Writing Good Ideas
The better you describe your idea, the more accurate your validation will be
Key Principles
Be Specific
Vague ideas get vague validation. The more specific, the better.
Know Your Audience
"Everyone" is not a target market. Be precise about who needs this.
Focus on Problems
Start with the pain point, not your solution. Solutions can pivot.
Good vs Bad Examples
Bad Example 1
"I want to build the next Facebook"
Why it's bad: No specific problem, massive competition, vague concept
Good Example 1
"I want to help independent fitness coaches manage their client schedules and payments. They currently juggle multiple apps and lose 5-10 hours per week on admin work."
Why it's good: Specific audience, clear problem, measurable pain point
Bad Example 2
"An AI app that does everything"
Why it's bad: Too broad, no clear use case, impossible to validate
Good Example 2
"Small e-commerce brands struggle to write product descriptions that convert. I want to build an AI tool that analyzes their best-selling products and generates descriptions in the same style that made those products successful."
Why it's good: Specific problem, clear solution, defined audience
The Perfect Idea Framework
Who has the problem?
Be specific: "Small restaurant owners in urban areas" not "businesses"
What's their specific pain?
Quantify it: "Waste 30% of ingredients" not "have inefficiency"
Why do current solutions fail?
Be honest: "Too expensive" or "Too complex" or "Missing key feature"
What's your unique angle?
Your insight: "Use local event data" not "use AI" (everyone says AI)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake: Solution-First Thinking
"I want to build an app with AI and blockchain..."
Instead: Start with who you're helping and why
Mistake: Copying Existing Ideas
"Uber for X" or "Netflix for Y"
Instead: Focus on unique problems in specific niches
Mistake: Being Too Broad
"A platform for everyone to do everything"
Instead: Start narrow, you can expand later
Mistake: Ignoring Competition
"No one else is doing this" (they probably are)
Instead: Acknowledge competitors and explain your edge
Quick Template
"I want to help [specific audience] who struggle with [quantified problem]. Current solutions fail because [specific reason]. My approach would [unique angle] which would [measurable benefit]."
Example: "I want to help freelance designers who struggle with spending 10+ hours per week on invoicing and chasing payments. Current solutions fail because they're built for larger businesses and too complex. My approach would integrate directly with design tools they already use, which would save them 8 hours per week and get them paid 50% faster."