The Basic Components Of An Author's Website

[Carol Rose]

Saw this posted on Facebook today and thought it might prove helpful as there are often questions on here about what to include on a website, even if you're not yet published.

The only thing I will say is I use Blogger as opposed to Wordpress and I don't see much of a difference between the two. Both are equally easy to use and offer similar options.

http://janefriedman.com/2015/03/26/author-website-components/

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Thanks, looks like a very useful link

 

[Marc Joan]

Thanks Tara, very helpful!

 

[Carol Rose]

Glad you found it helpful.

 

[Meerkat]

I notice the site states that you need a headshot. What on earth for? Anybody know?

 

[Carol Rose]

I notice the site states that you need a headshot. What on earth for? Anybody know?

I get this a lot on Facebook, too. Post your author pic, not your current book cover. Your readers want to see what you look like. Okay… Whatever. LOL!!

 

[David Steele]

As a plus side, if parents buy my book for their kids, they can always use the photo of me to threaten them to behave better.

 

[Jason Byrne]

As a plus side, if parents buy my book for their kids, they can always use the photo of me to threaten them to behave better.

Haha. Publishing — in my unstudied opinion — has remained very much a "this is the way it has always been done," tradition-steeped industry. Perhaps they want an author's picture because there's always been one on the dust jacket, and that's how it's going to stay?

In any event, it helps the reader to feel closer to you, as the author, and for them to know to whom it is they owe their undying adoration and gratitude.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

If you don't have a photo of yourself, how will your millions of adoring fans know who you are? You could walk down the street, not getting recognized or asked for an autograph. Oh the horrors!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Helps to know a professional photographer buddy. All I have are selfies.

 

[1408]

Who needs a professional photographer buddy when you've got a selfie stick?! I'm kidding. I don't have either.

I need to go through these tips when I finally start doing something with my website. I only bought it because I saw a bunch of you guys had one and thought it looked fun. Not fun. Nothing to write on it!

 

[Jennifer Stone]

For my website pic, i chose a photo of me on my wedding day, although you can't really tell. I will get another pic taken soon, once my hair has grown a little more, i can't really style it atm, it'll look all poofy and weird.
My website has sat dormant for a little while, as I'm editing and not submitting for a while, i use my fb profile for updates and occasional reviews of books and movies.

 

[Emurelda]

We have pen names can we have a pen head ?

 

[Jason Byrne]

I'll bet that's happened. But it would be no fun having someone else doing the book signings.

What is it Angier said in The Prestige... "No one cares about the man in the box. They care about the man that reappears."

 

[Emurelda]

I'll bet that's happened. But it would be no fun having someone else doing the book signings.

What is it Angier said in The Prestige... "No one cares about the man in the box. They care about the man that reappears."

I wonder what agents do with shy authors.

 

[Jason Byrne]

I wonder what agents do with shy authors.

Probably just that.

It would be an interesting topic to research.

 

[Karen Gray]

I have pretty much no photos of me. Curse of being the one who owns the crazy expensive professional camera. You tend to be behind it rather than the alternative

I mean... Obviously I have some... I just hate them haha

 

[Stephen Drake]

I wonder what agents do with shy authors.

I'd like to know that one, too!

 

[Stephen Drake]

Helps to know a professional photographer buddy. All I have are selfies.

That's more than I got!

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I'd like to know that one, too!

They market the authors as 'reclusive' and 'mysterious', and stand back to watch the hype build and the sales roll in

 

[1408]

@Karen Gray I think your current avatar picture on here is lovely. It's bright and colourful and shows you with another of your interests.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I need to change my avatar here! I don't look like Jessica Rabbit unfortunately. If only... I could but I'd need to grow my hair for a lot longer, I could make myself the dress, I have long gloves already.

 

[Jason Byrne]

My picture's a couple years old.

Just once I stopped carrying around an actual camera in favor of an iPhone, I stopped taking pictures of myself and other people, and instead have thousands of pictures of sunsets, my cat, clouds, and my dinner. This one happened to be when I had a desk job, so I'm dressed relatively respectably, slightly condescending smile notwithstanding. Hair's a lot longer now. I really should update.

 

[Karen Gray]

@Karen Gray I think your current avatar picture on here is lovely. It's bright and colourful and shows you with another of your interests.

Aww thank you. I appreciate that. Made me smile

Bess came last in the class that day. Totally robbed! The judge was old school pro "obese = show condition" Bess is working weight - fit and healthy, all the others were practically rolling round the ring :/ That's the first show she has ever not been champion (also the first where she herself has not been obese - her previous owner couldn't keep the weight off her)

I have a horrible feeling that while she is fit, she won't be placed high until the rules on obesity in the show ring can be sorted.

 

[Karen Gray]

Saffron on the other hand....

 

[Jason Byrne]

Hahaha, but in every picture of your horses I ever see they always look happy as can be. They are truly loved.

 

[Karen Gray]

I think your website is fab Tara, As is Jennifer's, and I'll be cheeky and say Alistair's too *cough cough*

One of the things my mother in law said to me which is a valid point... is that if the author of the website uses odd colours that jar the eye they won't read it. Like green text on black, or even sometimes white text on black, or a really bright background with black text. She just doesn't even attempt to struggle through the site and leaves. I think it's a fair point. We have to remember that we are not making a site for us, we are making a site for out prospective customers x

 

[Karen Gray]

Hahaha, but in every picture of your horses I ever see they always look happy as can be. They are truly loved.

Loved to death. 3 were rescues though one of those dies 2 years ago when his cancer came back, Prima I bred, Bess is just awesomeness incarnate and performed at Bannockburn live last year. She does jousting and I will soon be training her to horseback archery. And Saffron... Saffron is hubby's version of a mobility scooter

 

[Stephen Drake]

They market the authors as 'reclusive' and 'mysterious', and stand back to watch the hype build and the sales roll in

Very slick! And I like that! Nice to know there may be hope for the "shy and retiring" type...like me.

 

[Emurelda]

Very slick! And I like that! Nice to know there may be hope for the "shy and retiring" type...like me.

Same boat. I've done school talks and stuff like that but I'm always nervous.

One student asked me why some pupils are black and I had to think fast that she meant the eyes! For a second I was like 'what the...'?!!