Comments on: Interview with Self-Publishing Guru Peter Bowerman

By: Charlie Brunson

Charlie Brunson — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:16:50 +0000

I live in S.C. (neighboring Mr. Bowerman’s Georgia), and during this recession (March 2009) recent news reports show: 1) S.C. had the 3rd highest unemployment in the country. 2) Govenor Sanford was talking about firing the head of the S.C. Employment Commisson if he did not give the govenor information about how the unemployment rate is calculated. 3) Govenor Sanford initially did not want to accept any federal bailout money, ‘It would put the state deeper in debt.’ 4) Later Govenor Sanford was considering accepting some of the stimulus money to pay towards the state debt.

Since I left a former employer I’ve been having problems finding and keeping a job (caused by former employer???). I’ve felt forced to do some things I’d rather not do.

I’ve read about how many people have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps through sales, but I don’t feel I do well with face-to-face selling. I’ve read some books on copywriting, mostly about how to write, but none showed how to get started.
C.B.

By: AzurAlive

AzurAlive — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:02:13 +0000

Hi Peter,

Loved your book (The Well-Fed Self-Publisher)! It’s packed with non-nonsense advice, and presented in a conversational style that makes for an easy read and re-read. A nice contrast with the more encyclopedic approaches to the subject.

Great books like yours are like an inspiring presentation: they’re a spark. You’re pumped and psyched coming out of it, but the true test comes with consistency and tenacity in applying the concepts over the long-haul. I think online forums can help in keeping or maybe re-igniting the marketing focus and energy. What online forums do you like for exchanging book marketing ideas? do you host one?

Thanks!

By: All Freelance Writing: Your Freelance Writing Resource: » Freelance Friday - June 13, 2008

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 04:25:07 +0000

[...] Interview with Self Publishing Guru Peter Bowerman [...]

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:36:07 +0000

Peter, as always, you are an inspiration. Furthermore, you are always willing to be on the cutting edge of technology (i.e. “virtual book tour” via blogs). I love learning from you. Keep it up!

By: Peter Bowerman

Peter Bowerman — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:23:51 +0000

Hello everybody,

Delighted to be here on Beyond the Books. Hope to generate a lively discussion on the subject of self-publishing. The subject is a hot one these days as more and more authors are starting to realize, 1) how hard it is to land a publisher, 2) how much easier the Internet has made the process of self-publishing, 3) how lame the conventional publishing model actually is in most cases: anemic royalties, 18-24 months to publication, loss of creative control, and loss of book rights.

And even after giving up all that, authors who HAVE been given the keys to “The Publishing Kingdom” then discover, to their dismay, how much of their own book marketing they have to do themselves – and usually for a buck a book or less!

With that paradigm, many are understandably saying, hey, if I’m going to have to do most of the work myself anyway, I might as well be making most of the money!

I wish you all the best on your own self-publishing journeys. Know that there are plenty of tools out there (including a few of my own at http://www.wellfedsp.com).

Peter