Building a Website

            One year ago today, I launched this blog and my website. After reading about author websites and branding in my college courses, I learned the importance of having those things not just after being published but before. It may not seem like a huge deal when you don’t have a name for yourself yet, but creating something like a blog or website is one of many ways to draw attention to yourself.

            When you have a website, you can tell everyone about you and show them what kind of writer you are. You can also showcase what you’ve written or are in the process of writing. There are many uses for an author website even before you’re published and the key is finding which pages best suit your needs at this point in time and in the near future.

            In this post, I’m going to explain how I built my website and blog, why I decided on the things I did, and how I am trying to build my “brand” (I’ll explain more about that in that section). I’ve already talked about the importance of having a platform in my article “What I Learned in College: Author Platforms” so now it’s time to apply it.

Building Your Website

            When building a website, the first thing you need to do is choose a host website. The two names passed around through my courses were Wix and BlueHost, and since Wix is easier for those who aren’t tech savvy (like myself), I decided to use that. I will warn you now that having a website isn’t free. I paid a few hundred dollars for a three-year plan and then paid a small fee for the custom URL.

            The custom URL is the next step. Though you don’t have to officially have it until you’re ready to launch your website, it’s still something to consider. Most authors have their first and last name or their pen name as the URL, but some, especially if you have a popular name, have to get a little more creative. Adding “author,” “writer,” or “books” are some options. But the URL should be recognizable and include your name in some way. If someone were to Google your name, your website would appear.

            When you’re designing a website, it’s important that 1. You’re happy with it, and 2. It attracts readers. The site must be easy to navigate and not cluttered with a bunch of information that may confuse or overwhelm visitors.

            Homepage

            The homepage is your first impression. It must be welcoming, show readers what you have to offer, and introduce you in some way. Homepages may seem daunting, but they can be anything from a simple welcome to showcasing some of the author’s accomplishments.

            On my homepage, the first thing you see is a picture of me as well as my name. That is to show you that if you were looking specifically for me, then you’re in the right place. Right below my name, I have written “Creating spice-free fiction for YA readers.” This immediately tells readers what I write (not every author does this – this was something I had to do for a class but I liked it and kept it. Some simply put “author” or whether they’re bestselling). In just the first few seconds of visiting my website, you already know my name, what I look like, and what I write.

            Below that, I have my “New Releases” section. I put this here so that visitors are aware that I have something new out and that yes, I am published. In the future, I will put an “Upcoming Releases” section. After the “New Releases” section are my most recent blog posts. I also include a little side section that gives visitors the opportunity to subscribe to my website. I put this on every page, just so no one has to dig for the subscribe button.

            That’s all on my homepage (besides the contact stuff that’s on every page). You may choose to include more or less, but as I mentioned before, it’s better to remain as clutter-free as possible so your readers aren’t confused.

            Other pages

            I will tell you which pages I’ve included and why, and then I’ll tell you about some other ones you can include.

            An About page is vital. This is where visitors get to know you and your writing. Every author website has this page, so I highly suggest adding it to yours. You can write briefly about yourself or post a video. I chose both, mainly for school purposes, but also because I felt like I wanted to open up to visitors more. In the written portion, I introduce myself, talk about my writing journey, and tell readers what I write. Then in my video, I talk more about why I write what I write.

            Under the “Projects” section, I have a “Published” page and an “Upcoming” page. These pages are to inform visitors what I have written, where to get it, and whether I have any new stories for them to look forward to. I prefer not to talk about my unpublished works until I actually begin the publishing process, but I just say that I have stuff coming soon. In the “Published” page, I show the book cover of my story, give a synopsis, and provide a link for where to buy it. Easy to navigate and easy for visitors to access.

            Finally, besides my blog page, I have a Contacts page. This is just the same information I have at the bottom of every page, but it’s a place where readers don’t have to scroll. The Contact page allows readers and even potential agents or publishers to talk to you. I’ve also received some very sweet messages from subscribers, so it’s a good way to uplift your spirits!

            Other pages can include customer reviews, podcasts (if applicable), events, appearances, videos, FAQ, fun extras, merch, and news. I did not include these since I so far have none, but if you have a podcast or some fun extras, then those would be great pages to include!

Blog

            Not all authors have a blog. Yes, most either have a blog or podcast, but to be brutally honest, for some of us it’s a marketing strategy. If we have nothing to offer readers when we’re not writing a book, it’s easy to forget about us. But if we provide something weekly or monthly, that will grab more attention and also give content to readers.

            When creating a blog, you first need to figure out your audience and what you want to write about. Sure, you can try a hodgepodge of stuff. But the issue is you will have one type of reader for one post, but then a different type for another. You won’t have the same people returning because they don’t know whether they’ll be interested in anything else you write about. That’s why it’s important to decide on an audience and then decide what you can provide for them.

            Since I’m still a new writer and certainly not known, I at first didn’t know what I could offer. But as I continued to learn new things about writing, I knew I wanted to share that knowledge with other new writers. So I share what I learn while still learning alongside others. I kind of see it as being an “older sister” writer (even if I’m not older than you) – I learn lessons, pass them down to you, and pray you listen, haha! Since I’m newer, I also feel like I can relate to new authors. We’re all struggling together, and I’m not afraid to hide it!

            Once you figure out what you want to do for your blog, you can then add that page to your website along with a starter blog post. Then you just go on from there. Keeping a consistent schedule is always a good idea, but life can get hectic sometimes (especially if you’re writing other things). Do what works best for you, but don’t forget to also be yourself!

Branding

            If you don’t know, an author brand is basically how you want to be known by your readers. Do you want to have a dark fantasy feel like Holly Black? Pastel colors like many contemporary romance authors?

            It isn’t just about your genre though. It’s also about you. Okay, don’t use pastels if you write dark fantasy. But use colors you like, find patterns and designs that not only shout what you write but also what you’re interested in and find appealing.

            As a sci-fi fan, anything with stars and planets and galaxies appeals to me. My favorite color scheme is also lilac purple and black. Many sci-fi things contain purple and black, so it was easy for me to find images that matched the mood of my website. I make sure to include both sci-fi and fantasy elements, but those images don’t clash with the rest of my website because of the colors.

            Using certain fonts also helps give the reader a feel for your branding. I use heading fonts that look sci-fi (but then I use easy to read font for everything else).

            I suggest looking up authors who write in the same genre as you. Then you can figure out what types of color schemes and designs you like and how they all fit together.  As I’ve mentioned a million times before research is important.

            Branding is also important if you have a product other than books to sell or a podcast. You don’t necessarily need a logo unless you have those things, but if you can make yourself easily identifiable to readers, then you’ve accomplished creating your branding. However, branding does require advertising. That means you aren’t only putting your brand on your website but also on social media platforms. The more people who know about your and your brand though, the better luck you’ll have as an author.

            I have just barely scratched the surface of website and brand building. But these are just some of the basics, and I provided an outline for what a basic author website looks like. It may sound complicated, but building a website can actually be fun. I know I enjoyed building last year, and then earlier this year I had fun updating some of the pages. A lot of work is involved, but trust me, it’s worth it!