What I learned writing a lousy tech book
summary
Writes hands-on d3.js examples, produces 180 pages then gets told to cut 60 pages and rewrites the manuscript multiple times, losing jokes but preserving content. Publisher contracts grant copyright, give a €400 advance, and enforce edits; technical reviewers force code and order fixes. Print run sells about ~1,000 copies yielding roughly €1,000 in royalties, which averages to a few euros per hour of work. Self-publishing offers more control and money but needs external discipline.
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