can work with a manufacturer to determine the cost of raw materials.
Conducting a patent search

Before you file for a patent on your new invention, it's important to conduct a patent search. A patent search looks for prior art, which are works published in the technical or academic literature that are similar to your idea. If you find any prior works that are similar to yours, you need to submit them along with your patent application. If you don't, you risk having your patent rejected or incurring legal fees for infringement.

The USPTO has a free search engine that is very helpful in finding similar inventions. However, if you don't have the time to spend on searching through the USPTO's database, you can always outsource the task to a patent search professional. These patent search professionals work independently of and are bound by professional codes of conduct.