What works in an author website?

[Marc Joan]

I hope to make a writerly website at some point over the next six months. In preparation for this, I am seeking inspiration in that I am looking for examples of author websites that really 'work', whatever that means (and it may well mean slightly different things to different people and indeed to different authors). Can anybody point me to author websites that, for whatever reason, they really like?

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Do you intend to create a website for your writing that is separate and different in content and appearance to your blog? Many writers combine the two.

Well-established authors have slickly designed websites, with the work done for them. I like sites that have variety, and where the author isn't afraid of revealing things about their life and influences.

Three thriller writers, who I admire, have professional-looking websites that are entertaining to browse and give one a sense of the person behind the writing. It's easy to see the branding that's been done to make their books recognisable.

Michael Connelly: MichaelConnelly.com

John Connolly: John Connolly

Harry Bingham: Meet Harry Bingham

If you don't know him, Harry Bingham founded The Writers' Workshop, which is one of the most honest sources of help for authors.

 

[Marc Joan]

Thanks. I was thinking about just a website, and adding a blog to it later if it's really necessary [a blog is not something I particularly want or have the time to do, tbh].

Really, I think the function would just be to list and provide extracts from published stories, for the edification and seduction of agents, anthology compilers and the like (look, I can dream, can't I?)

 

[KG Christopher]

Hi Marc, I am in the same process at the moment, near enough exactly as you say. I haven't got anything near finished yet, but have a look here, I shall be updating it over the next month.
www.kgchristopher.com

 

[Marc Joan]

Hi Marc, I am in the same process at the moment, near enough exactly as you say. I haven't got anything near finished yet, but have a look here, I shall be updating it over the next month.
www.kgchristopher.com

Very nice! Looks smooth, sophisticated and professional. I went straight for the 'blabbering' of course.

 

[J. Rook]

Do you intend to create a website for your writing that is separate and different in content and appearance to your blog? Many writers
If you don't know him, Harry Bingham founded The Writers' Workshop, which is one of the most honest sources of help for authors.

Very nice websites. Have you any idea about who designed them?

 

[J. Rook]

I hope to make a writerly website at some point over the next six months. In preparation for this, I am seeking inspiration in that I am looking for examples of author websites that really 'work', whatever that means (and it may well mean slightly different things to different people and indeed to different authors). Can anybody point me to author websites that, for whatever reason, they really like?

I have been considering a website. I have enough books to feature, although I don't have a great number of interesting snapshots of my life - don't know why. If I did, I would pay a website designer to put it together for me.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Very nice websites. Have you any idea about who designed them?

Website designers usually put their name and contact details somewhere at the bottom of the home page.

Right-clicking on Michael Connelly's site creator Jane Davis took me to her email address. I Googled her name and found another Jane Davis, who I don't think designs websites as hers is by an outfit called Curved House. It's worth a look as it has a clean layout, with an active blog component:

Jane Davis • Author of Half-truths and White Lies, I Stopped Time and more…

John Connolly's slick website is curiously lacking a named designer, but a look at his publisher Simon & Schuster's profile of him is a good example of how book companies can help to promote their writer, with videos relating to his work.

Harry Bingham used Arnie Design in Oxfordshire.

 

[J. Rook]

Website designers usually put their name and contact details somewhere at the bottom of the home page.
Harry Bingham used Arnie Design in Oxfordshire.

Thank you very much.

 

[James Marinero]

It's de rigeur now to have a 'responsive' design. You see the difference if you look at @KG Christopher, Bingham and Michael Connelly - all responsive, c.f. John Connolly or mine (non-responsive). Responsive sites re-size to suit the frame you are viewing through - PC window, tablet, smartphone. I'm about to embark on a major upgrade to responsive (I have a complex, old site). DIY, probably Wordpress (as @KG Christopher , Bingham).

If you have a modicum of tech ability you should be able to handle Wordpress. There are plenty of Wordpress themes available for authors/writers and @Paul Whybrow made the distinction. Check out these themes (they are not all responsive):

80+ WordPress Themes for Writers and Authors 2015

Best Free WordPress Themes for Writers

Changing colours is a doddle with a theme. Finally, always better to avoid free themes as support is not guaranteed (I know, companies go bust too).

@Karen Gray used Wix and I know others here do as well.

I've got no affiliations to the above, although I have used nimbus for clients (with my other hat on).

But to answer the question 'what works' you need to think about what you want to achieve - online presence, book sales, showcasing etc. Then find the kind of authors/writers that fit the bill for you and analyse their sites. Using other writers for inspiration is what we do, right?

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Marc Joan]

Thanks. Interesting point about avoiding free themes - until you said that I was limiting my search to freebies.

Have found a number of themes which I like the look of, but none which exactly match what I had in mind; namely, a home page that has a 3 line statement (who I am, what I write), beneath which is a bibliography of published stories. Each story in the bibliography has a link to its opening paragraph on a second page 'Extracts'; and on this page, each extract has a link to the magazine that published the story. A third page holds a contact form. That's it. The object is purely to get links to / examples of all my published stuff in one place so that agents / editors can find it easily if they are interested. I've found some themes which are close, but not exactly as above -- having not done this before, I am not sure how easy it is to customise themes according to what you want.

 

[James Marinero]

@Marc Joan Themes can be customised, but there are limits unless you are a nerd (IT as opposed to literary ). Generally, for a paid theme the supplier will often give an indication of what can be customised, before you buy - and you can always ask.

There are plenty of people who will do the work e.g. on Upwork.com at a reasonable cost.

From what you say it seems that it's a writer's theme, as opposed to author's theme that you need. Your requirement seems straightforward. The bibliography on the home page would just be a series of posts as you require, linking to the full post.

I have several wordpress sites but my author blog is on blogger jamesmarinero.blogspot.com - blogger is free and there is plenty of flexibility and a huge range of themes. Easy to set up - why not set up a test blog and play around with the themes and layout options? Sorry, I should have mentioned blogger yesterday. It's run by google (which may turn you off) but def worth a look. It's about as simple as it gets. However, the domain (blogspot.com) is Google's - not your own. I'm moving everything (website and blog) to Wordpress later this year.

 

[Brian Clegg]

It's also worth noting a couple of websites that are excellent examples of how NOT to do an author website, even if you are a big name. So try not to look like:

• George R. R. Martin - www.georgerrmartin.com - far too busy and quainte for my liking
• Suzanne Collins - www.suzannecollinsbooks.com - yes, she of the Hunger Games with possibly the worst author website ever. Perhaps put together by her nephew.

My biggest piece of advice is grab a good URL while you can - you don't need a site to have one, but grabbing it early can pay off. I was too late to get brianclegg.com or brianclegg.co.uk - I had to make do with www.brianclegg.net (though as I site I'm quite pleased with it).

Second piece of advice is think through what you want to do with it - what's it for as far as you are concerned?

 

[Marc Joan]

It's also worth noting a couple of websites that are excellent examples of how NOT to do an author website, even if you are a big name. So try not to look like:

• George R. R. Martin - www.georgerrmartin.com - far too busy and quainte for my liking
• Suzanne Collins - www.suzannecollinsbooks.com - yes, she of the Hunger Games with possibly the worst author website ever. Perhaps put together by her nephew.

My biggest piece of advice is grab a good URL while you can - you don't need a site to have one, but grabbing it early can pay off. I was too late to get brianclegg.com or brianclegg.co.uk - I had to make do with www.brianclegg.net (though as I site I'm quite pleased with it).

Second piece of advice is think through what you want to do with it - what's it for as far as you are concerned?

Yup, you're right about noting what's bad and trying not to repeat their mistakes. Collins - hideous. Re what the website's for: as I said above, it's just to have my bibliography, excerpts and locations of the complete stories -- and my contact details --all together in one easily accessible place, so that if anthology compilers, agents, Fairy Godmothers etc read one of my pieces in a lit mag and want to see more, they can easily find more.

 

[Marc Joan]

This one looks nice and simple. Maybe a little too simple?
http://themeforest.net/item/readme-a-readable-wordpress-theme/9167043?ref=wpexplorer

 

[Richard Turner]

Do you intend to create a website for your writing that is separate and different in content and appearance to your blog? Many writers combine the two.

Well-established authors have slickly designed websites, with the work done for them. I like sites that have variety, and where the author isn't afraid of revealing things about their life and influences.

Three thriller writers, who I admire, have professional-looking websites that are entertaining to browse and give one a sense of the person behind the writing. It's easy to see the branding that's been done to make their books recognisable.

Michael Connelly: MichaelConnelly.com

John Connolly: John Connolly

Harry Bingham: Meet Harry Bingham

If you don't know him, Harry Bingham founded The Writers' Workshop, which is one of the most honest sources of help for authors.

Totally off subject but I'm intrigued by the names: two Connolleys (though different spellings) two Harrys, and three names lifted directly from history: Hieronimus Bosch, Charlie Parker and Samuel Johnson. I would love to know what those three would talk about if they met!