Starting out as an independent developer/microISV/micropreneur/bootstrapper (whatever you want to call it) can be pretty daunting, even if you are confident in your abilities as a developer. However, plenty of people have done it successfully. If you aren’t scared of hard work, are prepared to learn some marketing skills and don’t expect to get rich quick, then it can be very rewarding. Here are some articles/talks from this  blog that are probably the most useful for an independent developer starting out:

• Selling your own software vs working for the man
• 15 criteria for evaluating software product ideas
• Choosing a market for your software
• 10 questions to ask before you write a single line of code
• If you aren’t embarrassed by v1.0 you didn’t release it early enough
• Things you don’t need for v1.0
• 10 mistakes microISVs make
• The 1% fallacy
• How much money will my software make (and what has that got to do with aliens)?
• There is never a perfect time to start your new software business
• Running a microISV
• Should you offer a money back guarantee?
• Should I give free upgrades for life?
• What type of free trial should I offer for my software?
• Competition
• The truth about conversion ratios for downloadable software
• Lessons learned from 13 failed software products
• Software products are *not* passive income
• Marketing = Hacking the Human
• No-one knows what they are doing
• Getting customer feedback
• Lifestyle programming
• Confessions of a bad software entrepreneur