Okay, look. There are all kinds of writing devices and software out there. Which one is better? Well, you already know what I'm going to say: whatever works for you. There are those writers who don't want AI anywhere near their manuscript or in their software. There are options for you. But the industry standard for editing is Microsoft Word, and while you can turn AI off in Office programs, it's pretty integral at this point. You may need to find an old version, or the way to shut off all AI features to work with a pro editor. But when it comes to drafting, things like Scrivener or Ellipsus are solid, non-AI options. As to devices: writers are easily distracted, so distraction free devices like FreeWrite or my own favorite, Remarkable eInk tablets are a great choice. No WiFi, no browser, no email or social media, pure writing heaven. Of course, you can do that with any device - create a secondary user on your computer, and don't allow access to browsers, email, or even WiFi, and you have a distraction free device, since you have to swap users to access those other features. You still can, but at least you have to work for it. Right now, my distraction free device is a Remarkable with a keyboard folio. My travel device is a MacBook Neo (definitely worth looking at, for all kinds of reasons). And my desktop is a Mac mini. What are y'll doing, and how to you avoid distractions?

This episode might ruffle a few feathers. Good. 😏 We're tackling one of the biggest assumptions in publishing: "Anyone can publish. That's the problem." Before you assume we're defending traditional publishing... you're probably going to want to hear the whole conversation. We're talking about standards, reader trust, AI, professional publishing, and why indie authors don't need fewer opportunities; instead, they need higher expectations. I'd love to hear where this community lands on it. Drop your thoughts after you watch the premiere tomorrow. I have a feeling this one's going to spark a great discussion.

We hope everyone has plans to take a break and celebrate with friends and family. At the Smek abode, we will be BBQing some hot dogs with my parents and playing poker with my kids. My dogs will be tasting colors when I load them full of Trazodone, and maybe I can keep them alive during the chaos. Hope you all have a wonderful and SAFE weekend.

Hey there everyone, I just wanted to pass on a message from Ingramspark. Apparently, we have some scammers impersonating the company. Be hyper vigilant, my friends. "We have recently been made aware of bad actors fraudulently posing as our business through lookalike websites, emails, social media accounts, phone calls, and text messages. These individuals often request that the author pay them or provide sensitive banking information in exchange for publishing their book with IngramSpark. These impersonators are not affiliated with IngramSpark. Visit https://www.ingramspark.com/fraudalert for more information"

AI is changing publishing fast, and we want to know how YOU actually feel about it. Troy and I have launched an Author AI Sentiment Survey specifically for authors, writers, and creatives so we can gather real community insight about AI’s impact on publishing, creativity, careers, audiobook narration, cover design, and the future of storytelling. This is NOT a pro-AI or anti-AI campaign. We genuinely want honest responses from: Authors who love AI Authors who hate AI Authors who feel conflicted or uncertain Authors still figuring it out Our goal is to collect meaningful data from the writing community and contribute to larger industry conversations with actual author perspectives instead of assumptions. 📝 TAKE THE SURVEY HERE: https://printtopro.com/author-a-i-sentiment-survey/ A few important notes:• Please share this with AUTHORS and creatives• We’re aiming for at least 1,000 responses• The survey will only be open for a limited time because AI sentiment is evolving rapidly• If requested, we may later create a separate reader-focused survey We truly appreciate your help with this project. The more responses we gather, the more accurate and useful the data becomes for everyone in the publishing space. — Stacey & TroyPrint to Pro