F.A.Q.
Here are a few questions I have been asked about author websites.
Do I really need an author website?
That would depend on whether you want to get people’s attention and grow an audience.
As a creator myself, there are many things which I have made just for my own interest, and I don’t care if many people hear about it. But I also want people to read what I write – I want to grow my audience, which is why I make sure that I post examples of my work on my website.
How much does it cost to create an author website?
If you have experience with graphic design and creating website content, you can build the website yourself. This will take you anywhere from ten to 20 hours, depending on the tools and how much you know about design.
If you don’t have experience with design, your cost to hire someone to build the website can run from $400 to $2,000. At the low end you will be getting a simple one-page site, but at the high-end you will be getting a site with a custom design which looks exactly the way you want.
Note: Some website features (such as a retail store) will significantly add to the cost of a site. This makes it hard to compare prices.
Where can I create an author website?
First, this really depends on whether you plan to hire someone. If that is the case then you should ask their advice on where the site is built, and on which platform.
For authors who plan to DIY, I usually recommend one of two platforms: WordPress.com, and Squarespace.com. I recommend these platforms because I think they are relatively easy to learn.
What should an author's website look like?
It really depends on what you write.
For a lot of authors, their website should tell visitors what genre the author writes. Font choices, colors, and backgrounds images will all give visitors clues about the genre. (If you need help picking colors and the fonts, just look at a few covers of books in your genre.)
But for other types of writers, the website needs to send a different message. For example, the website for a freelance writer needs to make it clear what that writer writes, and for whom.
What is an author's website used for?
For many authors, their website is a marketing tool. For example, if an author wants their book to raise their profile, increase their authority, gain clients, sell books, then websites can be very important to achieving those goals.
What should I call my author website?
You have so many options for naming your website that it is hard to think of them all, but I can suggest a few rules to follow. For example, you should choose a domain which is easy to say out loud, and be careful to avoid inadvertently including a dirty word. You should also Google your proposed website name and check to see whether another author is already using it.
And finally, if you combine either your author name or your pen name with “author” or writer”, you will have a nice and simple website name which is easy to remember.