The Investment
More than 12 years ago, I made what looked like a terrible financial decision. I bought a jackrabbit shack on five acres of seemingly worthless desert land, three thousand miles from my New York life. No water, no electricity, plenty of black widow webs, and a foundation that had seen better decades. Anyone with sense would have called it throwing money into a gravel pit (and to be fair, the coarse alluvial soil of the Mojave does indeed look like a gravel pit).
But transformative investments create value in ways you rarely anticipate. Today, that "worthless" land has appreciated dramatically, yet its real returns come from ways I couldn't have imagined. The cabin gave me the space and silence to work on two books (on cocktail parties and the grand prix) with my byline as well as help many authors. It became the creative retreat that shaped my understanding of author collaborations. It’s helped dub me “Queen of Everything,” thanks to a treasured client. Most importantly, it taught me that the best investments create value through what you build with them.
Your book works the same way.
The Real Returns, Revealed
Kris, a fiction novelist, described to me what it was like to hold the physical copy of his book in his hands, which (IYKYK) is that moment when revisions and doubts coalesce into something real. "It feels incredibly rewarding," he said. "This book is a visual reminder of how far this journey has come." A published book validates the work you have put in and can begin working for you by engaging a community and telling the world that you are a capital-A Author. Plus consider what you’re showing people just by showing up: Many readers don't see themselves as creative beings. But encountering your damn book that you created gives them permission to think bigger about their own possibilities.
Novelist Ted Krever discovered an important change the morning after he uploaded his novel to Amazon. "Suddenly, I had a new feeling," he told me. "I had a small business. It was my ingenuity against the world." That identity shift—from frustrated writer to published author with agency—focuses the intent. As he puts it: "The feeling that it's up to me to make something happen has never gone away." Not only is there something deeply satisfying about that kind of creative control, but here is a gimlet-eyed truth that ALL authors need to acknowledge—the author is the main engine that gets the book seen.
And there's artist Kathy Weaver, whose monograph launches this weekend. She's already sold copies before the official launch party (how's that for validation?), but what really gets me excited is what she told me: the book "has given me ideas about exhibits, events, lectures I had not thought about previously." For a former teacher and practiced lecturer like Kathy with a deep body of work, a book becomes the catalyst for an entire ecosystem of creative/business opportunities.
The Hidden Economics of Books
A recent study of over 300 published authors revealed what I've been noticing for two decades: book sales are often the smallest part of a book's value equation. Business authors generated significantly more revenue from speaking, consulting, and workshops than from royalties. And this principle extends beyond business books—I've seen my books and books I've worked on pop up in gift shops and luxe bookstores. Beyond making me SO HAPPY to see my name in the byline or in the acknowledgments, I consider these just as foundational to my business as the water system and electricity that I had installed to make the cabin flourish.
What the revenue numbers can't capture are the intangible returns: the clarity that comes from finally articulating what you really believe, the authority that opens doors you didn't even know existed, and the platform effect of having your book work as a 24/7 representative in the world.
QOE’s Tips for Making the Most of Your Book's Value
1. Find your people and give them everything they crave.
Blog, TikTok, newsletter—whatever platform feels natural. Don't hold back, don't over-edit your personality. Authenticity builds the kind of audience that will buy your books and become genuine advocates for your work. Is it a guarantee? No. But you will enjoy yourself more, and joy has its own rewards. (Plus, as this Queen has learned, passionate readers become the best word-of-mouth marketing you can't buy.)
2. Leverage the experts who've walked this path.
Organizations like The Authors Guild and The Alliance of Independent Authors, and tools like Publisher Rocket can save you months of trial and error. Why reinvent the wheel when there's a whole community ready to share what they've learned? (After years in publishing, I can confirm: the smartest authors are the ones who ask for directions.)
3. Get creative and get out there.
Your book is not just a product—it's a conversation starter, a door opener, a business card with 200+ pages. Think beyond traditional book promotion. Can your cookbook inspire a pop-up dinner? Could your business book become a workshop series? Might your memoir spark a speaking tour? Like Kathy Weaver's art book generating ideas, let your book inspire ways to share your expertise and connect with people who need what you offer.
Just like my desert cabin revealed its value over time, books appreciate in ways that compound.
The View from Here
From my cabin's windows, I can see the Joshua tree groves that the original builder somehow predicted would flourish in just those spots. The same foresight applies to book projects—sometimes what seems like an uncertain investment reveals its wisdom only after you've committed to the journey.
Whether you're working on a business book that could transform your consulting practice, a memoir that needs the right developmental approach, or a novel that deserves to find its perfect readers, the value equation remains the same: invest thoughtfully in the process, and the returns will surprise you.
Ready to explore what your book could become? Sometimes all it takes is a conversation with someone who can see the hidden value in your project. Whether you need ghostwriting, developmental editing, or strategic guidance to transform your idea into impact, let's discuss what's possible when you invest in bringing your vision to life. Contact me!—let's uncover its potential.
Elizabeth Smith is a ghostwriter, developmental editor, and book strategist with two decades of publishing experience—and a southpaw with a mean right hook. Between a NYC boxing gym and her Mojave Desert maison, she helps thinkers, creatives, and organizations articulate their ideas through books that resonate deeply. Ready to transform your vision into a book with impact? Let’s connect!
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