It is true that the selling value goes down with time, but the intellectual property never goes away. The author is able to refer back to that property and repackage it, create addenda, speak on the topic – all sorts of things grow from the single resource. And the resource is stamped in time, always an asset for the author to use in the future.
I’ve been in publishing for over a dozen years. I have yearly sourcebooks and timely textbooks numbering somewhere over 100 (I’ve lost count). I am working on a repackaging of one of my wife’s books, developing another of the Keys textbooks with a coach of mine, and working on a rewrite of my speech and debate curriculum. All due to release next year. And they’ll release on top of all the other book products I have rolling.
Here’s the ticket: intellectual property grows exponentially. Once I finish one product, I’m onto the next. Like a restaurant chain opens new restaurant, I open up new resources. After several years of hard work, I have a strong list of assets – all with varying degrees of success – that I’m able to call my own.
The question is, what are your assets? What intellectual property could you start “buying” up?