Anyone here ever applied for a patent?

legal zoom has some DIY forms.
If it is something you intend to make substantial money off of you should hire a good patent attorney.

You might want to go for the provisional patent first. It's less expensive and enables you to get your idea captured quickly prior to release as public domain. Provisionals last one year, which will allow you time to complete your patent application properly.

First step is contact a patent attorney and set up a meeting. Have them set you up with the disclosure documents and have them fill them out. They will be able to put in a little extra info than you will be able to that might pay off. They are there to ensure you the best protection possible. That gives you time to develop your product, if that is what it is and continue fine tuning on it. This also gives the attorney time to research other patents that might be similar or in the same industry ect. After the attorney has an understanding and through his research finds that you do have course to follow through on a patent, then he will word the patent app. to contain language, descriptions ect. to protect you in a wide as possible range to keep others from being able to nit pick and infringe with their own patent. Patent attorney is the key. Start there. DO NOT! go to anyone other than a patent attorney.

Ask the the prospective attorney for a list of patents he has written that were succsessfully defended in court.
Ideally these defended patents will be related in some way to your field.

Inventhelp.com