How to outsource info product creation with the fear of your idea getting stolen?

10 replies
Hi everyone.

I've been working on a product concept about productivity. Now it is time to write the actual presentation and methodologies. Writing being my greatest weakness, I've decided to outsource the writing part on Elance but I am afraid that someone is going to steal my idea and launch it themselves.

Is this a real issue? Is there any document that the freelancer can sign, giving me legal ownership?

Thank you.
#creation #fear #idea #info #outsource #product #stolen
  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    There are all kinds of documents and non-disclosure agreements you can ask the writer to sign . . . but in the end, there is no way you can keep your idea in total "lockdown" if those you share it with decide they want to implement your idea in total or in part.

    Do you best to find a freelancer you trust. Maybe you have a couple of different people write for you . . . not giving any one person the total picture of what you want to do.

    Just don't let this concern end up keeping you from implementing your idea. It's better to take a chance on having a competitor than to never bring your idea to the marketplace. After all, most "unique" ideas are really some derivative of someone else's original thoughts.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    No, Dennis, this is not a concern.

    Most people want a steady paycheck, not to take risk on product launches.

    Just get on with the execution of your idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author The White Queen
    One thing you can do is outsource it in pieces. For example, divide the idea into fifths, and have five different writers with a similar writing style write the different parts and then unify it yourself.


    Another thing you can do is consult an intellectual property lawyer (many lawyers offer free consultations) to see if there are any documents you can acquire to prevent plagiarism from ghostwriters, because I personally do not know and the best way to find out for sure is to contact an intellectual property lawyer.


    However, in the field of writing, many people just operate on good faith. For example, if you're an author sending your manuscript to an agent, many authors simply take it in good faith that that agent will act in a professional manner and not steal their writing. So, apart from taking the above precautions, opt for a more professional ghostwriter than what you'd find on Elance (for example, an experienced ghostwriter with their own websites and several books). They typically charge more, but it's up to you to decide if it's worth the extra security.


    Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author iVlog
    This is a real concern. Contracts & such can go a long way, but n the end, you just have to trust.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
      Originally Posted by iVlog View Post

      This is a real concern. Contracts & such can go a long way, but n the end, you just have to trust.
      Really, where's your proof?

      Most writers just want to write.

      Yeah, you can do 2 minutes of due diligence and see if the person is a product launcher. Odds are they have nothing to do with actual entrepreneurship--they're just a writer.

      NDAs are typically not worth the paper they're printed on. Even in employment situations, it's frequently been found unacceptable to block someone from earning a living with the expertise they have.

      I see a lot of one-liners from you. I'd like to see some more in-depth advice.
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      • Profile picture of the author morg2k2
        I think the best way to do it , if you don't trust in your contractor, then you can split the book, article, etc into 3-4 parts and hire a few freelancers to work on each part, that way each contractor will have access only to 1/4 of the content.

        I think that way will be a win win situation.

        Morg
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  • Profile picture of the author nmwf
    Listen to Jason Kanigan. I was a service provider/outsourcer for eight years (2006 - 2014), and although the fear of such a thing happening existed among some groups, the actual event never did. Not that I knew of, anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author steffanmax
    This is a real life case scenario:

    Get a friend request on facebook, from somebody i don't know.

    Him: Hi i got this idea for an mobile app can you help me, we will split the profit 50/50?
    Me: Huh who are you? and what is the idea?
    Him: I can't tell you before you sign a contract
    Me: Bye

    What that kind of mindset you have you will never be able to work with people like me, do you really think i just walk around signing contracts without contacting a lawyer?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan S
    You don't have to worry about that. Ideas are pawns, implementation is the king. You have the copyright of your work, you've spent considerable amount of time and effort with the product.... 'mind you, the freelancer is not even interested with your product let alone stealing it and making it his business... the freelancer is only interested in what he does.
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  • Profile picture of the author depotgang
    Man don't let fear keep your from taking action. Ive been ripped off 100's of times. Just keep taking action.
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