Total Inventor's Manual

Contrary to popular wisdom, you don’t have to be an ace electrician, a coding prodigy, or a mechanical master to come up with a game-changing invention! You just need curiosity, a strong desire to fix a problem that you see in the world, and the determination to see your ideas become reality—and this book, which will teach you everything you need to go from zero to inventor.

Everyone wants to be the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, but there’s never been a clear road map to becoming a wildly successful innovator—until now. In The Total Inventor’s Manual, you’ll learn to…

MAKE ONE Get that great idea out of your brain and into the real world with a crash course in ideation, prototyping, and testing. Includes clever, can-do lessons in CAD, 3D-printing, laser-cutting, electronics, robotics, coding, and more.

SELL ONE Whether you’re riding the Kickstarter wave or hitting the venture capital beat, get your idea funded—and protect it with a proper patent. Then learn to refine your prototype’s look and feel to give it a boost in the market.

MAKE MANY Bring your invention to the masses with tips on manufacturing processes and best practices, plus solid advice for beginners on a running supply chain.

SELL MANY You’ve built it—time to make them come. Discover how to effectively position your product in the marketplace, deal with consumer feedback, and run—or sell—your newly successful company.

With profiles by Rachel Nuwer on the winning inventors who brought you the space glove, heart stent, Super Soaker, Roomba, digital camera, Makerbot 3D Printer, UV water purification, home pregnancy test, and more.