Everyone Wants Fewer Gatekeepers… Until They Read the Books

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 Talking Prose, we're tackling one of the most controversial questions in publishing today: Has removing every gatekeeper actually made publishing better? We discuss why editorial standards still matter, how readers are losing trust in books, the impact AI-generated content is having on discoverability, why professional publishing isn't about keeping people out—it's about protecting readers—and how indie authors can meet (or exceed) traditional publishing standards without giving up creative control. If you've ever wondered why some books rise above the noise while others disappear, this conversation is for you. We know some people will disagree with our perspective—and that's okay. We'd genuinely like to hear your thoughts. After watching the episode, tell us: Should anyone be able to publish a book, or does publishing still need standards? Let's have the conversation. Mentioned in this episode Macmillan CEO interview on the future of publishing: The Future of Publishing – Macmillan CEO Interview by David Perell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcSbQU0g8hw&t=4098s AI Sentiment Survey for Authors printtopro.com/author-a-i-sentiment-survey/ Fjeldheim Writers Retreat https://fjeldheimwritersretreat.com/ Join our free Print to Pro Author Business Harbor community: https://www.skool.com/p2p-author-business-harbor/about   Subscribe:  If you're serious about building a sustainable author career—not just publishing a book, subscribe for weekly conversations about writing, publishing, marketing, and the business of being an author. New episodes every week. #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #WritingCommunity #Publishing #BookMarketing #AuthorBusiness #WritingTips #BookPublishing #Authors #ArtificialIntelligence #WritingLife #PrintToPro