The point Stephen Few makes (and I would second from my much more limited experience) is that the publisher takes a very large cut (not untypically 85-90% of the gross) and in return does very little. One, they do the editing, contracting that out to people you never talk to. Disagree with an edit? too bad. Two, they do layout and typesetting, but again, with little consultation or input from you. Don't like how they placed your examples or formatted your code? tough. Three, they do the small paperwork of obtaining an ISBN. Four, they contract with a printer, again without input from you; and as Few describes, if the quality of the paper, the print, or the binding displeases you, deal. Five, they list it on their website and fulfill orders as they come in from the web and from the wholesalers.
That's it; they don't do significant marketing for any but an expected blockbuster. Stephen King or Bill Gates they'd market. You? Nope. If you want your book marketed YOU have to do it, on your time and dime. If you give classes or lectures, you sit at a table in the lobby afterward and flog books. Tout them at conferences. Link to the amazon listing (which you can get even when you self-publish).
In any decent size town you can find competent editors on craig's list, or anywhere in the world via the web[1], to edit your text as a shared google doc (for example). People who will work with you one-on-one to lay out a book in Illustrator are to be cheaply found, if you don't have that skill yourself. Illustrators to work up a snappy cover design from your sketch. You might end up paying a few $K to bring a book to completely professional standard. You don't do it all, you act as manager and QC. Then you upload it to an online publisher [2] and you can start selling it -- on exactly the same terms methods as you'd start selling one made by a publisher, but you keep a lot more of the gross.
That's it; they don't do significant marketing for any but an expected blockbuster. Stephen King or Bill Gates they'd market. You? Nope. If you want your book marketed YOU have to do it, on your time and dime. If you give classes or lectures, you sit at a table in the lobby afterward and flog books. Tout them at conferences. Link to the amazon listing (which you can get even when you self-publish).
In any decent size town you can find competent editors on craig's list, or anywhere in the world via the web[1], to edit your text as a shared google doc (for example). People who will work with you one-on-one to lay out a book in Illustrator are to be cheaply found, if you don't have that skill yourself. Illustrators to work up a snappy cover design from your sketch. You might end up paying a few $K to bring a book to completely professional standard. You don't do it all, you act as manager and QC. Then you upload it to an online publisher [2] and you can start selling it -- on exactly the same terms methods as you'd start selling one made by a publisher, but you keep a lot more of the gross.
[1] e.g. http://www.scribophile.com/ [2] e.g. blurb.com, lulu.com and many others.