By Pam Walatka

“I believe that anyone can train his/her mind to have the mindset of an inventor,” the longtime Los Altos Hills resident Alvin H. Sacks, writes in “The Joy of Inventing” (AuthorHouse, 2005).

Sacks believes anyone with some interest in putting things together and making them work can become an inventor.

He holds many patents and has had considerable financial success as an inventor. Before his retirement, he pursued inventing as a hobby while working in engineering research. He describes the things he did right as well as those he did wrong in the long process from idea to royalties.

An important requirement for success is the determination to follow through on your idea. “The difference … lies in one’s willingness to stick with the selected project, no matter how many false starts may be required, and no matter how long it may take,” Sacks writes.

Equally important is the ability to sort the good ideas from the bad. “The ideas that are attractive to me share one main theme -simplicity.”

Sacks recommends finding your ideas within your normal life activities, such as hobbies or medical challenges.

The next step is to determine whether your idea can be made to work. The book lists questions you need to ask yourself.

Sacks makes sketches of his inventions, then creates a prototype at home in his workshop. Because he pursued inventing while holding a job, he discusses how to deal with employers and others who may want a cut of the royalties.

When it comes time to negotiate a contract with a company interested in licensing your invention, he recommends bringing a professional negotiator, one with experience in patent license agreements. Sacks gives specific advice about what to look for in an agreement, and includes actual copies of successful agreements.

An inventor must deal with some hostility, he writes. “If you are working on an invention of your own, especially one that is quite novel or unconventional, do not be dissuaded by what others might think or say!”

Sachs warns against advertisements seeking inventors. These companies usually charge large fees for market research. Potential licensers will most likely want to conduct their own market research.

The book gives good tips, such as the fact that a pending patent offers better protection than an issued patent.

Sacks also extolls the benefits of inventing: “In retrospect, it was one of the most exciting, challenging, fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my entire career. … I was paid for doing what I enjoyed most. During that period, my self-esteem, my income, my concentration and my education were all simultaneously increased in ways I had never imagined.”

If you dream of getting paid for your inventions, this book could help you make your dreams come true.

“The Joy of Inventing” is available at www.amazon.com.