Launch Your Author Website in 7 Steps: a Quick Start Guide

author platform professional writing Oct 18, 2024

A quick start guide to launching your author website, sharing your work, and attracting loyal readers.

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS

Benefits of an author website
How to build an author website: 7 steps
What’s next? Building your author brand beyond the website

Benefits of an author website

Imagine having a space online that’s all yours—a place where readers, publishers, and literary agents can find you and your work with just a few clicks. Your author website helps you stand out and establish your brand. It’s your personal platform where you control the story, share updates, showcase your writing, and amplify your voice in the world of books.

Whether you’re sharing sample chapters, posting blog articles, or simply letting readers know more about your journey as a writer, your website offers endless opportunities to connect.

Here's the best part:

Building your first author website can be a smooth and exciting process, even if you don't have any technical experience in web design or development.
You can launch quickly and easily, by focusing on the essentials, with the freedom to refine and expand over as your writing career grows.
Today’s user-friendly platforms eliminate a lot of the guess work of building a site, often featuring ready-made templates and drag-and-drop page-builders to add images and text to the pages of your site.

In this guide, I will walk you through the essentials of setting up an author website that you can launch in a few days or even in an afternoon.

How to build an author website: 7 steps

I've outlined the following steps to help you build a functional, appealing author website that showcases your work and attracts ideal readers in no time. And remember, your site can always evolve as you grow.

1. Brainstorm a vision for your site.

Before diving into the technical side of things, take a moment to think about what you want your author website to achieve. This step helps you stay focused and ensure that your site grows in the right direction. Ask yourself questions like:

What’s the main purpose of my site? Is it to introduce yourself to readers, collect email subscribers, or eventually sell books or services?
What’s my "minimum viable" version? What are the essential features I need to get the site launched quickly, while still making it useful and engaging?
How will my site grow? How might you expand it over time? Maybe you’ll add a blog, a book sales page, or offer additional services for readers and writers.

By brainstorming a clear vision, you can execute your first version more efficiently and plan for exciting additions in the future.

2. Choose a platform.

Now that you have a vision for your quick-launch and long-term growth, the next step is to select a website-building platform that works for you. There are many user-friendly platforms you can invest in at a range of price points. To narrow down your selection, consider these factors:

Monthly or annual cost
The features you can add to individual site pages
The ease of use

Popular options like Squarespace and Wix are great because they’re intuitive, customizable, and designed for people who aren’t tech experts.

TIP: Choose a platform that allows you to add a basic subscribe form so visitors can join your email list. This is a simple way to start building your reader community. As you gain new subscribers, you can send out updates, writing inspiration, book reviews, or even sneak peeks of your work through a weekly or monthly newsletter.

3. Buy a domain.

Next, you’ll need your own domain name, which is essentially the web address people will use to find your site. Domains are inexpensive, and maintaining one is a great investment in your writing career. Your domain should reflect your author brand and be something you feel good about for the long haul. Many authors use their full names or variations of their names. Consider these examples:

johnmiranda.com
johnmirandabooks.com
johnmirandamysteryauthor.com
cozymysterybooks.com

You could also come up with a separate brand name that conveys a concept or mood. That's actually the idea behind my brand name, StoryBold. I'm the creator behind this brand and the website that showcases it, but the brand name encapsulates everything I do in the world of books: coaching, writing, and course creation.

After brainstorming a few possibilities, make sure the domain name is available, by checking on sites like GoDaddy or Google Domains.

4. Plan your site's core pages.

Your website should have three essential pages to start: Home, About Me, and Contact. Later, you can add more content, such as a blog or sales page for your books and related services.

Home Page introducing you and your writing. Start with a welcome message to your ideal reader and briefly explain what you write and why it matters to you. Address your ideal reader directly, as if you’re speaking one-on-one.
About Me Page diving deeper into your writing journey, your passions, and some fun facts. It's common to draw a blank on what to share about yourself. For this first round, keep it simple and friendly by sharing a bit about what you’re currently reading or which authors inspire you. This approach helps readers connect with you on a personal level, while keeping your page focused on your love for stories.
Contact Page, inviting site visitors to connect. Use a simple form to collect names, emails, and any questions or comments from visitors. This page helps you start building relationships with your readers and growing your fan base.

TIP: Eventually, you may want to set up an email marketing system that stores subscribers' contact info and allows you to send newsletters to your growing list. For now, you can manually collect emails in a document or folder.

5. Build your brand assets.

Besides your written content, you'll need a few visuals to make your site look appealing. Gather the following:

Photos of yourself: A professional headshot works well, but even casual, behind-the-scenes shots can create a personal connection with readers.
Stock Photos: Choose images that fit the mood or ambiance of your writing. These can add visual appeal to your site and attract your ideal readers. You can grab free stock photos from Unsplash, Canva, or Pexels.

TIP: Down the road, you can experiment with more branding elements like specific fonts, colors, and graphics, or even hire a professional brand designer. For now, keep things simple on your site with fonts that are easy to read and a color scheme of two main colors. Canva is a great tool for quick, professional-looking designs.

6. Assemble your site.

Now that you have your content and visuals ready, it’s time to assemble everything on your platform. On each of your site pages, use clear headings and subheadings to break up text into sections, making your site easy to navigate. Add your images, buttons, and—most importantly—your subscribe form to start building your reader base.

TIP: Search the internet for examples of how to structure your webpages, so that you lead site visitors through a logical and engaging experience.

7. Publish your site.

Once you feel satisfied with how Version 1 of your site looks, it’s time to hit PUBLISH! Start by sharing your new site with a few close contacts who can help you check for any last-minute typos or quick opportunities to improve. You could even ask them to test your subscribe form to make sure it works smoothly.

Here's a quick checklist to ensure you've covered the essentials before going live:

Define your vision: Know your site’s purpose (introduce yourself, collect subscribers, sell books, etc.).
Decide on essential features: What’s your "minimum viable" site—what’s needed to launch now, and what can be added later?
Choose a platform: Pick a user-friendly platform like Squarespace or Wix and ensure it supports collecting email addresses for newsletters or updates.
Buy a domain: Choose and secure a domain name that reflects your author brand (e.g., johnmiranda.com).
Write your Home Page: Write a brief intro about yourself, what you write, and a welcome message for readers.
Write your About Me Page: Craft a deeper story about your writing journey, personal fun facts, and what inspires you.
Write your Contact Page: Include a short paragraph inviting site visitors to connect and set up a simple form to collect names, emails, and messages.
Collect brand assets: Gather professional headshots or casual photos and any stock images that fit your style.
Assemble your site: Add content, images, headings, and a subscribe form. Keep it clean and easy to navigate.
Choose basic fonts and colors: Stick to two main colors and readable fonts.
Test your site: Hit PUBLISH and ask friends or family to check for typos, test the subscribe form, and give feedback.
Tweak your site: Make quick improvements based on feedback.

8. Promote your site.

Next, start promoting your site more widely by posting it to social media. This is also a great time to consider creating social media profiles dedicated to your writing, where you can direct even more people to your new author website.

TIP: As you promote your site, keep in mind that site traffic plays a key role in SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The more visitors your site gets, the better your chances of ranking higher in Google, Bing, or other search engine results over time. Encourage people to visit your site by sharing valuable content and engaging with your audience on social media. As you grow, consider optimizing your site with keywords related to your writing genre and using tools like Google Analytics to track traffic—these advanced tactics can help your site gain more visibility and attract even more readers.

What’s next? Building your author brand beyond the website

Launching your author website is a thrilling step in your writing journey. By taking a few simple steps, you can build a powerful platform that connects you with readers, showcases your work, and grows your author brand. From defining your vision and assembling your pages, to promoting your site and attracting visitors, each phase brings you closer to a thriving online presence.

And this is just the beginning! Read my article, "3 Author Website Examples to Inspire Your First (or Updated) Website," and stay tuned for an upcoming article on social media for authors to help you build an engaged community around your writing. Your loyal readership is waiting!

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