Where Do I Start: Part 2

In part 2 of my "Where Do I Start?" Series, I will discuss various things you can do with blueprints.  If you haven't read part I, you can check it out here: Where Do I Start: Part I

1. Blueprints / Research / Invention
   1. blueprint research for sale: some people make a lot of money researching material efficiency / production efficiency (ME/PE) on new blueprint originals and they sell them on contract.  You can also do this with blueprint copies and you keep the originals.  This is pretty simple.  By a blueprint, research it and then sell it (or make copies to sell).  Other than the initial cost of the blueprint, the researching just takes time (and a small fee if using public facilities).  If you don't have a POS you could find yourself waiting forever for a lab slot.  I've seen high sec lab slots with nearly a year of wait time.  Find a low sec or null NPC station with labs.  Be prepared to lose a ship or two.  Don't bother with expensive BPOs or if you don't have a cloaky transport. 
   2. blueprint research for manufacturing:  If you plan on becoming a manufacturer, you will need researched blueprints.  This is the most costly path.  Blueprints can become very expensive and they take a while to research.  That means that your capital is tied up for at least a week (on simpler blueprints) before you can even start making a return on them.  If you are planning on becoming a capital manufacturer, expect to wait a year or more to heavily research blueprints.  If you go the capital route, you will also need to buy and research capital component blueprints adding to the costs and time.  There is an alternative: You can buy researched blueprint originals on contract or even researched blueprint copies (ones with a limited amount of runs).  Blueprint originals have an unlimited amount of available runs and you are only limited to what can be made in 30days.  On blueprint copies, some items might only have 1500 runs (like drones).  Once you reach 1500, the bpc disappears. 
   3. blueprint copying for invention: In order to create T2 items (unless you are lucky enough to have T2 blueprint originals), you will need to invent them.  You start buy making copies of a blueprint original and then take the copies to a lab, add in some datacores and other optional items, and get a chance to get a T2 bpc.  It is not guaranteed.  The average is about 50% with perfect skills.  You can increase the chances (and the output quantiles) by using decryptos and T1 meta items.  For example, if you run invention for a T2 damage control, you need to start with a MAX run (300 units) blueprint copy and then add in datacores, put in the oven and set to bake.  Your output run on a successful T2 bpc is 10.. Yes, you can make only 10 units.  If you start with a T1 bpc with less than max runs, it will effect your output runs negatively.  Datacores can be expensive as well.  If you can run research with a research agent, you can farm datacores to cut costs.    

This covers the blueprint portion of the "Where Do I Start" series.  There may be variants to this or you can supplement your income buy mixing in all 3 of these to make you a hybrid blueprint junkie. I actually inherited a bunch of blueprints, so I have sold some of them.  I also buy blueprint copies on contract, build and sell them.  I do this with faction ships, implants and station parts. The more diversified you can be, the more consistent your income will be.  Hopefully this helps and as always, fly safe-ish.