1. Publishing 101: Crash Course in the Basics of E- and Print Publishing Page 1
IBPA Publishing University 2012
IBPA Publishing University 2012
401: Publishing 101-Crash Course in the Basics of E- and Print Publishing
Friday, March 9, 2012; 3:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Peter Bowerman – Panelist Outline
I. A Success Story Within Reach
ONE Book: “The Well-Fed Writer (www.wellfedwriter.com)
o NO publisher, NO agent, NO publicist, and NO big marketing budget
Virtually NO media coverage: landed book clubs, reviews, awards
o Built a full-time living since 2001 (definition of “full-time living”…)
Caveat: My experience is in NF (NFHT); different for fiction
II. Laying the Foundation: The Crucial First Step
__________________________________________
Everything that follows (books/ebooks, ezine, blog, (tele) seminars, speaking, coaching) is
simply leveraging (and “technologizing”) a fundamentally good idea to start with.
Think hard – What’ll Set Yours Apart? (350,000+ new books published/yr)
Think “Book as a Base” with BIG “Spinoff” potential
o May not be a bestseller, but may not have to be…
Create a Superior (Physical) Product:
o Hire Professional Creative Resources (GDs, Editors, Indexers, Printers)
o Covers Are CRITICAL: Invest the $$ - Covers make or break books
o Invest Time and $ Into Your Title (also a book breaker)
 If writing “how-to” (Ex. The Well-Fed Writer), make title a __________.
 One-Minute Manager, Chicken Soup, Fix-it-and Forget it Cookbook
Peter Bowerman peter@wellfedsp.com www.wellfedsp.com

2. Publishing 101: Crash Course in the Basics of E- and Print Publishing Page 2
IBPA Publishing University 2012
III. Marketing: A Different Approach
You Have ONE Job: ______________________________________________.
Your Web Site: Promo Central (and mandatory if you‟re serious…)
Conventional Book Marketing Strategy:
A New Strategy:
o ID Target Audiences (& their Online Hangouts…)
o Contact w/Offer: Free Review Copy (for reviews, blurbs, Q&As, articles)
 Harness Technology: Cut „n Paste EM Pitches
o Take MASSIVE Action (think hundreds, not dozens); Follow up repeatedly!
o Your Secret Weapon _________________.
Build a following through ezines/blogs – focus on superior content, NOT making $!
BUILD A LIST – LISTS ARE GOLD!
o Started ezine in May 2002 (~6200 subscribers): www.wellfedwriter.com/ezine
o Started a blog for TWFW in 2008 (www.wellfedwriter.com/blog)
o Started blog for TWFSP in 3/12! (www.wellfedsp.com/blog)
Parlay your book into multiple income-earning directions:
o More books, ebooks, speaking, teleseminars, coaching
IV. Social Media & Distribution
Under construction… ;)
Peter Bowerman peter@wellfedsp.com www.wellfedsp.com

3. Publishing 101: Crash Course in the Basics of E- and Print Publishing Page 3
IBPA Publishing University 2012
V. Four-Part Ebook $trategy: (Ebooks currently only offered as PDF’s)
1) Ebook version of hard-copy books – No-brainer!
o Appeal to those in remote areas, instant-gratification crowd, and tech-savvy
o Nothing to print, store or ship
2) Ebooks as Purchase Bonuses: Spur Higher-profit Website Sales
o Give free to buyers for purchasing off your site (where profits are higher)
o High-value content peripheral to book (or from book, but more user-friendly)
o Me: Ezine compilation/appendices from books with live links or as checklists
o Sell also standalone (mostly to Amazon/bookstore buyers of main book)
3) Ebooks as Companion Products to Main Book: Enormous Profit Potential
o What could you bundle with a book, for which people would pay $5-40+ more?
o Me: 101-page book marketing template; comm‟l writer‟s tool kit/time lines
o High-value content (NOT fluff/filler) will drive good word-of-mouth/steady sales
o Create multiple bundles to cater to individual needs/tastes
o “Tease” ebooks in main book; drive steady sales from Amazon/bookstore buyers
o Two-tiered pricing: lower price for sales with main book off site; higher price for
after-market purchases from Amazon/bookstore buyers
4) Complete ALL-Digital Packages
o Ebook version of main book + various combos of companion ebooks
o Most popular WFW bundle: ebook version of book + both companion ebooks
***************
Peter Bowerman peter@wellfedsp.com www.wellfedsp.com

4. Publishing 101: Crash Course in the Basics of E- and Print Publishing Page 4
IBPA Publishing University 2012
Peter Bowerman Bio
Background
In 1993, Peter Bowerman leveraged a 15-year sales/marketing career into a full-time living as a freelance
commercial writer. With NO paid professional writing experience, NO writing training, and NO industry
contacts, he was paying all his bills in under four months – using the techniques outlined in his books and
seminars. He has published over 250 columns and articles and leads seminars on writing.
Commercial Writing Client List (partial)
Holiday Inn American Express
Coca-Cola BellSouth
UPS IBM
Cingular Wireless DuPont
Mercedes-Benz Credit Corporation The St. Vincent de Paul Society
Georgia-Pacific The Cartoon Network
The American Heart Association Centers For Disease Control (CDC)
NationsBank Junior Achievement of Georgia
Publishing Success
In 2000, building on his success, Bowerman wrote and self-published The Well-Fed Writer, an eventual
award-winning Book-of-the-Month Club selection. In 2005, he followed it up with its companion and
triple-award finalist, TWFW: Back For Seconds.
In 2007, chronicling his self-publishing success (currently, 65,000 copies of his books in print, and a
full-time living since 2001), he released The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a
Full-Time Living, a recipient of an IPPY Award and Georgia Author of the Year honors.
(www.wellfedsp.com)
In 2010, he released the heavily updated edition of The Well-Fed Writer, combining the content of the
original two WFW titles. The book has received four awards: an IPPY, and honors from the ForeWord
Magazine Book of the Year, INDIE Excellence and Axiom Business Books competitions.
Business Coaching/Specialty Services
Since 2002, Bowerman has been a business coach for commercial writing startups and self-publishing
ventures (visit “Mentoring” at www.wellfedwriter.com). In 2010, he launched The Title Tailor, a
successful spinoff from his self-publishing coaching – offering book titling, subtitling and back cover
copywriting services to publishers and self-publishing authors (www.titletailor.com).
Speaker/(Tele)Seminar Leader
Bowerman is a popular, sought-after speaker at writing and publishing conferences, workshops, and
teleseminars – and is known for his solid, practical content and engaging delivery. He speaks regularly on
commercial freelancing, self-publishing, marketing for writers and other subjects. For more information
on his speaking services, visit the “Need a Speaker?” link at www.wellfedwriter.com.
Contact Information
Peter Bowerman - 3713 Stonewall Circle, Atlanta, GA 30339
770/438-7200 - peter@wellfedwriter.com - www.wellfedwriter.com
***************
Peter Bowerman peter@wellfedsp.com www.wellfedsp.com