I don't agree much with the idea, seems like trying to take a shortcut instead of focusing on real hard work to achieve what you want.
I think that "cash-flow muses" are kind of a myth. If there's something easy to do, it's probably easy for a lot of people, hence you'll have a lot of competition, and market price will be low. If you want to differentiate yourself, then you'll have to put time and work into it, and it'll stop being a cash-flow muse. Also, if you need many cash-flow muses, each taking up only a bit of your time, together they'll take up a lot of your time.
Anyway, why do you want to free up your time anyway? If you'd like to focus on doing what you really want, then you should read this: http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html (a bit long but worth it).
I go back and forth between feeling this way, but I've taken the plunge and I have two of these "cash-flow muses" in progress. They've both had sales, and one is close to being profitable.
Here's a couple of other thoughts:
1. Hackers often dramatically under-estimate the knowledge that they have...something that's easy for most of us is probably near impossible for 99.9% of the population, or at least they think it is.
2. For me, I don't view this as something that I'll dedicate any more time or energy to than is necessary to free my time. The whole point of a muse is passive income to allow you to pursue whatever you're really passionate about.
many times, doing hard work towards what you want to do in life doesn't quite pay the bills. for him, it was traveling around and doing interesting things. for you, it might be working on an interesting startup that won't even be ramen profitable for a while.
First, let me say thanks for linking to that essay. Through the essay, though, pg implies that cash-flow muses could be a path to what you love through the two-job route.
I think that "cash-flow muses" are kind of a myth. If there's something easy to do, it's probably easy for a lot of people, hence you'll have a lot of competition, and market price will be low. If you want to differentiate yourself, then you'll have to put time and work into it, and it'll stop being a cash-flow muse. Also, if you need many cash-flow muses, each taking up only a bit of your time, together they'll take up a lot of your time.
Anyway, why do you want to free up your time anyway? If you'd like to focus on doing what you really want, then you should read this: http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html (a bit long but worth it).