What you describe sounds more like "proof of work" than "proof of competence." The bottom line of your story seems to be that anybody who publishes a book must

What you describe sounds more like "proof of work" than "proof of competence." The bottom line of your story seems to be that anybody who publishes a book must have worked hard to write it. And we are to assme their expertise because... They wouldnkt have bothered unless they had something worthhwile to say? That may appeal to some, but given the number of books written that are absolute dreck, the argument carries no more weight with the discerning audience than saying that you put in the work to get a CS degree, so you must be smart. Now, if you write a book and get nice reviews, thatks a different signal. But absent that... I doubt it's more than an invitation to a conversation. I wouldn't want to belong to any club whose sole requirement was that I had written and self-published a technical book.