405. Johnny B. Truant on Artisan Authors vs. Algorithm Chasers Writers & Illustrators of the Future Podcast, Johnny B. Truant, L. Ron Hubbard, John Goodwin ·

In this episode of the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast, prolific indie author Johnny B. Truant discusses his paradigm-shifting book, The Artisan Author. With over 150 books under his belt across multiple genres, Johnny shares how his philosophy evolved in response to a rapid-release publishing trend that has flooded the market with millions of books. They dive deep into the concept of the "artisan author"—someone who treats writing as a craft rather than an arbitrage game driven by Amazon algorithms or AI generation. Johnny breaks down how a sustainable writing career relies on Kevin Kelly's "thousand true fans" model, where readers actively seek out your specific voice instead of hunting for the cheapest, most generic option at the top of a category list. The conversation also explores key pillars from his book, including the importance of staying unapologetically human, answering reader emails, and accepting the permission to take your time to make a book perfect. Finally, Johnny talks about his own popular titles, like Fat Vampire and Pretty Killer, and touches upon the timeless pulp traditions found in classic science fiction like L. Ron Hubbard’s Battlefield Earth. Learn more at johnnybtruant.com/