The Smarter Artist Show

Sterling & Stone

Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant, and David W. Wright—the trio behind the legendary Self-Publishing Podcast—are back. But the world of storytelling has changed, and so have they. It's the same three voices you know, talking about the craft and commerce of storytelling — from the work we're creating to the TV and movies we can't stop thinking about. Shop talk for artists playing the long game in a creative world that never slows down. If you've been here since the early days, welcome back. If you're new, pull up a chair. You're listening to The Smarter Artist Show.

  1. Oct 16

    Reader comments and questions (The Smarter Artist Show-38 )

    In this episode, Dave digs into the YouTube comments and listener emails. The guys tackle everything from direct-to-reader store migrations and messy Amazon backlists to controversial AI thumbnails. Plus, a deep dive into world-building advice for aspiring writers, looking at cause, effect, and internal consistency. TIMESTAMPS 00:01 – Intro
 03:44 – Something Cool:
  Dave: Introducing his son to favorite horror films and the breakout star-making turn in Obsession (Indy Navaret). 
 Johnny: Finally reading Pierce Brown's sci-fi/dystopian Red Rising series. 
 Sean: Celebrating the continued early momentum of the new direct-to-reader library. StoryKeepers Plus. 
 11:25 – Q&A: Why Isn't the Store on Sterling & Stone? Answering author Mark Oceans on why the new direct store lives on SeanPlatt.net instead of the main publisher site—cleaning up 15 years of digital detritus, shifting to a personal brand, and optimizing for relationship over volume. 
 17:48 – Whether generous backmatter costs readers or hurts the reading experience. 
 19:51 – Addressing listener critique: "The AI thumbnails are killing me. Sean  agrees, while Dave laughs at how bad AI makes Sean look.

 23:35 – Serialized Content vs. Limited Series: Breaking down critique of modern TV series serialization, greed-driven diluting of the middle, and why limited series (like *12* and *Pretty Killer*) are the ultimate storytelling sweet spot. 
 28:49 – The MCU of Podcast Lore:  Sean's inside jokes are the next target. 
 31:56 – Discussing RAM producer lawsuits, the cost of high-end generation, and a look at the phenomenal new human-guided, AI-assisted *Yesterday's Gone* trailer built by friend and filmmaker Trevor. 
 38:39 – Why Dave loves Phantom of the Opera but refuses to watch La La Land. 
 41:01 – Answering a listener starting out with post-apocalyptic fanfic. Johnny, Sean, and Dave break down the pillars of world-building: big concepts, everyday survival, and why logical consistency and consequences (like in Dead City and The Beam) matter more than anything else. 
 Mentions From This Episode: Get Dave's weekly essay/newsletter: https://seanplatt.net/dispatch
  Check out the fiction library & StoryKeepers Plus: https://seanplatt.net/storykeepers-plus/
 Check  out Johnny's books at:  https://johnnybtruantbooks.com  Pierce Brown – Red Rising

  2. Oct 8

    Smarter Artist Show: 37 -- Selling Direct to Readers

    Are you struggling to sell books at the big online stores? Perhaps it's time to start selling directly to your readers.  Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant talk about their experiences doing just that—the pros and the cons. They compare the tradeoffs between Amazon, KU, and direct stores, then discuss what it takes to build a storefront that feels more like a living catalog than a marketplace listing. Sean Platt shares why he is shifting toward direct sales, including better economics, stronger audience connection, and the ability to bundle, experiment, and control the customer experience. And why he's modeling his website off of TV streamers, not other author sites. Johnny B. Truant explains that direct selling to readers takes work, but can feel more transparent and rewarding than relying on Amazon.  LINKS: Sean's site: https://seanplatt.net/ Check out Story Keepers (all Sean's books at one price) https://seanplatt.net/storykeepers-plus/ Johnny's site: https://Johnnybtruantbooks.com Hugh Howey's free writing software Neo: https://www.hughhowey.com/neo BOOKS AND PODCASTS MENTIONED East of Eden by John Steinbeck Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters by John Steinbeck Scriptnotes: East of Eden with Zoe Kazan https://johnaugust.com/2026/east-of-eden-with-zoe-kazan Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome and the episode topic: selling directly to readers SOMETHING COOLS 01:35 — Dave talks about the excellent Neo, Hugh Howey's free writing software for writers. 04:42 — Safari, Riverside, and Johnny's browser frustration 06:01 — Sean's pick: Netflix's *East of Eden* and why it matters to writers and how it shaped him as a writer. TOPIC OF THE SHOW: Direct Selling to Readers 11:17 — Why KU and Amazon have not fit Sean's catalog 13:45 — Launching a direct store after years of false starts 14:58 — Johnny on not caring about Amazon and talking about what direct selling really requires 17:37 — Johnny raising print prices on Amazon and discovering what readers will actually pay 19:44 — The huge amount of prep behind a direct storefront 21:02 — Sean's excitement about hearing from customers again 22:45 — Why Sean sees himself as a producer, not just an author 24:25 — A reader buys the whole library and validates the model 25:47 — Why having a home base matters before expanding outward 27:27 — Bundles, site-first releases, and how exclusives can work 29:49 — Feeling reconnected to art, commerce, and audience 32:12 — Why direct sales are not a universal answer 33:07 — KU still makes money, but not for Sean's preferred writing style 34:23 — Stop hunting for one magic bullet 35:38 — Amazon's customer experience versus the flexibility of a direct store 36:51 — Building the site like a streamer instead of a standard author page 37:17 — Barry Gordy, Motown, and the idea of art as a system 39:02 — Using chatbots and guided discovery to help readers navigate a huge catalog 40:11 — Backstory episodes, interviews, and added content around releases 41:41 — Experiments like a simple game and a 3D-built yacht as reader extras 42:36 — Where to find the direct stores and what comes next

  3. Oct 2

    The Smarter Artist Show-36 Mastering TV pilots with Spencer Robinson

    Writing a great television pilot is one of the most powerful ways to break into the industry and launch a sustainable, multi-season storytelling career. In this episode of The Smarter Artist Show, we sat down with veteran manager Spencer Robinson of Artwork Entertainment to discuss the nuts and bolts of crafting a sellable TV pilot. Robinson, who has represented writers, actors, and producers for over 20 years, shared invaluable wisdom on what makes a GREAT TV pilot and what networks, streamers, and Hollywood buyers are actually looking for. Learn more about the First Look Cohort at: https://smarterartist.net/first-look/ Get our weekly Dispatch: https://smarterartist.net/dispatch

  4. Sep 25

    The Smarter Artist Show-35: What Makes a Great TV Pilot?

    This week David W. Wright, Sean Platt, and Johnny B. Truant talk about what makes a GREAT TV pilot. They talk LOST, Breaking Bad, Friends, and many more of the best pilots and shows. They also announce an upcoming cohort to learn how to turn your book into a TV pilot. For more details, sign up for thhe weekly Dispatch https://smarterartist.net/dispatch

  5. Sep 18

    The Smarter Artist Show-34: Alternate Endings "The Endless"

    This week, another unreleased episode of Alternate Endings, the podcast where the guys make each other watch movies and TV shows and then they discuss what they liked, didn't like, and… if they'd change anything. This episode was Dave's movie pick and he chose 2017's The Endless by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, Dave's new favorites.

  6. Sep 11

    The Smarter Artist Show-33: Alternate Endings--Ratatouille

    This week the guys talk about Pixar's Ratatouille, a movie Dave had actually not seen before.  Pixar's love letter to creativity is a must-watch for anyone who tells stories or creates art. Sign up for our Dispatch, a weekly column to inspire your creativity at https://smarterartist.net/dispatch

  7. Sep 4

    The Smarter Artist Show-32: Dave Screws Up the Show

    This week's Smarter Artist didn't go to plan. It was supposed to be (fittingly enough) a brainstorming episode. But Dave realized partly into it that his concept sucked.  So, back to the drawing board. Instead, the guys talked about the subject of last week's Dispatch, which was what you can get out of bad movies.  And they talked about Netflix's The Last House. But the highlight of the episode was when Sean's webcam died and Dave threatened to replace his face on the video with an AI atrocity thumbnail that did NOT turn out as planned.  If you ever wondered what Sean would look like if he was more…um, Davey, then you'll want to see the thumbnail in the video, at around the 10:20 mark. Get your free weekly writing column, The Dispatch, at https://smarterartist.net/dispatch

  8. Aug 28

    The Smarter Artist Show-31: Printer Has "Issue" With Johnny's Book

    In this episode Johnny talks about an incident when he was about to get his Kickstarter book, Terminal, printed. Just one problem … the printer had an issue with the content. And you'll never guess why. Then the story gets even weirder. 0:00 — Dave cold open 3:07 — Johnny's censorship story 10:50 — Sean talks about using Obsidian as a second brain 17:00 — Dave rants about Adobe's Creative Cloud slowing his computer down to a crawl. 21:00 — Dave attempts to start the brainstorming session but Sean drives him crazy and they're running out of time. 23:31 — They give up on useful content and Sean and Johnny try to trick Dave into ranting about a personal situation he doesn't want to talk about. 26:00 — Sean talks about some recent movies he's seen.  36:50 — Dave's watching Scrubs with his son and Sean spoils the new season. 38:00 — Dave talks about reaction to last week's Alternate Endings episode on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  44:25 — Ending theme song Sign up to get our free weekly Dispatch at https://smarterartist.net/dispatch

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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Sean Platt, Johnny B. Truant, and David W. Wright—the trio behind the legendary Self-Publishing Podcast—are back. But the world of storytelling has changed, and so have they. It's the same three voices you know, talking about the craft and commerce of storytelling — from the work we're creating to the TV and movies we can't stop thinking about. Shop talk for artists playing the long game in a creative world that never slows down. If you've been here since the early days, welcome back. If you're new, pull up a chair. You're listening to The Smarter Artist Show.

Information

  • Creator
    Sterling & Stone
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    998
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sterling and Stone
  • Show Website
    The Smarter Artist Show

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