Back in 2012, I wrote an article for this site titled, "Author & Book Websites: What to Include?" Lots of things have changed with the internet with respect to author websites over the last six years, so I thought it was time to revisit the topic! What do you include in an author website these days? And how is it different than what I wrote Read more...
Many of the author websites I create are for authors who write as a second career. Sometimes it's something completely different than how they earn a living and they love that it balances their day job -- the financial advisor who writes historic fiction for example. Other times it's a segue to retirement and something they've wanted to do for a long time. And for others it's Read more...
If you’re an author just starting out with a new website, or even just overhauling an out-of-date website, WordPress is a wonderful platform to use. Here’s why I like it: You can create a super simple site, or something more fully-featured, and it works just as well either way. Once you get the basics down with WordPress (for which there are extremely wonderful tutorials online, Read more...
As I’m sure you can imagine, I spend lots of time looking at current website design. What’s currently desirable is a blend of modern aesthetic preferences, what’s possible with current technology, and the kind of platforms on which people are browsing the web (eg: mobile devices). And when I’m working on a website for an author or a book, I look at other, modern author Read more...
I work with lots of authors on their author and book websites. Some authors have published multiple books, and some have just published their first. Some are working with a major publisher, and some are self-published. And something I’ve noticed with many authors is that they’re not always comfortable interacting with their readers, or bringing their personality to the web. But we all know that Read more...
There are lots of things to figure out when it comes to creating a website, such as what information is best to include & how to position yourself/your brand. In addition, you’ll need to figure out what your website should look like, aka: the aesthetic of the site. And it’s easy to become overwhelmed. After all, there are so many examples of successful aesthetic choices. Read more...
My husband, Graeme, is into comic books. So much so, in fact, that he’s dedicated part of his professional writing career to writing about them. As the wife of one so enamored of words-with-pictures, you can imagine that I too have enjoyed some comics in our time together, sometimes if only by proxy. You might be wondering what this has to do with making websites… Read more...
In working with clients as an author web designer, I do more than just create layouts and make things beautiful. Mainly, I help my clients figure out how to position themselves through their site so that they can meet the goals they have for their business. There are so many ways to go about creating a website, and deciding what to include and what to Read more...
If you’re interested in author website design, you’re probably trying to figure out what to put on your author or book website to make it as effective as possible. And while every project is different, and each project is tailored to the author or book in question depending on their unique goals, there are some similar elements I often recommend people include on their author site Read more...
Many times when your book is first published it's easy to keep the promotion momentum alive - you're excited about its release & may even have a publicist. People are talking about it! The preview copy is in the hands of the literati! But what about a little later on? If you're not dedicated to your book's promotion machine, no one else will be (unless Read more...
