Do you need to be an expert on Topic X to write a serious (i.e., non-celebrity) well-paid well-publicized book about it? Less and less. As I said earlier, I am not a weight-control expert. Mickey DeLorenzo, a Philadelphia “multi-media developer” (website designer?) is even less of a weight-control expert. However, he used his Wii to lose 9 pounds in six weeks (story and data) and is working with an agent from a well-respected agency to write a book about it. The publicity started with digg.
You already knew you no longer have to be an expert on Topic X to write a well-read encyclopedia article about it.
Thanks to Elaine Smith.