A PLACE TO SHARE AND/OR PROMOTE BOOKS - SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE
What Constitutes a successful AUTHOR'S WEBSITE
You can join all kinds of different writing and author groups, and visit many author's websites, anything from a quick publisher website for their author, to the fanciest of individual websites, and behind all the glitz and glamor, how successful are these sights?
I'll voice my opinion here, but I'd like to see a few answers from you authors who have websites.
1) The first most obvious answer would be a website that sells our books.
Okay, so with that objective in mind, what or how should a website look to be successful? Here are my thoughts.
1) The homepage should catch a prospective reader's eye immediately. That does not mean it has to be fancy, just enough to catch their eye to make them look further.
2) On the homepage should be The author's picture, his/her bio (not too long), the book cover that your website is trying to promote the most (for those authors who have more than one book published), and a synopsis of that book. For those of us who've won awards for our writing (I am not one) this is an ideal place to place them or it. Finally, and one of the most important, the price and a link to where your visitor can buy your book.
3) On page two, if you have a sequel coming out, or are working on, here is a good place to advertise it. Readers would like to know that if they like your book, that they have one in the works that should be published behind it. That should contain a brief synopsis to fill the visitor in.
4) A links page. Now a links page serves two purposes. For writing related links, like a link to this site (BOOK PLACE) for example, shows a visitor that you take your writing seriously. Author (friends') websites gives the reader a choice to look further, in the event your book didn't entice him/her to purchase, rather than to leave your website and let them go to someone else who's not a friend, and they buy their book instead. Links to these friend's websites can be elaborate, or a simple link with the author's name and the book they'd like to sell. I've seen many, and some simply have the author's name, some with the author's name and the book title, some with the name and book's cover, Mine goes it a step further, but that's me. I also add the author's picture.
5) A guestbook is not necessary, but it's nice to know who visited your website, specially if it's someone you don't know. Even when you have a guestbook, not everyone signs it, so if you have one, ok and if you don't ok.
These are just my thoughts on the subject of author's websites. What's your opinion?
I'll voice my opinion here, but I'd like to see a few answers from you authors who have websites.
1) The first most obvious answer would be a website that sells our books.
Okay, so with that objective in mind, what or how should a website look to be successful? Here are my thoughts.
1) The homepage should catch a prospective reader's eye immediately. That does not mean it has to be fancy, just enough to catch their eye to make them look further.
2) On the homepage should be The author's picture, his/her bio (not too long), the book cover that your website is trying to promote the most (for those authors who have more than one book published), and a synopsis of that book. For those of us who've won awards for our writing (I am not one) this is an ideal place to place them or it. Finally, and one of the most important, the price and a link to where your visitor can buy your book.
3) On page two, if you have a sequel coming out, or are working on, here is a good place to advertise it. Readers would like to know that if they like your book, that they have one in the works that should be published behind it. That should contain a brief synopsis to fill the visitor in.
4) A links page. Now a links page serves two purposes. For writing related links, like a link to this site (BOOK PLACE) for example, shows a visitor that you take your writing seriously. Author (friends') websites gives the reader a choice to look further, in the event your book didn't entice him/her to purchase, rather than to leave your website and let them go to someone else who's not a friend, and they buy their book instead. Links to these friend's websites can be elaborate, or a simple link with the author's name and the book they'd like to sell. I've seen many, and some simply have the author's name, some with the author's name and the book title, some with the name and book's cover, Mine goes it a step further, but that's me. I also add the author's picture.
5) A guestbook is not necessary, but it's nice to know who visited your website, specially if it's someone you don't know. Even when you have a guestbook, not everyone signs it, so if you have one, ok and if you don't ok.
These are just my thoughts on the subject of author's websites. What's your opinion?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Robin Layne on -
I wish that others had commented on this thread. I haven't published a book yet, but I used to have a website featuring samples of my writing, biographical info, list of publications, and a teaser and quotes from my novel-in-progress. The only info I've seen about writer's websites is for those who have already published a book, and yet I also read that if we are already known and have a fan base we're more likely to get published. Do you think that someone who hasn't published their book should publicize it on a website, or should the book be kept hushed up and only shown to agents, editors, and critiquers?
Also, I'm starting an editing business and want to have a website eventually for that. I wonder whether it could be combined with the writing stuff. Opinions, please?
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Permalink Reply by Karina Kantas on -
I have two websites. One for reviews, excerpt and links to all my published work and then another that's dedicated to the genre I write in. So it's not just a website about me and my books. It contains links and descriptions of other authors books who write in the same genre. My reviews of movies, music ect of this exciting genre.
Take a look
http://www.urban-novels.com
I was advised by an editor to buy this web name And to add as much variety on the website as I could, as it would increase my chances of coming up on search engines.
The website has been a great success!
My other website has links to all my published work, non fiction as well as fiction. Links to interviews and pod cast. Separate pages for all my books, with readers reviews and links.
I think it's important for an author to stand out and state what makes them so different to all the other writers out there, and so that's what I've done.
Feedback is greatly excepted.
http://www.freewebs.com/froget
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On the way home from work yesterday, I passed a house that already had a lighted and decorated Christmas tree up and showing by the window.Is it not too soon for that? In my mind, the day after Thanksgiving is when the Christmas Season starts. That's when it's fair game to put up a tree and decorations and start shopping. The way things are going this year, I'll be lucky if I get organized enough to decorate a few days before Christmas.
With our dog, Rascal, who lives up to her name, we'll probably go with a fiber optic small tree on top of an end table. One of these days I may pull put the larger tree from the box in the basement and set it up, but not until our doggy is a little more sedate. I don't feel like chasing her to get ornaments out of her mouth. I will be putting up knick knacks, lights inside and decorations on the walls, so it will still look Christmasy. No lights outside because for some reason we have no outlets outside.
While we're on the subject of Christmas trees and such, be sure to add holidays in your books. You can mention decorations and lights or Easter eggs and baskets, or even mattress sales in your descriptions to ground the reader as to the season.
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