Building a Sustainable Author Career with Russell Nohelty, The BookFunnel Podcast Episode 24

Sep 19, 2025

Russell Nohelty, a USA Today bestselling author and creator of The Author Stack, shares invaluable insights into building a sustainable career in indie publishing. He discusses the importance of embracing a unique voice and learning from other industries. Topics include overcoming self-sabotage, understanding reader expectations, and the sunk cost fallacy in writing. Russell emphasizes the need for scalable marketing strategies and offers practical advice on using Kickstarter for testing demand. Overall, it’s a treasure trove of tips to help authors thrive.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

From Film To Nonfiction By Accident

Russell started in film, moved to comics, then found nonfiction because people kept asking questions.
He accidentally built a nonfiction catalog and courses to stop the constant Q&A demand.

ADVICE

Use Print Codes For Bulk Gifting

Use BookFunnel print codes to gift many copies or distribute to institutions instead of single-use gift links.
Generate a batch of print codes with no expiration to share broadly and avoid one-time private links.

ADVICE

Use One Link To Update Monthly Promos

Build repeatable newsletter templates and use a single pretty link to swap promos quickly each month.
Host promo assets centrally (e.g., BookFunnel) and change the single redirect rather than editing each newsletter.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

In this episode of the Book Funnel Podcast, the BookFunnel team welcomes USA Today bestselling author Russell Nohelty. They discuss various aspects of self-publishing, including marketing strategies, the importance of scalability, and the mindset needed for success. Russell shares insights from his own journey, emphasizing the need for authors to embrace their unique voices while also learning from other industries. The conversation touches on overcoming self-sabotage and the importance of focusing on what works in an author's career. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the complexities of writing, self-critique, and the evolution of an author's perspective over time. They discuss the importance of understanding reader expectations, the sunk cost fallacy in writing, and the impact of revisions on reader connection. The conversation also explores the challenges of rewriting and the necessity of diverse marketing strategies to achieve success in the ever-changing landscape of publishing.

Takeaways

Authors often have diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Creative projects can evolve from initial ideas.
Self-publishing requires ongoing marketing efforts.
Authors should focus on strategies that work for them.
Learning from other industries can provide valuable insights.
Scalability is crucial for long-term success in writing.
Self-sabotage can hinder an author's progress.
It's important to embrace both successes and failures in writing. Self-critique can hinder an author's willingness to share their work.
Authors evolve over time, and their interests may change.
Reader expectations should guide an author's decisions.
The sunk cost fallacy can trap authors in unproductive cycles.
Revisions can alter the reader's connection to a story.
Diverse marketing strategies are essential for success.
Authors should not underestimate their audience's preferences.
Creating a community around a book can enhance its success.
Testing different marketing approaches can yield valuable insights.
It's important to balance passion projects with marketable works.