The Well-Fed Writer

The Well-Fed Writer is a commercial-writing brand founded by Peter Bowerman, built around a series of how-to books, courses, and online resources that teach freelance writers how to earn professional rates of $50–$125+ per hour writing for businesses. The brand began in 2000 with the self-published book The Well-Fed Writer, which became a Book-of-the-Month Club selection and established Bowerman as a leading voice in the "commercial freelancing" niche. Bowerman had leveraged a 15-year sales and marketing career into a full-time freelance commercial writing practice in 1993, building a client roster that included Coca-Cola, IBM, UPS, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, BellSouth, DuPont, and the CDC. He wrote the book to share the business model that had allowed him to pay all his bills within four months of starting. The brand expanded through multiple editions and companion volumes: The Well-Fed Writer (2000), TWFW: Back for Seconds (2005), a quadruple-award-winning second edition (2010) that combined and updated both earlier titles, and a third edition in 2021. Bowerman also published The Well-Fed Self-Publisher (2007, updated 2014), launched the monthly ezine The Well-Fed E-PUB in May 2002, and created The Well-Fed Craft online course. His books have collectively sold over 100,000 copies and won more than a dozen industry awards. As of February 2025, following Peter Bowerman's retirement, the brand—including the website, books, and related assets—is owned and managed by Jennifer Mattern, a longtime freelance business writer, consultant, and founder of All Freelance Writing and FreelanceWritingPros.com. Mattern operates the properties through her company, 3 Beat Media. The Well-Fed Writer continues to serve as a resource hub with a blog, email newsletter, and educational materials aimed at helping freelance commercial writers launch and grow financially sustainable writing businesses.

The Well-Fed Writer brand traces its origins to Peter Bowerman's personal career transition. After a 15-year career in sales and marketing, Bowerman turned to freelance commercial writing in 1993. Despite having no paid professional writing experience, no industry background, and no contacts, he built a full-time commercial freelancing business in Atlanta, Georgia, from a fantasy to full-time in less than four months. His commercial writing practice served clients such as The Coca-Cola Company, BellSouth, IBM, UPS, Holiday Inn, Cingular Wireless, DuPont, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, The Discovery Channel, Georgia-Pacific, The Cartoon Network, The American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Junior Achievement. In 2000, Bowerman self-published The Well-Fed Writer, a how-to guide for freelance writers seeking lucrative commercial writing careers. The book was named a Book-of-the-Month Club Alternate Selection. A companion volume, TWFW: Back for Seconds, followed in 2005. In 2010, Bowerman released a quadruple-award-winning second edition of The Well-Fed Writer that combined and heavily updated the content of both original titles. A third edition was published in 2021. Overall, his books have garnered over a dozen industry awards and sold more than 100,000 copies. Beyond the core book series, Bowerman expanded the brand. In May 2002, he launched the monthly ezine The Well-Fed E-PUB, which has been published nonstop. In 2007, he released The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living, with an updated edition in 2014; both were multiple-award-winners. He also created The Well-Fed Craft online course and, in 2010, launched The Title Tailor, offering book title and back-cover copy services. Since 2002, Bowerman has been a popular speaker and coach for writers and authors. As of February 2025, following Peter Bowerman's retirement, Jennifer Mattern owns and manages The Well-Fed Writer website, books, and brand. Mattern, a longtime freelance business writer and consultant, took on her first professional writing and editing gigs in 1999 while pursuing a BA in Public Relations. After a stint in nonprofit PR, she went out on her own full-time in 2004, launching a PR firm specialized in indie music and founding her first online publication. She later earned an MBA and has run a successful business integrating freelance business writing, publishing, PR, and digital marketing for more than 20 years. Through her company, 3 Beat Media, she runs several web properties, including All Freelance Writing (launched 2006) and FreelanceWritingPros.com. WellFedWriter.com is now among them.

• 2025

  As of February, following Peter Bowerman's retirement, Jennifer Mattern owns and manages The Well-Fed Writer website, books, and brand.

• 2021

  Third edition of The Well-Fed Writer is published.

• 2014

  Updated edition of The Well-Fed Self-Publisher is released.

• 2010

  Quadruple-award-winning second edition of The Well-Fed Writer is published, combining and updating both original titles. The Title Tailor is also launched.

• 2007

  The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living is released.

• 2005

  Companion volume TWFW: Back for Seconds is published.

• 2002

  Peter Bowerman launches the monthly ezine The Well-Fed E-PUB in May.

• 2000

  The Well-Fed Writer is self-published and named a Book-of-the-Month Club Alternate Selection.

• 1993

  Peter Bowerman transitions from a 15-year sales/marketing career to full-time freelance commercial writing in Atlanta, Georgia.

A trusted educational brand for freelance writers seeking lucrative commercial writing careers, emphasizing professional rates of $50–$125+ per hour and financial sustainability over 'starving writer' stereotypes.

• The Well-Fed Writer (2000 edition)

  Self-published how-to guide; Book-of-the-Month Club Alternate Selection.

• TWFW: Back for Seconds (2005)

  Companion volume to the original book.

• The Well-Fed Writer, 2nd edition (2010)

  Quadruple-award-winning edition combining and heavily updating both original titles.

• The Well-Fed Writer, 3rd edition (2021)

  Latest edition of the core guide.

• The Well-Fed Self-Publisher (2007, updated 2014)

  Multiple-award-winning guide on self-publishing success.

• The Well-Fed Craft

  Online course created by Peter Bowerman.

• The Well-Fed E-PUB

  Monthly ezine launched in May 2002, published nonstop.

• The Title Tailor

  Service launched in 2010 for book titles and back-cover copy.

1. 1The Well-Fed Writer - Lucrative Commercial Freelance Writingwellfedwriter.com
2. 2About The Well-Fed Writerwellfedwriter.com
3. 3About Peter Bowerman | The Well-Fed Writerwellfedwriter.com
4. 4About Jennifer Mattern | The Well-Fed Writerwellfedwriter.com
5. 5The Well-Fed Writer - Wikidatawikidata.org