The Scott Kelby Empire
Here's a nice article about author Scott Kelby in USAToday. It refers to the "$20 million empire" he has built around books, magazines, conferences, etc. The article opens with a note about something I've said countless times to new authors: "You can't get rich writing computer books." Actually, a small number of authors have, but they represent a tiny percentage of the total author population.
One of the lessons learned here is the importance of diversifying your efforts. Books are a key ingredient, but Kelby has done a fantastic job getting into other areas of the industry. It certainly doesn't hurt that he's now extremely well-connected within Adobe, of course!
Eh, I'm not a fan of Kelby or NAPP of which I was a member for a single day many years ago. I don't remember why I cancelled my membership, but I remember Kelby being personally and negatively involved with my reason... Regardless, one other lesson to be learned here is the importance of supporting your fans. He's a brand champion, and I'm reasonably certain Adobe loves having him around.
Well, whaddya know!
Posted by: Morgan Ramsay | May 10, 2007 at 04:10 AM