Hey friends! I often recommend setting up an author website, and I get a lot of questions from people who can’t figure out what to put on an author website if they had only published one book—or if they hadn’t published anything yet.
The truth is, you could have one of the best author websites out there, even if you’re still writing the first draft of your book. I’m going to talk about why it can be a good idea to have one and address a few basic questions, and then I’ll give you some links to great author websites.[spacer height=”20px”] Pin or bookmark the post for future inspiration!
Why Are Awesome Author Websites So Important?
If you’re querying agents or editors, they might Google you, and a polished author website can make a great first impression. If a reader Googles your name, a website or blog gives them the opportunity to get to know you and make a better connection with you.[spacer height=”20px”]
What’s the Best Website Hosting for Writers?
WordPress.com is extremely easy to use and inexpensive. Although any new project has a learning curve, most people have no trouble setting up a WordPress.com site for themselves. You would pay for the domain name—I believe it’s $15 a year. You pay a little more if you wanted “penname.com” rather than “penname.wordpress.com,” and the former is a little nicer. I believe the hosting costs $4 a month, and many of the “themes” or design looks are free.
If you use WordPress.org like I do, it’s quite a bit more expensive, and you may sometimes need technical help with some aspects unless you know how to write code or you want to learn. There are some advantages, such as being able to install a popup window to invite people to join your newsletter.
I’ve heard great things about Wix, though I haven’t used it personally.
Author Website or Author Blog?
Most authors don’t want to blog—in other words, write posts on a regular basis. Even though I love blogging, I don’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have a real passion for it. It takes a ton of work to build up an audience, and most authors would rather spend that time writing books. Blogs that don’t have any fresh content for months can be a little depressing for the blogger and for visitors.
The best author blogs have new posts on a more or less regular schedule. If you think this would be lot of fun, you can have an author blog instead of a traditional author website, or you can have a traditional author website with a section for blogging. The latter is probably more common.
What Does—and Doesn’t—Go On an Author Website
Lots of people want to know if they can publish their own work on their website, and the answer is: it depends. If you are hoping to traditionally publish, you probably want to limit this to short passages and snippets. However, there have been a few authors who have broken this rule, with great success (see Andy Weir, below.)
If you’re an indie author or not publishing, you can share as much as you want. (Your work is copyrighted whether you file for U.S. copyright or not, though U.S. copyright does help in pursuing an infringement claim.)
Elements that can definitely go on an author website include:
*a picture of yourself (you can read here about how to get a good author photo)
*an author biography
*information about the author’s work, published or not
*a signup for a newsletter (it’s never too early to start building a list!)[spacer height=”20px”]
Notes On Design
Design elements can convey your personal brand. Do you, personally, want to be perceived as warm and friendly? Sophisticated and original? Dark and edgy? Keep these things in mind with your color choices and design.
Don’t mix too many different font types, and make sure the body copy is readable. Tiny light gray type will make a lot of people bounce.
Require as few clicks as possible. “Enter site”? No, how about you just let me in automatically?
Best Author Websites
Let’s look at some great author websites! Click on the author names to see their websites. These were some of the best writers’ websites I could find when I was researching this post, and I tried to include a variety. However, there are hundreds of thousands out there, so if you have suggestions for other awesome author websites, I’d love to hear them!
This is a truly great author website designed by The Page-Turner Network and worthy of a romance author legend. You don’t have to have a professional designer or a ton of content, the way Ms. Bev does, to have a beautiful limited color palette that makes an instant positive impression.
This website used a free WordPress theme: Suffusion. Unfortunately, Suffusion is no longer available, but I’m pointing that out to say that you can get great professional results from free WordPress themes! I really like the use of the evocative illustration at the top.
The stunning images and evocative messaging drew me in and made me want to know more.
Adams write cozy mysteries, and her website really captures the feel of her books. I’ll admit to wanting to crop off the top half of her author photo because she’s only in the bottom half of it, but this is one of the best author blogs I’ve seen in the cozy mystery genre.
Weir’s mega-blockbuster novel The Martian famously started as a series of blog posts, so it’s no wonder he’s got a sharp-looking blog. I think it shows that you can keep things very simple and still be appealing. The bold font and background convey a sci-fi feel. He’s got a tab for each of his projects, a good bio and an author photo that conveys his personality, and invitations to sign up for the newsletter. Are you noticing how big the authors’ names are on some of these sites? Get into a best-selling author mentality and don’t be shy about the size of your own name.
I’m sharing this one as an example of someone who does a lot of different types of writing, because I know some of my readers are the same way! Umrigar writes novels, but she’s also a journalist, a memoirist, and a children’s book author. She’s brought everything together very nicely here. This website was built on Squarespace, and it looks really good.
The author of A Gentleman in Moscow features a book trailer right on the home page, which is something I would probably do with my book trailers (see here and here) if I had a more traditional author website instead of or in addition to a blog. By the way, if you’re interested in book trailers, you might want to read my post on How to Make a Book Trailer: 5 Steps, Plus How Much It Cost.
Unpublished Author Website Examples
I love it that Emily’s picture—with a big smile—is front and center in this website. Her friendliness and sense of humor comes across, and the blog portion of her website has sharp and engaging visuals.
This writer who hasn’t published a novel yet, though she’s published shorter pieces. She’s based in the Caribbean, and her location set the tone for her splashy website.
This website features the author’s completed, unpublished novel (which sounds terrific, by the way.)
If you’re building up your author social media presence and it includes Instagram, you may also want to check out my post about the 200 best Instagram hashtags for writers! Hashtags are a great way to get discovered.
And if you’re an author with a website you’re proud of, feel free to share a link in the comments! (I only ask that the websites be G- or PG-rated…otherwise, I will remove the link.) I think we’d all love to see more published and unpublished author website examples! I know I only have a handful here. If you want to link to some of the best author blogs or websites, or share your opinions on how to make awesome author websites, I know we’d all appreciate that, too.
I’m going to be doing more posts about social media presence for writers, so subscribe to the blog, if you haven’t done so already (there’s a place to sign up on the lefthand side of the page). And if you’re in the middle of writing a novel that’s becoming a little messy..or you’re ready to start a fresh new project…be sure to check out my book Blank Page to Final Draft, a step-by-step guide to planning, writing, and editing your novel.
Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!
Hi Bryn,
I’ve been an avid user of WordPress for several years. My recent site I put up while I was writing my novella then added a link to the book on Amazon when I self-published it a month ago. https://theimplantbook.wordpress.com/
I have another site I use to post my short stories and flash fiction. I guess you could call it my author site. https://robertiveystories.wordpress.com/
Hi Bob, I hope everything’s going well with you in these crazy times. Thank you for sharing!
Oops, sorry Bob—the anonymous comment was me. I forgot to sign in! 🙂
Hi! Your website helped me so much when I was first starting out. I write epic fantasy, and submitted the first novel of the series to agents and publishers. But then was told a publisher won’t look at me without a platform. I’m hustling now, and I have a fledgling website where I’m blogging. There are still kinks to work out, which drains my non-techy mind. How long does it typically take to reach 1,000 followers on social media? I’m focusing on Facebook. Thank you for all the insight and information! My baby website is https://jenboothauthor.com/.
Excellent post! I’ve been wondering about when to start an author website and just assumed you waited until you got published. Great tips and examples too!
Hi Michal, good to see you! I hope you are doing well. Absolutely, you don’t have to wait until you’re published to get a website! Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Great post, Bryn! Those are some lovely websites. Like others, I’m a fan of WordPress. Themes make everything so much easier. I’m currently using the Twenty Seventeen theme. When I set up my website, the important things for me were simplicity/ease of use for the end user (I hate having to search for things on a website!) and of course, aesthetics. I think I’ve done okay on both those fronts, but I’m always open to suggestions. 🙂
Hi PJ! The 2017 theme is so terrific, especially for writers! It’s so clean and easy to read. You are so smart to think about ease of use!
This was a fantastic post. Lots of good stuff here that I need, especially the examples of published and not yet published authors.
I don’t even know how Instagram works really, though my brother has been telling me it’s the best social media site to find and learn new things.
I began blogging a few years ago, then felt embarrassed by a story and then kind of sat on my domain for a year. Then I erased both of my stories.
When my data science program started they wanted us to write weekly blog posts for extra credit. I’m a person with a lot of self doubt, so not trusting my code or calculations, I kept away from writing anything analytical believing people would find a mistake in my coding or math and stick it to me in the comments (or in person). I just kind of blogged about life in a data science program, and most recently on matters I was interested in.
I have to clean up my editing though, as I keep finding grammar mistakes in my stuff (embarrassing). If anyone is interested, that website is at https://www.chrisvpowers.com (I only found one f-word among all 11 posts, so I think that meets Hollywood’s current PG guidelines?).
At about the same time, I snagged the domain name for blogging as an author (much more salty language and violence there, so I’m omitting that link). I chose to use the domain name of the brand I’m hoping to build around my book for this site. But like my first step into blogging, I’ve been sitting on that website, unsure of what to put there.
This post has given me a lot of guidance and I’m hoping to make some headway this week. I plan to stake out a place on Instagram (and explore) in the not-too-distant future.
And I’ve either got to make major changes to my Pinterest board or make a whole new account for my writing career, as it just screams insecure dude with too much interest in news and an addiction to fried garbage. And that’s not the message one wants to give people. You would think with an MBA in marketing I’d be good at delivering messages, but I’m horrible.
I should also mention that I started putting my blog on Medium.com, a major blogging site. But I feel, now, that my stuff just gets lost in the noise (with so many other blog authors, especially in this Coronacrisis, on that platform looking to stake a claim now). There’s a lot of click-bait on Medium about getting to the top of the feed, but I really feel like it’s a toss up as their algorithm personalizes for the readers with great specificity and they benefit from the long tail of content while you get a trickle of followers. But maybe I’m wrong. Then again, I guess Google does the same sort of thing, just on a larger scale.
Additionally, people should know that if you’re posting to your own domain as well as your Medium account with duplicate posts, that Google’s algorithms may punish your post in thinking it’s plagiarized (I’ve seen this pointed out on several SEO pages, though I haven’t checked the Google blog for any official confirmation).
So for the last few months I turned off the indexing of my personal website to see how well my Medium following grew. I’m still experimenting with that, but I have a feeling I’m going to separate my brands into three categories: My Novel/Screenplay site, My Personal Homepage (debating what theme to settle on), and My Medium page (where I put general interest articles).
Oh, and for a host, I use Wix.com. I’m pretty decent with computers, but I chose Wix because they deal with everything, from an intuitive editor, the domain, the SSL certificate, to managing the server and security. Plus, I’m lazy. I’m assuming WordPress does something similar with their services. There’s also SquareSpace, which I might have gone with because their commercials were so damn funny (search for John Malkovich/Jeff Bridges and Square Space on YouTube and you’ll find their hilarious commercials).
Again, thanks for the great post. I’ve got a lot to think about and a lot of great resources to look to.
Chris, I think your blog looks great! I think it’s so interest that you have such a balance between numbers and data, and creativity. I didn’t know that about Google—punishing you if cross-post! That’s good information.
I think it can be really challenging to figure out how to present yourself online. I was interviewed by someone this week who was doing a post on a Harvard blog about SEO, and I told him I’d had two failed blogs. Defining a focus (writing and positivity) and coming up with a tag line (“tell your stores, love your life”) helped a lot for me.
I completely disagree that you’re putting out a bad message. And you’re going to have to stop saying you’re lazy. You know it’s not true. 🙂
Best Author Websites (Including Unpublished Author Website Examples)
Well, Bryn, you can now claim a new genre. Horror. Internet is a SCARY place.
Like a granny in a “Model T” I push the limits of my discomfort-zone. I have my Facebook page where I post things about my writing, and sometimes about philosophy. Recently I asked, “What’s the difference between wisdom and foolishness?” There were a lot of great ideas in the replies.
I get more response when I post photos of my mother and little tidbits about her. That’s more about Mom than me. So many people loved her.
I do have a website. I haven’t done a lot with it recently. I changed the “look” of it when I decided to re-brand myself as a fantasy author. Is that what an Author Website is? Can I use what I already have? I really am tech-phobic with a high dose of author-avoidance.
True confession: I got a trojan a while back and I am afraid to do too much with an entity that can take over my computer and force me to delete ALL of my programs in order to get rid of it. I still don’t know if I infected others who contacted me during that time. That’s why I referred to you as a writer of horror.
In your post, there are a lot of things for me to try. Thanks for all the great ideas. I feel inclined to try some of them.
Jessie, you are one of the most fearless people I know (it’s no wonder you write heroic fantasy), but a trojan would scare anybody! This blog was hacked once, and it was awful…I have a ton of security in place now, and full backups every 24 hours! I think it’s great that you’re using what you have and rebranding it.
This is so great. I especially love that you included examples from unpublished authors. All the research I’ve done says you have to get the website early, but I never had any idea what to put on it since I’m not published. Now I know what some of it can actually look like.
Also, yay Jim Butcher. He’s one of my favorites. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get not one, but TWO Dresden books this year. Doesn’t hurt that he’s a fellow OU alum either. Boomer Sooner!
Hi Erin! Well, not to give you another job, but you definitely deserve to have a website! You’re doing great writing! I love Jim Butcher. He lives near my old hometown, Kansas City. So we can both claim him!
Aww. You’re so sweet. It’s definitely something I want to get done this year. I just need to get some author photos first.
Good luck!
I’m an Artist and a Writer. My website includes both. Is this ok?
carleneshulerbrown.com
Carlene
Carlene, just wanted to say that your artwork is beautiful! <3
Carlene, definitely okay! I think you’re bringing it all together so well. Wow, you are really talented!
Tanks a lot for this post. It was really helpful!
I love it when you share resources like this ⭐?⭐
I just subscribesuto your YouTube channel ✒?!
I’ve had a wordpress.org site for about 2 years. It is horribly more expensive,with the domain cost paid up front, for 3 years of use. And then there’s a low monthly fee. However, to my understanding, there’s plenty more security measures you get with the .org site. And I wanted to keep my site secure.
Other than that, I love having my site. It’s like one little piece out of the great, world wide web that I own. And ownership is a nice feeling.
Thank you for writing this. I have been keeping a blog for quite a while now and while I do prefer working on my novel or short stories I have found my stride with it. I definitely want to check out these other blogs for some pointers.
This article was a godsend for me in terms of giving me the confidence to create a website even though I am unpublished. I am working on self-publishing my first novel, a romantic space opera on a limited budget. It is currently in the hands of a copy editor and I will soon start working on a custom book cover. I created my website myself using Wix (I meant to use wordpress and somehow I ended up with Wix, but anyway it’s done and paid for so I’m stuck with it). Now, I feel that my picture is too large. Can you take a look at my site and give me your opinion about in in general? I know it’s pretty bare bones now, but I would appreciate any constructive criticism. Also I’m thinking of what content I can add while I work on the cover. I don’t think I have time right now to blog, but should I include perhaps elements of world-building like the main characteristics of each of the alien species that are part of the story?
Hi, Maria! I am so glad the article was helpful. GOOD FOR YOU for working with a copy editor, even on a limited budget. That’s the way to do it right. I do think the author pic is large on the site, and since you are writing a romantic space opera, I think you might want to think about having an outer space-ish image at the top. You can always change the top visual later if you write in other genres later. I love the idea of including world-building with alien species!
Thanks again for your quick reply and for taking the time to look at my website. I appreciate your valuable input and will look into adjusting it accordingly.
How did you find your copy editor? I mean, I know they’re available, and I know I want to find one who deals with the types of stories I’m writing. But I don’t want to just go with the first hit on the google search, you know?
Hi Bryn, I know I’m arriving late to the party. I have a rather awkward question I’d like to ask you. You mention putting up a photograph of yourself. Do you have to do this? I’m pretty ugly, and I do not photograph well. Do you have any suggestions of what else could be used? Thanks in advance.
I do not have any pics of myself on my site, but I do have pics of my characters, which I commissioned through an artist – Rod Espinosa – on deviantart.com. They were expensive, but I am so happy I’ve got visuals to go with the text. 🙂
That IS an awesome idea.
?
JJ, I apologize to be answering such a sensitive question over 5 months later—I sometimes get behind on the comments with old blog posts. You probably don’t even remember asking this…and it may be that you’ve since realized that you aren’t ugly, which you’re not! I think many of us feel self-conscious about how we look. I certainly do. Some shy authors commission a sketch, and that’s certainly a possibility, but at some point when you get a big writing deal, your publisher will want a photo. At that time, I would say dress simply, work with a professional photographer if possible, and as long as people can see your eyes and your smile, they’ll get a sense of who you are and make a positive connection.
In any case, I am sure you would never be so cruel as to judge or dismiss someone else based on their looks. You probably see other people’s unique beauty or attractiveness, even if they don’t fit the conventional mold. I hope you can be almost as kind to yourself.
Hello, Bryn. When I searched your website for anything that could help me understand how to start an author website I found just the thing I needed! Thank you for your timely advice. One of the not-quite-yet-author websites you listed, Emilyrae, happens to live in a nearby town, so I reached out to her. I have a question–how do I get other people to find my website? I am 55 years old and the only social media thing I do is Facebook, and don’t understand the rest. I guess I have to join the ol’ 21 century eventually. Thank you, Silke P.S. I already get your email posts.
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We can discuss the topic in your book 5,000 WRITING PROMPTS.
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Thanks for bringing this post to our attention (again) via Twitter, Bryn. I read it back in 2020 and have referenced it several times in the last year. I’m an unpublished author (with hopes to publish soon in one way or another, at which point book covers and graphics will take a focus!) and have had fun tinkering with my website: https://leahdobrinska.com/
Thanks for laying this all out, especially the unpublished author sites. Tinkering with my own right now at http://www.eoconnors.com
Bryn, great links! I built my website about 8 years ago but with my second book scheduled to be released Spring 2022, I have been thinking of different ways to refresh it. The author websites you listed are certainly inspiring. Thank you!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post and especially for the examples from unpublished writers! I’m currently revamping my website, trying to take it from just a blog to a true author website, and the examples you provided give me something to work from. Thanks again, and happy new year!
Hi Janet! I’m so glad it was helpful! I’m looking at revamping my own website right now—it’s always just been functional, but I want to make it pretty. 🙂 It can be a big undertaking but I know it’ll be worth it, and I’m sure you’ll find that to be true, too. Thanks for the kind words!
Great post! Only just discovered it, via your retweet today.
I have a website/mailinglist/newsletter/readermagnet-thing going on in parallel with my rather ambitious WIP. It’s not that I expect it to get much attention and draw people in, it’s more that I want somewhere to capture any interest I manage to get through other routes. If I should get a short story published, or shortlist in a competition etc, then I want somewhere where I can direct would-be readers, and keep their attention for the year or two (or three) that it’s going to take me to get the book finished. It’s not a website – it’s a reader trap.
I’m at https://paulcmercer.com