don't know if this is possible

[Joefoe]

I have an idea for a series of books that may be really cool, but I do not have the time, nor am I sure the ability to develop the series in the manner i want. I feel i could describe the scenes and the characters but to develop the individual dialogue and make the characters truly unique and engaging is what worries me. How can I collaborate or sell my idea to someone while protecting myself as well. 

[Piotr1600]

Other folks may have better ideas, or they may know how to go about doing exactly what you want - and  I'm not trying to be a downer, but I doubt that the pool of "talented writers who have no clue what to write about and therefore need you for inspiration" is very large at all... If someone is talented enough to develop your ideas (and pretty much wind up doing all the detailed creative work in the process) they're going to want by far the majority of the compensation/profit. And your idea would pretty much have to be "OMGWTFBBQ!" level to attract much interest.

Collaboration is a possibility - but in addition to you having to put in a *lot* of work/time just to figure out - and describe in enough detail - the basics of characters, story arc, important events yadda yadda, you'd have to find someone who you could stand to work with (and they would have to be able to stand working with you!) who gets your vision...
Look in your local area for writers groups/clubs. If there is one the local library will probably have a way to contact them. Check you local community college, especially the adult & continuing education classes - my local  CC has evening classes for writers and the odd writers workshops. I would think that these might make good hunting grounds for a collaborator. May even be a Craigslist entry or two - don't know but there's everything else... 

Short of you signing a contract and paying them outright for their work, I'm not sure that you can *really* protect yourself per se - Great ideas are pretty much a dime a dozen. The *work* is in the development, refinement, and "bringing forth" the characters / storyline. You could sort of go the route of copyright, but it doesn't really protect undeveloped - undocumented - parts of your ideas, just what is written and can be considered unique traits of the existing work. You'd definitely have to consult with a good attorney for advice on how to proceed here.

Don't let me discourage you - just be aware that there's a hell of a lot more involved than having a great idea.

[Serack]

I have read the blogs/comments of several authors (including Jim) who are not much older than I am (31) and stated things along the lines of how they already have ideas enough for books to last them untill they retire, and then they fully anticipate to come up with more ideas in the mean time that they won't know what to do with.

[Kali]

Mercedes Lackey used to say she wished she had a dollar for every person that offered to sell her an idea, or collaborate with her on a book where they'd come up with the idea and "all" she had to do was write the book.  She gets these offers so often -- or used to at any rate -- that she even brought it up in one of her books (Jinx High).

Sad to say, ideas are everywhere and so are people who have a great one but don't have the time, inclination, or (so they think) talent to write it.  It's not the ideas that make a work saleable.  It's being able to sit down and do the work.

[Starbeam]

Sad to say, ideas are everywhere and so are people who have a great one but don't have the time, inclination, or (so they think) talent to write it.  It's not the ideas that make a work saleable.  It's being able to sit down and do the work.

^this.  So much.  Off the top of my head, I have 2 more stories for my urban fantasy and about 8 more waiting to get fleshed out.  And I'm still working on revising the first of my urban fantasy.  I find time to write, though not always as well as I could.  Talent can be learned--Shannon's an example of this, and Jim says he is.  It all comes down to making the sacrifices necessary to do it.

[Serack]

I would revise that to "Writing craft skill can be learned"

Talent usually refers to an inborn trait.

Edit:  Meh, semantics

[trboturtle]

But it does take a talent to create your own world and characters and arrage them so they draw the reader into it. 

Craig

[Nickeris86]

I got a book called Putting your Passion into Print for Christmas and it covers this very issue. The main thing to consider is how much are you willing to pay someone or give someone to write this book for you because there are people out there that make a living out of doing just that. Ghost Writers are what they are called and they aren't cheap if you want a good one.

I am kind of in the same boat as you, I am working on two books write now and often find myself lacking the motivation to work on them or I'm too busy with work that actually pays me. sometimes you just have to kick yourself in the ares and get to work when you can.

[library lasciel]

Just chipping in that ideas are never the problem with me.  I have a laptop and backup drive FULL of ideas and kernels of stories and series-possibilities. 

The TIME and ENERGY needed to write, and the FUNDING to not have to work so hard at a real job in the meantime, any of those would be greatly appreciated!

So, you know, if you have any of those three things just lying around that you need to get rid of....   

[The Corvidian]

Go buy Dragon Naturally Speaking, it really does work.

[meg_evonne]

uhh, ditto.