I wrote my first book for a traditional publisher and unlike the norm, my book earned out its advance and gave me several royalty checks.
If you take into account the confs I traveled to giving talks, it's probably a wash.
I think the problem with his case is that he did it somewhat backwards. He already had the brand identity and market to not necessitate needing O'Reilly.
My publisher didn't do anything other than sending out some promo copies I asked for and sponsoring a giveaway or two. Going through a traditional publisher is a good way to learn the rules. I tried to soak up as much as I could from my editors so when I tried to do it on my own (as I'm doing now with an experimental project), I wasn't so lost.
Too many people look at O'Reilly as the brass ring that will suddenly make them tech-famous. The hustle is the same whether you are self-pub or trad-pub. The only difference is your royalty and control.
If you take into account the confs I traveled to giving talks, it's probably a wash.
I think the problem with his case is that he did it somewhat backwards. He already had the brand identity and market to not necessitate needing O'Reilly.
My publisher didn't do anything other than sending out some promo copies I asked for and sponsoring a giveaway or two. Going through a traditional publisher is a good way to learn the rules. I tried to soak up as much as I could from my editors so when I tried to do it on my own (as I'm doing now with an experimental project), I wasn't so lost.
Too many people look at O'Reilly as the brass ring that will suddenly make them tech-famous. The hustle is the same whether you are self-pub or trad-pub. The only difference is your royalty and control.