We were lucky to catch up with Lisa Caskey recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lisa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

One of the best investments I’ve made, hands down, was hiring an executive assistant. Before that, I was drowning in administrative work—accounting, billing, emails, scheduling, marketing—all the tasks that I avoided because, honestly, I’m not great at them, and I don’t enjoy doing them. I was spending so much time and energy on things that were out of alignment with what I do best, it was pulling away from my creative energy, impacting my ability to write.

I’m a creative! I should be creating! But instead, I was bogged down in work that was draining me and preventing me from focusing on growing my business.

Then I hired Kelsey. Suddenly, I had more time to do the work I’m passionate about, more energy to put into my clients’ projects, and as a result, more work I could actually bill clients for. I started creating more, the business started growing, and I’m happier. My work is more fulfilling and focused, because I’m no longer distracted by things that don’t inspire me.

Hiring an executive assistant wasn’t just a smart business decision—it was essential.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Lisa Caskey, and I help bring books to life as an author, ghostwriter and editor.

I got into this field because of my love for storytelling, which started with writing my own science fiction books like “The Farmed” series and the “Motherboard” cyberpunk novellas. Over time, I realized I also love helping others share their stories, especially through non-fiction books.

I work with clients who have great ideas but need help turning those ideas into a well-written book. My services cover everything from brainstorming the book’s concept to writing, editing, and offering guidance for those who want to write it themselves. I’ve had the honor of working on more than 25 books as a ghostwriter and editing over 125 books  .

What sets me apart is my hands-on approach. Writing a book is personal, so I take the time to get to know my clients and make sure their book reflects their voice and message. I’m proud to help people through this process and create books that really connect with their readers .

If you have a story to tell but aren’t sure how to get it onto the page, I’m here to help turn your idea into something amazing.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Yes, my writing, ghostwriting, and editing career started as a side hustle. In 2016, I got my first paid gig writing articles about elephants for a clothing company at $50 per article. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. By 2017, I moved to ghostwriting jobs through Upwork to build my portfolio, writing two financial books for $2,500 each. Within a few months, I was charging $5,000 per book, and I helped write six more financial books.

Still, at that time, it wasn’t enough to live off. In 2019, my rate increased to $6,000 per book, and I partnered with a publishing company.

Then, when COVID hit, my business exploded. It seemed like everyone had a dusty manuscript that needed developmentally edited or had always wanted to write a book but never had the time. That year, my rate jumped to $7,000/book.

By 2021, with 14 books under my belt, I was fully committed to ghostwriting, charging $10,000 per book.

In 2022, things were on track for my best year yet, but the market dipped, and I was forced to lower my rate back down to $7,000 per book.

Then, in 2023, I faced another round of major rate cuts—I was hired full-time with a publishing company (despite my instincts), bringing my rate down to $5,000 per book. Unfortunately, that company went under, and I had no income for June or the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, I was able to take some authors with me. That pushed me to restart my creative-services business. Post-June 2023, I increased my rate to $40,000 per book.

By the beginning of 2024, I was charging $50,000 per book. My prices now range from $50,000 to $100,000 per book, depending on the subject matter, page count, and number of coaching calls needed. This year, I also hired an assistant and booked a full client load.

Now, I’m looking to bring on more ghostwriting and editing support in 2025!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that I could (and should) manage every aspect of my business myself. When you’re starting out, especially in a creative field, there’s this natural instinct to be self-reliant. Hustling and doing everything—marketing, finances, client management, project work—feels like part of the deal. And for a while, it is. But over time, I had to realize that I’m not a business expert; I’m an expert in creative and business writing, interviewing, and communication.

As my business grew, I had to start letting go of this idea that I could handle it all. It’s something I’m still working on because it’s not easy to unlearn self-reliance. But I’ve learned that hiring people who are experts in areas where I’m not—like accounting, marketing, or scheduling—frees me up to focus on what I do best: serving my clients and creating a better work-life balance.

Now that I have more cash flow, it’s been empowering to delegate, allowing me to take on more client work and do what I love most. It’s a continuous process, but it’s been vital for my personal and business growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lisacaskeybooks.com/
• Instagram: @lisamariecaskey
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasproulcaskey/