Q: Do you need an author website?
A: You betcha.
Awesome Author Site Tip #1: Yes, you should have a website. You probably don’t need convincing on this point, but I’m going to state three reasons why you need an author website.
They may not be the reasons you think:
- To be found
- To become “real”
- To control the message
To be found
You would think this one wouldn’t need to be stated, but it does. You need a website so that you and your books can be found. How many people are trying to be writers right now? –a very big number. How many books are being published and vying for readership right now? –another very big number. With some notable exceptions (J.K. Rowling, anyone?), publishers are allocating smaller and smaller budgets to promotion. It’s often left to the writers to do for themselves.
To become “real”
This reason may seem rather existential, perhaps even self-indulgent, or silly, but never mind. It’s a valid reason for having a website because, these days, if you don’t have a virtual identity, people harbor suspicions about your face-to-face (or bricks-and-mortar) identity.
Case in point: I have a friend who runs his own very high-end contracting business. He’s got a storefront with professional lettering on the glass. He has business cards and a logo. He has office and phone support and a crew of able guys and gals. He has trucks. But he does not (yet) have a website. Which means, to some potential clients, that he is not quite “real.”
To control the message
As an author you have very little control over your books once you sign the contract. Your title, flap copy, and cover art all could and probably will undergo some substantial change at the behest of your publisher. You won’t have control over your blurbs, your reviews, or the word-of-mouth on your books. But you do have control of what your own site says about you. At least, you will if you have a website!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great stuff, Lisa!
I think there are three ways your second point can go. The first, you’ve covered excellently. The second is that you become a real person that people can connect with rather than “an author” – many readers actually like to connect with the writing person and what she’s up to rather than the “author.” The third way is that you become a more real writer by writing for a medium that’s (perhaps) different than the one you normally write in. Simply put: you do more writing, which makes you more real as a writer. Yes, it’s my whole “become by doing” principle rearing it’s ugly head again.
I recognize that it’s possible to have a website while not writing for that website, but I think it’d be somewhat of a shame to be so talented with the written word but defer such things to someone else. No voice sounds like our own. But then I think about how hard of a time I have writing about myself and wonder whether I best be quiet on pain of inconsistency.
Glad to see you’re writing more.
Thanks, Charlie! Always nice to see you here.
Your point on #2 is excellent. I had meant to expand on that (and on the whole series, which exists in draft but hasn’t all made it out onto the blog just yet).
I like this:
That’s going to become the basis of a larger conversation. In the fullness of time, of course. ; )
Ack! The dreaded “it’s” vs. “its” struck me. I hate that, especially after being reminded that “sloppy errors make me look bad” by George on a post last week. That is it, I am fired from using contractions. (Actually, that last sentence just doesn’t sound right, so I’m hired again. Just will have to be careful.)
But, the reason I came back is because I have a statement and a question:
1) I’ve always loved your footer “Powered by dark chocolate, Diet Coke, and WordPress.” Makes me chuckle every time – you’re so cool.
2) Where are you wanting to take this blog? I’d like to hear your thoughts on why you started and killed Creative Encouragement. Maybe those are coming already and I’m just being a pain, but inquiring minds wanna know! :p
See my latest post… wherein I start to answer your question….