What is the 🐲Dragon🐲 Club?

Are you ready to take your author career to the next level? The Dragon Club is your ultimate author success resource hub, designed for writers who are serious about growth. With exclusive access to premium courses, personalized attention, and a community of driven authors, it is your chance to build a thriving writing business.

At The Author Stack, we sit at the intersection of craft and commerce, helping writers build more sustainable businesses that allow them to thrive while creating work that lights them up inside. We strive to give authors agency in a world that too often seems intent on stripping it away from them.

We believe the “secret to success” isn’t one big revelation. It’s dozens of small insights pieced together from lots of different source. We’re all taught “stacks” that industry leaders claim works for everything, but they usually don’t work for anyone.

These experts might claim to have the whole answer, but they’re usually only working with a small fragment of the full picture. We believe every part of the industry holds no more than 5% of the answer to what makes a successful writing career.

The magic comes from bringing them together in unique and individualized ways that work for you instead of for everyone.

That’s why we don’t follow one system, one guru, or one set of rules. Instead, we gather fragments from everywhere: tech startups, content creators, traditional publishing, indie authors, and unconventional businesses. We collect the best ideas, the proven strategies, and the unique perspectives, to help you craft an individualized “author stack” that works for you.

This isn’t about forcing your business into a pre-made mold. It’s about creating your own path, built from strategies that align with your stories and your goals. Your work deserves a strategy as unique as the worlds you create that serves your vision, not the other way around.

Love crowdfunding? We can help you supercharge your next launch. Excited about subscriptions? We can help you become a bestseller. Ready to build an audience that loves your work? We’re here for that, too. Whatever’s got you excited right now, we probably have some strategies to integrate them into your business in a way that lights you up.

If you’re ready to break free from the cookie-cutter approach and embrace the freedom to build your career on your own terms, welcome to The Author Stack. Together, we’ll gather the pieces, build your stack, and create something extraordinary, which all comes together in our Dragon Club.

Why dragons?

Dragons have it all: wealth, fans, freedom, and power. They move at their own pace, conquering challenges with unstoppable energy. The Dragon Club captures that same spirit, giving you everything you need to rise above and sustain long-term success.

  • Over $3,000 in Premium Resources: Courses, accelerators, and masterclasses tailored for authors ready to grow.

  • Monthly breakthrough calls: Exclusive sessions to help you overcome challenges and unlock growth.

  • A Supportive dragon community: Network with authors who share your drive and ambition.

When Russell Nohelty set up The Author Stack, his goal was simple: provide all the resources an author needs to build a successful career in one place. Over time, we realized that author success isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Instead, it comes in two distinct stages:

  1. Breaking through and starting a career

  2. Building and sustaining long-term success

Resources like How to Build Your Creative Career and How to Become a Successful Author are ideal for the first stage. They’re designed to help new authors establish themselves, gain traction, and set a strong foundation for their careers. These resources are included in our Paid Membership, an affordable tier packed with everything you need to get started.

However, as authors grow, they face new challenges. Advanced strategies like running profitable Facebook ads, viral giveaways, and successful crowdfunding campaigns go far beyond the needs of beginners. Courses like The Kickstarter Accelerator, which builds on our introductory Fund Your Book with Kickstarter course, are designed for authors ready to scale. These resources fall into a different category altogether: building and sustaining long-term success.

We knew we couldn’t offer these top-tier resources at the same price as our entry-level Paid Membership. Many of these advanced courses are worth hundreds of dollars. That’s why we created the Dragon Club, a premium membership tier for authors who are serious about growth.

The Dragon Club isn’t just about access to resources; it’s about providing the additional support, community, and tools that authors need to thrive at the highest level. By creating this special tier, we made it possible for ambitious authors to accelerate their growth without breaking the bank to buy everything individually.

What You Get in the Dragon Club

When you become a Dragon, you unlock access to resources built for scale, impact, and sustainability.

  • The Kickstarter Accelerator ($999 value): Plan, market, and launch your most successful campaign yet.

  • Build a Superfandom ($497 value): Turn casual readers into lifelong superfans.

  • Create Profitable Facebook Ads ($497 value): Learn to craft high-performing ads that convert.

  • How to Run Viral Giveaways ($297 value): Add 1,000+ subscribers to your email list every week.

  • Direct Sales Mastery & Accelerator ($1,018 value): Sell directly through websites, subscriptions, crowdfunding, and live events.

  • Secrets of Substack Bestsellers ($100 value): The masterclass Russell ran with Substack expert Claire Venus to support our book How to Build a World-Class Substack.

  • Monthly breakthrough calls: Tailored strategies and live problem-solving with Russell.

That’s over $3,000 of value for $300/yr.

Of course, joining the Dragon Club only makes sense if you’re both ready to grow and think we’re the right teacher to guide your journey.

Not ready to join the Dragon Club just yet? Start with our Paid Membership, which includes an incredible library of resources, including most of Russell’s non-fiction books and many of our courses. Plus, behind the scenes glimpses on Russell’s own journey, like our script library and many of his fiction books so you can track his own career trajectory. ​

  • The Author Stack books #1-3 (How to Build Your Creative Career, How to Become a Successful Author, and Advanced Growth Tactics for Authors)

  • How to Build a World Class Substack, ​The Author Ecosystems, and the Book Sales Supercharged books I co-wrote with Monica Leonelle (​Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter​, ​Get Your Book Selling on Facebook. ​Get Your Book Selling with Cross-Promotion​, Get Your Book Selling at Events and Signings​, and ​Get Your Book Selling in Print).​

  • ​Courses (Fund Your Book with Kickstarter course​, ​How to set up and run an awesome anthology course​, ​Write a Great Novel course​, How to Build an Audience from Scratch minicourse​, ​10x your productivity course​)

  • Plus lessons and lectures​, our interview archives, the ​Complete Creative data archive, our extensive ​script library, income reports dating back to 2018​

These resources are everything Russell used to build his career, and it will give you a great base of knowledge. If you’re ready to go beyond that, or want to grow even faster, then maybe you’re ready to become a dragon.

The Dragon Club isn’t for everyone. It’s for authors ready to scale their businesses and take control of their careers. If that’s you, now is the time to act. With over $3,000 in resources, direct mentorship, and exclusive perks, this is the ultimate toolkit for ambitious authors.

You’ll also get access to the Poobah dragon, Russell Nohelty, by being able to slide into his DMs with any questions you have along the way (as long as you don’t abuse it). This is something Russell doesn’t offer lightly, as he’s very protective of his energy, and something he’s never offered before to anyone but close friends.

Success doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by design. With the Dragon Club, you’re not just gaining resources; you’re joining a movement. A movement of authors who dare to dream big, work hard, and embrace their inner fire.

We also have a office hours exclusive to dragon club members, monthly breakthrough calls, and a wonderful flock of dragons to help you embrace your inner fyre.

  • Monthly breakthrough calls
    Exclusive sessions tailored to help you tackle challenges, master new skills, and grow faster.

  • Elite community of dragons
    Join a powerhouse network of ambitious authors who share insights, collaborate, and cheer each other on.

  • Unparalleled growth resources
    Access over $3,000 worth of premium courses, masterclasses, and accelerators to scale your author business.

Becoming a Dragon means access, growth, and transformation. Take your career to the next step today.

🐲DRAGON🐲 CLUB RESOURCES

SECRETS OF SUBSTACK BESTSELLERS

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: Paid (🐲Dragons)

Success on Substack is not one-size-fits-all. Whether you prioritize growth or focus on monetization, the key lies in aligning your goals with the right strategies. Define your touchpoint level, understand your audience’s needs, and plan for a sustainable path forward. Your Substack can become a thriving ecosystem—if you approach it with clarity and purpose.

Russell Nohelty and Claire Venus share insights on navigating Substack, focusing on the balance between growth and monetization. They discuss the importance of understanding your goals—whether to run a low or high touchpoint publication—and tailoring strategies for sustainable success.

WATCH THE MASTERCLASS

BUILD YOUR SUPERFANDOM

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

Are you a creative who's sick of agonizing to make enough money? Have you spent years banging your head against a brick wall, trying to make it work with little success to show for it? Are you struggling to connect with a fan base of excited customers?

Then Build a Superfandom is for you! This course was created with one question in mind:

What would we go back and tell our past self that would take years off our own struggle and make me a successful creative without wasting time, energy, effort, and money?

This course was the answer to that question. It's a practical guide to everything needed to know in order to build a six figure creative business.

Russell spent the last decade building his creative writing business from just a few thousand dollars a year into a successful six-figure business without using fan art, licensing products, or relying on public domain characters. In that time, he has become a USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, raised over $600,000 on Kickstarter, and grown his email list to tens of thousands of superfans.

TAKE THE COURSE

THE KICKSTARTER ACCELERATOR

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

Plan, Market, and Launch Your Next Kickstarter Using the Kickstarter Accelerator Methodology that Russell Nohelty developed from running 20+ Kickstarters and raising $300,000+ on novels, anthologies, comics, and audio dramas.

The Kickstarter Accelerator is the course that broke everything open for Writer MBA, and combined with the Fund Your Book with Kickstarter and Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter books available to paid members, will make your next (or first) campaign be your best launch ever.

TAKE THE COURSE

DIRECT SALES MASTERY FOR AUTHORS

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

Are you tired of fighting with algorithms and ad copy to make book sales? Do you see your book sales dwindling and know you need to make a change?Have you tried selling books direct through your website, crowdfunding, subscriptions, or in-person, but struggled to gain traction?

Then Direct Sales Mastery for Authors is perfect for you.

Direct sales refers to the practice of authors selling their books or other written works directly to consumers without the involvement of traditional publishing houses or third-party retailers. This approach allows authors to have more control over the distribution and pricing of their works. It often involves selling books through various channels.

We recognize five areas of direct sales for authors: Website landing pages, website storefronts, crowdfunding launches, subscriptions and memberships, and live events and signings.

In these books, we show you how to make money in all of these areas! Direct Sales Mastery for Authors Volume One and Two covers all five of these areas to give you the most robust understanding of the opportunities that all authors have right now.

READ THE SERIES

DIRECT SALES ACCELERATOR

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

In conjunction with our direct sales books, this accelerator is a self-study course filled with material on how to build a direct sales environment through your website, and at conventions. We have other courses for subscriptions (Substack specifically) and Kickstarter available to dragon and paid members, so this focuses on those three other paths.

TAKE THE COURSE

CREATE PROFITABLE FACEBOOK ADS

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

Understand your customer journey, craft ads that people want to see, and make a profit off your ads. We’ve taken lots of Facebook courses in our life and spent thousands of dollars on failed Facebook ad campaigns before finally figured out how to make them work for me, and now we’re bringing that knowledge to you. This course was created years ago, but it's in general still relevant (though the interface has changed)

TAKE THE COURSE

HOW TO RUN A VIRAL GIVEAWAY TO BUILD YOUR EMAIL LIST

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID (🐲Dragons)

Have you been stuck growing your email list with very little results? Do you want massive growth in your list in a very short amount of time? Your email list is the most important thing necessary to grow your business, and being able to run a group builder with 10-20 other creators means that you can add 1,000 new prospective customers to your list, every week, as often as you would like. If you can master this single concept, you can revolutionize your creative business and go from struggling to successful in no time at all.

PAID MEMBER BONUSES

As a paid subscriber to the Author Stack, you receive several additional resources only otherwise available to our members.

HOW TO BUILD A WORLD CLASS SUBSTACK

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Are you ready to start a world-class Substack? Are you interested in building your mailing list or paid subscriptions on a platform that gets great organic reach?Are you struggling to get noticed in a sea of other publications?

Then How to Build a World Class Substack is perfect for you.

Written by USA Today bestselling author Russell Nohelty and Substack expert Claire Venus, this comprehensive guide dives deep into the strategies and techniques for creating a standout Substack publication. Whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting, this book offers valuable insights into maximizing your impact on Substack.

Learn how to create compelling content, grow your subscriber base, and navigate the unique features of the Substack platform. Russell and Claire share their personal experiences, practical tips, and proven methods to help you build a successful and sustainable publication.

If you're ready to elevate your Substack, engage with your audience, and build a publication that truly shines, turn the page and start your journey to becoming a Substack rockstar. Your path to a world-class Substack begins here and it's full of joy!

READ THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK

HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

How to Become a Successful Author is the best book you'll ever read on building a successful author career from the ground up, packed with everything you need to know to become a successful author, starting today. It is broken up into three sections: Mindset, all about how to build focus, grit, and resilience, Writing, where Russell breaks down how to build a successful book from the ground up, and Marketing, where you'll learn how to take your book and share it with the world.

READ THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK

HOW TO BUILD YOUR CREATIVE CAREER

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

How to Build Your Creative Career is set up in five sections: How to Make Great Content, The Basics of Sales, Building an Audience from Scratch, Making Money at Live Shows, and Launching your Product Successfully. Every creative Russell has ever met is stuck at one of those stages of their career, and this book gives you the tools to open those floodgates, overcome those blocks in your own career, and supercharge your career. This book can’t guarantee you a successful career, but it can give you all the fundamental knowledge you need to set you up for success because it was written by a creative for a creative.

READ THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK

ADVANCED GROWTH TACTICS FOR AUTHORS

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Let's grow your author business...

Are you ready to unlock your full potential as an author? In Advanced Growth Tactics for Authors, Russell Nohelty offers a masterclass in building a thriving creative career. This isn’t just another “how-to” guide. It’s a strategic roadmap packed with real-world advice, hard-won lessons, and powerful insights that will help you navigate the challenges of publishing with confidence.

Whether you’re an indie author striving for breakout success or an experienced writer looking to level up, this book covers every aspect of the journey:

  • Master the art of book launches and create a signature series that keeps readers coming back.

  • Design a sustainable career with practical strategies for productivity, audience growth, and income diversification.

  • Navigate rejection with resilience and find the readers who truly resonate with your work.

  • Embrace creative freedom while maintaining focus on the business side of writing.

Drawing from years of experience in publishing, direct sales, and crowdfunding, Nohelty shows you how to build a career that’s not just successful but also deeply fulfilling. With clear strategies, actionable steps, and a touch of humor, this book is your ultimate guide to thriving in the ever-changing world of publishing.

If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building momentum, Advanced Growth Tactics for Authors will show you how to turn your passion into a powerhouse career.

READ THE BOOK

BUY THE BOOK

BOOK SALES SUPERCHARGED

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Learn how to get your book selling on platforms from USA Today bestselling authors Russell Nohelty and Monica Leonelle. Five books are available behind the paywall: Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter, Get Your Book Selling on Facebook, Get Your Book Selling with Cross-Promotion, Get Your Book Selling at Events and Signings, and Get Your Book Selling in Print.

READ THE BOOKS

BUY THE BOOKS

THE AUTHOR ECOSYSTEMS

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Are you struggling to turn your writing into a career? Are you overwhemed trying to decide what advice you should take (and what you can filter out)? Are you desperate to prevent or recover from burnout?

Then you'll love The Author Ecosystems.

After working with thousands of authors to help turn their love of writing and publishing into a sustainable career, USA Today bestselling authors Russell Nohelty and Monica Leonelle have observed five clear and unique publishing ecosystems (or archetypes) that closely align with author success.

We’ve mapped these archetypes onto the five ecosystem biomes on Earth (Desert, Grassland, Tundra, Forest, and Aquatic) to provide a clear, easily visualized metaphor for each type and linked them to successful publishing strategies that work best for each one. We’ve also identified healthy and unhealthy habits for each type and have developed guidance to create a healthy ecosystem and foster a sustainable author career using strategies that align with your natural strengths.

Depending on your archetype, there will be certain things that resonate with you more than others, and different strategies will help you to thrive. The Author Ecosystem helps you identify those things that will help you most and abandon things those that don’t serve you.

READ THE BOOK

FUND YOUR BOOK WITH KICKSTARTER

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Are you struggling to fund your project? Have you had failed Kickstarter projects before? Are you scared of spending a month of your life on a campaign that doesn't make its goal?

Then this course is for you, filled with everything you need to get started on Kickstarter and crush your goals without a massive time commitment.

TAKE THE COURSE

HOW TO SET UP AND RUN AN ANTHOLOGY

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Build an amazing team of creators, hire a crazy good cover artist, and take over the world. Russell recorded this course in June of 2018 and used his upcoming anthology, Cthulhu is Hard to Spell, as a case study to test every secret he talked about in this course. He didn't know what would happen, but hoped it would do a little better than his first anthology, but when he launched the campaign it blew Monsters and Other Scary Shit out of the water!

TAKE THE COURSE

WRITE A GREAT NOVEL

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Master character creation, structure, plot, prose, editing, and more in order to write a great book more quickly than ever before. Are you struggling to finish your novel? Does it take you years to write a book? Do you lack confidence in your writing? Then Write a Great Novel is for you. It's everything Russell learned from writing his first 20+ novels. Not only does Russell give you all his secrets to creating characters and building structure, but he gives you the tips, tricks, and hacks he’s found to write better books faster. Most authors aren't teachers, and most teachers aren't prolific authors. Russell is both.

TAKE THE COURSE

HOW TO BUILD AN AUDIENCE FROM SCRATCH

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Are you a creative who's sick of agonizing to make enough money? Have you spent years banging your head against a brick wall, trying to make it work with little success to show for it? Are you struggling to connect with a fan base of excited customers? Then the How to Build an Audience from Scratch mini-course is for you. It will show you the five-step process he implemented to grow his email list above 20,000 and become a six-figure creative human.

TAKE THE COURSE

10X YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

Are you struggling to be productive? Do you wish you could get more done in a day, week, month, or year? Then join USA Today bestselling author and six-figure creative entrepreneur Russell Nohelty as he shows you how to 10x your productivity starting today. Learn how to effectively make a goal that you can measure and achieve, how to tell if you have a good idea, how to stop being caught up in idea-switching, how to say no to projects, and much, much more.

TAKE THE COURSE

LESSONS AND LECTURES

Complete or Ongoing? ONGOING

Free or Paid: PAID

Over the years Russell has given dozens of lectures and recorded countless lessons for creative humans and you have access to a huge selection of them.

LISTEN NOW

INTERVIEW ARCHIVE

Complete or Ongoing? ONGOING

Free or Paid: PAID

Over the years Russell has interviewed over 100 successful creators about how they built and sustained their business. He used this knowledge to build his own career. Now, he’s opening the complete archive up to you.

LISTEN NOW

INCOME REPORTS

Complete or Ongoing? ONGOING

Free or Paid: PAID

The only section on The Author Stack that is completely paid, Russell reveals all the numbers from previous years for most of his business (except WriterMBA) and he even gives the numbers he received in compensation from that company. We have income reports going back to 2018, with data as far back as 2017.

READ THE SECTION

SCRIPT LIBRARY

Complete or Ongoing? ONGOING

Free or Paid: PAID

A collection of scripts Russell has written for TV, movies, comics, and audio dramas, along with story bibles and pitch packets. While a lot of these have been produced, especially the comic and audio dramas, Russell decided to upload a whole collection so you could see evolution over time. A lot of these stories that weren’t products, like The Facilitator, ended up becoming key components of other books, like Magic where Ollie is basically a facilitator just like in the original script.

READ THE SECTION

THE COMPLETE CREATIVE ARCHIVE

Complete or Ongoing? COMPLETE

Free or Paid: PAID

When Russell was running his previous blog, The Complete Creative, he ran a lot of experiments and wrote a bunch about running a creative business that didn't fit anywhere else on The Author Stack. There’s even some new material in there that we archived exclusively for paid members.

READ THE SECTION

We also have a large selection of fiction books and comics available behind our paywall. You can check them out here.