Pros Talking Prose

You spent months (or years) writing your book... ...and then gave yourself fifteen minutes to write the blurb. We see it all the time. Authors pour everything into their manuscript, only to rush through the one piece of sales copy that convinces readers to pick it up, or put it back on the shelf. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we're breaking down what actually makes a great book blurb, why...

The AI conversation has reached a point where authors are accusing authors, readers are accusing writers, and trust is beginning to erode throughout the publishing industry. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we step away from the usual "AI is good" versus "AI is bad" debate and tackle something much bigger: What happens when suspicion replaces evidence? Whether you're excited about AI, comple...

Everyone says publishing needs fewer gatekeepers… until they have to sort through thousands of low-quality books. We know this episode may ruffle a few feathers. As lifelong advocates for independent authors, we believe writers should retain their rights, their royalties, and control over their careers. But that doesn't mean every barrier in publishing is a bad thing. In this episode of Pros Talki...

How much is caution costing your author career? Most writers don't think fear is influencing their decisions. They think they're being practical. Responsible. Patient. Careful, but sometimes playing it safe comes with a hidden cost. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske explore how fear affects the decisions authors make every day, like finishing manuscripts and...

Most authors don't have a writing problem—they have a deadline problem. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey joins us from the California coast while Troy holds down the fort in Idaho to talk about one of the biggest sources of stress, burnout, and frustration in an author's career: unrealistic deadlines. From drafting and editing to cover design, formatting, publishing, and launch planni...

Are you measuring author success by the wrong standard? Too many writers compare themselves to bestselling authors, viral success stories, and household names. But what if that's exactly what's making you miserable? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske tackle the uncomfortable truth about author success, the publishing industry's "power law," and why so many wri...

Is your book really for everyone? One of the biggest mistakes authors make is trying to write, market, and sell their books to everyone. In reality, the most successful authors understand that books succeed when they connect deeply with the right readers, not all readers. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert discuss why trying to appeal to everyone can actually...

Most authors think book titles are just creative decisions. They’re not. Your title is metadata. Your title is marketing. Your title is the FIRST signal readers get about your book, and if it’s confusing, generic, impossible to pronounce, or sounds like every other title in your genre… readers are already moving on. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske break dow...

Some authors became so focused on “being professional” that they forgot how to actually enjoy writing. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert tackle burnout, doomscrolling, industry panic, AI fearmongering, and the emotional exhaustion many authors are quietly carrying right now. We talk honestly about: • treating your author career like a hobby (in a healthy way)...

In this special bonus episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske sit down with powerhouse author coaches Becca Syme and Roland Denzel for an honest, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation about author burnout, publishing disruption, mental health, creativity, resilience, and what it actually means to build a sustainable writing life. From the realities of traditional publi...

Most authors are told to obsess over launches, bestseller rankings, and “making it” with their debut novel, but what if that mindset is exactly what’s destroying long-term author careers? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert break down the dangerous publishing myths that are exhausting writers, sabotaging marketing efforts, and creating unrealistic expectations...

Most authors believe a simple idea: “If my book is good, it will sell.” That belief is costing authors thousands of dollars. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we break down the real reason most books don’t sell—and why your editor may not be telling you the full truth about book sales, publishing expectations, and author profitability.  What we cover: • Why don’t good books sell? • Can editor...

Just reading more isn’t making you a better writer, is it? Well, there is a reason. It’s because that is crappy advice.  In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we break down one of the most common pieces of writing advice out there… and why it’s incomplete at best and misleading at worst. Yes, reading matters. Yes, consuming story matters. But if you’re doing it passively? You’re not improving. So...

In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we’re tackling a growing problem in the writing world: authors who want to write books, but don’t want to study the craft, read, or do the research. Yes… we said it. From viral debates about writers who don’t read to the overreliance on AI as a “research tool,” we break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes, and why it’s showing up in your manuscri...

Let’s just say the quiet part out loud… Most writers say they want honest feedback until they actually get it. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most uncomfortable (and necessary) parts of being an author: criticism. We aren’t talking about the fluffy kind of feedback; we aren’t giving you the “you’re doing amazing, sweetie” kind. We are addressing the r...

Everyone’s arguing about AI in publishing, but they’re missing the point. AI isn’t going anywhere. Authors are using it for everything from brainstorming to drafting entire manuscripts, but here’s the reality no one wants to say out loud: You STILL have to do the work. I created a tool to help! It's FREE and you can download it HERE:  https://learning.printtopro.com/cleaning-ai-from-your-prose/ In...

The internet is losing its mind over the “Shy Girl” controversy, but most authors are reacting instead of thinking. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we break down what’s actually happening beneath the surface of the debate. There are a lot of AI accusations, publishing decisions, reader reactions, and a bigger issue no one seems to be talking about. This really matters to authors because it...

Are authors destroying their own brands without realizing it? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we’re breaking down one of the biggest shifts happening in publishing right now:  Books are becoming commodities  Readers are harder to reach  And authors are being pushed to produce more… faster… cheaper But what if that’s the wrong strategy? We dig into: • Why the “mass audience” mindset is faili...

In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, we sit down with Angela Hoy, publisher of WritersWeekly and CEO of BookLocker, to expose the growing scam industry preying on writers. From fake publishing companies to bogus movie deals and AI-generated outreach emails, the scams targeting authors are becoming more sophisticated—and more expensive. Angela has spent decades investigating fraud in the publishi...

At some point in modern publishing, something shifted. Writers stopped asking “What story do I need to tell?” and started asking “Will this sell?” In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert tackle a growing problem in the writing world: what happens when authors put the business hat on too early and lose the art of storytelling. In an era of rapid publishing, AI writi...

AI can draft your book. But can you legally own it? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert sit down with intellectual property attorney Bradlee Frazer to unpack the legal realities behind AI-generated content, copyright ownership, and Amazon’s KDP Terms of Service. If you’re an author using AI — even just for drafting — this conversation could change how you think...

In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy and Stacey tackle one of the hardest questions authors face: Are you writing to sell… or writing to last? After reflecting on the legacy of Robert Duvall and the staying power of cultural classics like The Princess Bride, The Big Lebowski, and The Stand, we dive deep into: The half-life of a bestseller Why “writing to market” often fades The algorithm vs...

Are you really independent as an author… or are you just isolated? In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Troy Lambert and Stacey Smekofske break down a hard truth about the writing life: Writing may be solitary. Building an author career is not. Too many indie authors try to run their author business alone, making every decision solo, second-guessing every move, and slowly burning out in silence....

Tool overwhelm is real, and it’s quietly wrecking a LOT of author progress. If you’ve ever downloaded one more “must-have” app, paid for a shiny new subscription, or convinced yourself you can’t move forward until you have the “perfect system”… this episode is for you. In this week’s Pros Talking Prose, Troy and Stacey break down The 3-Tool Rule—a ridiculously practical way to cut through the nois...

...Even If you Get That Idea in the Shower Inspiration doesn’t strike when it’s convenient—and most writers lose their best ideas before they ever hit the page. In this episode of Pros Talking Prose, Stacey Smekofske and Troy Lambert break down how writers actually capture inspiration, why ideas tend to show up in the shower, the car, or the coffee shop, and how to stop letting those sparks disapp...