The First Steps in Creating an Author Website

The First Steps in Creating an Author Website

Erin Harris is a designer, writer and content creator as well as CEO and co-founder of Insomnia Graphix, a boutique creative agency providing strategic marketing and creative services.   As a multi-passionate entrepreneur she has worked with businesses of every scale in both non-profit and for profit sectors and is dedicated to the success of the people and organizations she serves. 
http://www.insomniagraphix.com/

Many authors are intimidated by the thought of putting up a website, however in this current environment where everyone is on their phones a basic author website or blog is a must. One of the first places people check is your online presence. It isn’t easy to put together an author site but it is possible. First you have to overcome a few obstacles standing in your way..

Cost:
The design of a simple site can range from $600-$800 and if you are funding this venture yourself as many indies (self-published authors) are this represents a sizeable investment. You will also  have to pay for the domain name, hosting and graphic support as well inching the cost of getting a site up and running closer increasing the costs to around $1,000 to start your site.

Design:
Coming up with the design of the site can be daunting. A web developer needs your input on how you want your site created.  I searched the web and had a list of sites that I liked. It helped me to write down what I wanted my site to do and have examples of what is should look like. Some of the things I wanted weren’t possible at the moment but having a list helped me organize my needs.

Site management:
Once the site is created an author must either post updates themselves or pay others to do this. In the beginning at least it will be the author updating the site and this involves some knowledge of technology. Most people are not comfortable with working on Content Management Systems (CMS) at least initially. I started a WordPress site because of the ease in using the program. I also joined a WordPress group that would help me if I ran into problems. This aren’t any fees to be a member and I learned so much.

It was at a WordPress meet-up that I met Erin Harris, a web designer who shared a few insider tips on creating the best author websites.

#1 Know your audience
An author must know a lot about the people she/he is trying to reach. This will help with picking of the color, design and features of the site.

#2 Make the site easy to read
This goes without saying that an author site especially must be easy to read. Make sure you pick font colors that are easy on the eyes. Make sure you site tells a story that captures the authentic voice of the author.

#3 Make sure the site is responsive
This cannot be stressed enough. More and more people are using their mobile devices over laptop and desktop computers. I have to admit in my first inauguration of this site it wasn’t responsive. I had to thank Erin for setting me straight on this and thankfully this site is responsive.

#4 Find inspiration from other author sites
An author not only has to know their readers they must also know the top authors in their genre. What are some features on their sites? It is a good idea to become familiar with other sites in your genre.

#5 Make use of free resources
“WordPress is a wonderful platform to create a website, but it can be quite overwhelming to someone that isn’t used to developing websites,” Erin said. “For those that find it a bit overwhelming, on the dashboard under WordPress Events and News you can find upcoming events in your area where you can meet up with experts that are ready to help you- for free! There are also great sites like https://www.pexels.com which provide free stock photos as well as sites like https://www.canva.com/ that have pretty easy to use design templates.”

Please check out my post SEO for Authors: Tips From Yoan Ante. Yoan also attends the WordPress group and has some great tips.

 

 

About Candace Waller
Candace Waller has published hundreds of articles newspaper  and for Black Enterprise magazine. She received her Masters in Digital Publishing from New York University and divides her time working in communications and writing. She is the author of the novel, What Goes Around Comes Around.
Nicole Gonzalez has been gifted with an angelic voice and a knack for song writing. With the world pressing her down and a soon-to-ex chipping at her self confidence, Nicole isn’t sure she has the courage to follow her dream. Then two men, an old flame and a sexy new musician, come into her life and really give her something to sing about.  Nicole is given another chance to fulfill her dreams and find love. Will she allow her debilitating fear of performing and self doubt stop her from love and career fulfillment. Nicole finds out when you step out on faith the unexpected happens.