In today’s saturated content world, the idea of writing a book can feel like both a calling and a career power move. But how do you know if the timing, purpose, and platform are right for you?
In a recent Masterclass, book strategist Carolyn Monaco and award-winning publicist Veronica Kido offered a refreshingly honest roadmap for executives considering authorship. Together, they’ve guided countless C-suite women in transforming their ideas into influential books—not for the sake of vanity, but to build thought leadership, unlock opportunity, and align with long-term business goals.
Whether you’re actively writing or simply sitting with a half-baked idea, here are the top five takeaways from their Masterclass on building a meaningful book and brand.
Before outlining chapters or researching publishers, you need to ask a bigger question: Why this book, and why now?
According to Monaco, the first step she takes with any client is clarifying where they want their business or personal brand to be in the next 2 to 4 years. “That answer,” she explained, “should inform every decision you make about the book.” Writing a book can be a tool to establish thought leadership, grow a business, or land board seats and speaking engagements—but only if the strategy is intentional from the start.
Without clarity of purpose, the process becomes a detour instead of a lever. “You don’t have to write a book just because someone told you to,” Kido added. “It’s only worth doing if it aligns with what you’re building.”
While the publishing process may feel glamorous, Kido and Monaco were quick to dispel the myth of books as revenue drivers. Most authors make only a few dollars per copy sold—if that. The true return on investment, they emphasized, comes from how the book elevates your authority and visibility.
“It becomes your $30 marketing brochure,” Kido explained. “It lends instant credibility and positions you as the go-to expert in your field.”
The key, she said, is to embed the book into your business: bundle it into keynote speaking contracts, incorporate it into client onboarding, or use it as a conversation-starter with partners and decision-makers. “You’re not selling books,” Monaco added. “You’re selling ideas. The book just happens to carry them.”
Not all books—and not all authors—should follow the same route to publication. Traditional publishers offer prestige and distribution, but also long lead times, gatekeeping, and little marketing support. Hybrid publishers can bring faster timelines and more control, while self-publishing offers the most freedom—but requires you to bring your own audience.
“Better to publish well than fast,” said Monaco. “But if your topic is time-sensitive—say, AI or cultural trends—you may need speed over perfection.”
In all cases, authors are expected to drive their own promotion. “The publisher’s customer isn’t your customer,” she explained. “You’ll be doing the work to sell the book—so choose a path that sets you up for success.”
One of the most overlooked elements of publishing success is what Kido calls “pre-book visibility.” Long before your book hits the shelves – or even before you land a publishing deal – your online presence should reflect the credibility and consistency of a published author.
That means aligning bios, headshots, and titles across platforms, developing a regular content cadence on LinkedIn or industry outlets, and showing up in the right rooms (digital and otherwise). “Repetition builds recognition,” she explained. “By the time you’re sick of your message, it’s finally starting to stick.”
For those with humble social media followings, all is not lost. Both speakers stressed that it’s not about follower count, it’s about trust and relevance. Do you have influence within your niche? Are you visible in the spaces your readers (and publishers) care about?
The most successful authors don’t wait for launch day to get visible - they start months (sometimes years) ahead. From press coverage to podcast interviews to smart partnerships, the goal is to create a drumbeat around your ideas so that the book becomes the natural next step, not your first appearance.
“Publishers want to say ‘hell yes’ to your proposal,” Monaco explained. “And that means showing up as someone who already owns your message and can rally a community around it.”
That community doesn’t have to be massive, but it does need to be engaged. Strategic use of influencers, partners, and former clients can turn one book buyer into 200 when positioned correctly. “It’s easier to get one person to buy 200 copies than 200 people to each buy one,” she noted.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of writing a book, consider these reflections. With insight, humor, and a healthy dose of realism, Kido and Monaco reframe authorship not as a box to check, but as a meaningful step in a long-term strategy. As Monaco put it: “A book is a full-time job in addition to your full-time job. But when done with intention, it can open every door you want to walk through.”
