Staring at a blank screen, wondering how to create your author website? You're not alone.
Most writers are more afraid of their website than they are of a white page. They've psyched themselves into putting this important part of their writer platform on the backburner, believing it takes coding abilities that they lack. Readers, meanwhile, open Google, search for an author's name, and find nothing. Or, worse, out-of-date social media profiles announcing triumph over their recent bestseller.
The author website myth must die. Now. No coding bootcamps required. No hiring of expensive developers. No endless tutorials on hosting and FTP.
Breathe. By the time you finish this guide, you'll have everything you need to have a professional author website up and live. And by that, I mean today. No "maybe later" excuses or "when I'm less busy" procrastination. Your readers are searching for you today. Let's make sure they find what they're searching for.
This article will guide you through building a professional author website that attracts readers, makes you appear credible, and sells your books… without requiring you to write a single line of code.
Why Have an Author’s Website, Anyway?
Now that I have mentioned that, you should understand that the part your website plays in your author life is quite significant.
Your professional author website platform is the command center of your book writing career. Unlike social media websites where algorithms control who gets to view your updates, your site is yours. Weighing the Pros and Cons, this online home provides readers a direct way of finding your books, knowing your story, and engaging with your writing.
Consider these powerful benefits:
- Complete ownership of your platform with visibility unimpacted by algorithm changes
- Professional reputation that indicates commitment to your profession
- Direct reader connections via newsletter sign-ups and contact forms
- accumulated book data in a single place
- Media and speaking engagements via a professional contact point
Despite the popularity of social media, professionals in the industry—event planners, journalists, and publishers—still require authors to have professional websites. If you're willing to begin, let's now divide the process into simple steps that any writer can apply.
Step 1: Choose Your Website Building Platform
First, select a platform that eliminates technical barriers:
- WordPress.com: Start here if you want maximum flexibility. This powerhouse offers dedicated author themes and powers nearly half the websites online today.
- Wix: Perfect for visual thinkers. Drag elements exactly where you want them and watch your site take shape instantly.
- Squarespace: If beautiful design matters most, Squarespace delivers stunning templates specifically crafted for creative professionals.
So, visit each platform, create a free account, and spend 15 minutes exploring their interfaces. Choose the one that feels most intuitive to you.
The platform you choose is the backbone of your site experience. Consider it like selecting between various kinds of canvas to paint on. Each has its own strengths depending on how comfortable you are and particular requirements. Don't hurry here, since changing platforms down the line can entail recreating your entire site.
Step 2: Select and Customize Your Template
Now for the fun part—finding your site's look and feel:
- Browse template galleries filtering for “author,” “writer,” or “book” designs
- Select a template featuring large cover images and clear navigation
- Customize colors to match your book covers (most platforms offer color-picker tools)
- Upload your high-resolution author photo and book covers
- Replace placeholder text with your own content
Don't overthink this step! Pick a template you like, knowing you can change it later without losing content.
Your template is the blueprint of your website. As overwhelming as it is with hundreds to select from, attempt to pick one that has books prominently displayed. The best author websites are visually simple, so your book covers and your writing can take center stage without cluttered design elements.
When you create your selected template, employ uniform colors and fonts. Restrict yourself to 2-3 colors that are comparable to your book cover, and never use more than 2 font families, one for headings and the other for body. This provides a professional, stable appearance that readers automatically connect with your brand.
Step 3: Create Your Essential Pages
Your site needs these five core pages:
Homepage
Get attention with your new book cover in the forefront. One sentence that defines your genre and writing style is enough. A large call-to-action button that takes you to your new book should be there.
Your home page makes that crucial first impression. Your book cover, if you will—it should immediately convey your genre and style of writing. Fight the urge to clutter this page. Go for a single strong image (generally your most recent book cover) and a tagline that tantalizes.
The most effective author homepages include:
- A prominent newsletter signup form (your most valuable marketing asset)
- A single, clear call-to-action button ("Read Now," "Get the Book," etc.)
- Social proof elements like review quotes or bestseller status
- A brief welcome message in your authentic voice
Books Page
Create individual sections for each book with:
- High-resolution cover image
- Two-paragraph description (avoid full synopsis)
- "Look inside" sample chapter link
- Retailer buttons (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
- Book trailer video (if available)
Your books page is your virtual bookshelf. List books in series or publication order, with your most recent releases first. For each book, emphasize emotional payoff over plot—explain to visitors how your book is going to make them feel.
Include all available formats (ebook, paperback, audiobook) with their respective retailer links. If you write in multiple genres, consider creating separate pages for each category to avoid confusing readers.
About Page
Tell your story in three distinct sections:
- Professional bio (third-person, 200 words)
- Personal connection points (hobbies, pets, location)
- Writing journey highlights
- Include your professional headshot
Your about page is among the most viewed pages of any author site. Your readers are hungry for real connections with the person who wrote their favorite books. Don't shy away from revealing your personality while still keeping professional aspects intact.
Writing and Publishing balance professional credentials with personalizing information. If you're a mystery writer who loves to hike, talk about how trails inspire plot twists. Those kinds of personalizing details build reader rapport that turns browsers into loyal fans..
Contact Page
Add these elements:
- Simple contact form (all platforms offer this feature)
- Email address (consider creating a dedicated author email)
- Links to social profiles with their icons
- Media kit download option
Your contact page makes doors to new possibilities open. Media interviews, public speaking engagements, and joint work proposals often begin through simple contact forms. Make this page frictionless and clean so that it's easy to connect with you.
Think about including some specific dropdown choices to assist in directing inquiries to the proper destination—"Media Request," "Speaking Opportunity," "Reader Question," etc. This addition is beneficial for prioritizing responses and presents a more professional image.
Blog
Start with three posts ready to go:
- Book announcement/excerpt
- Writing process insights
- Personal story connecting to your book themes
Your blog creates thought leadership content and reader relationships between book publishing. Unlike social media status updates that immediately disappear within feeds, blogging content works around the clock to attract new visitors through search engines.
Do not stress about having a strict posting schedule. Quality, not quantity—a thought a month is more useful to you than rushed posts every week. Write post tips, research tips with books, or peeks into your writing process. These give readers a sense of
Step 4: Add Advanced Features Without Technical Headaches
You don't need to be a coder to enhance your basic website with powerful tools. The tools transform your static web page into an interactive marketing machine that works even while you sleep.
Email Newsletter Signup
- Create a free Mailchimp account
- Find your platform's "embed form" tool
- Copy your Mailchimp form code
- Paste into your platform's form widget
- Offer a free chapter or exclusive content as signup incentive
Your email list enables you to speak directly to your most interested readers. Unlike social networks where your audience only sees half of what you post, email places your message in reader inboxes.
Place your signup form in the center of your home page and at the end of your blog posts. Encourage signups by offering a good incentive—a brief, free story, character conversations, or advance chapters of the upcoming book. Clearly state how frequently subscribers can anticipate hearing from you and what they will benefit.
Calendar of Events
- Locate your platform's calendar widget
- Add upcoming book signings, release dates, or speaking engagements
- Include location details and registration links
An events calendar is a sign of professional activity and generates several touchpoints with readers. Even if you're only holding a few events, listing them in calendar format is visually engaging reading and allows readers to plan to meet you in person.
For web events, include time zone details and registration links directly. For live events, include map directions where feasible. Refresh this section monthly, eliminating past events in a timely manner to project an active, current image.
Social Media Integration
- Find your platform's social feed widget
- Connect your accounts through the provided authentication
- Select display options (number of posts, layout style)
- Position on your homepage or dedicated social page
Social integration brings a dynamic feel to your website while pushing traffic towards your social websites. All website builders offer simple widgets that display your latest updates on our Authors on Mission podcasts, instagram and other social channels without the need for technical know-how.
Opt for an integration that complements and not clutter your site design. Display no more than 3-4 new updates, preferably displaying varied kinds of content (images, quotes, links). The variation speaks volumes about your presence without overwhelming visitors.
Step 5: Mobile-Proof Your Design
More than half your visitors will view your site on phones. Ensuring mobile-friendly design isn't optional—it's essential for reaching today's readers where they browse most often.
- Access your platform's mobile preview feature
- Check each page on different device sizes
- Verify text is readable without zooming
- Confirm navigation menus work on small screens
- Test all buttons are large enough for finger taps
The mobile experience can make or break reader relationships. Even beautiful desktop designs are a failure if they're not usable on mobile phones. Most modern website platforms natively optimize your design for mobile viewing, but always review the result yourself.
Take particular care with navigation menus, button sizes, and the readability of text. Simplify complicated layouts on small screens, and make book cover images scale appropriately. Test contact forms and newsletter signups on mobile to make sure they function perfectly.
Step 6: Pre-Launch Checklist
Before revealing your site to the world, run through this comprehensive quality check:
- Check all text for spelling/grammar errors
- Verify every link works correctly
- Test contact forms by sending yourself a message
- Confirm book purchase links go to correct retailers
- Have a friend review on their device
- Check page load speeds (under 3 seconds is ideal)
First impressions matter tremendously. Technical errors or broken links signal unprofessionalism and may discourage readers from exploring your books. This final review ensures your website functions flawlessly across all devices.
Pay particular attention to book purchase links—these directly impact your sales. Click through each one to confirm they lead to the correct retailer pages. For international readers, consider including universal book links that automatically direct visitors to their country's book retailers.
Step 7: Simple Maintenance Plan
Launching your site represents the beginning—not the end—of your website journey. Maintaining fresh content signals to both readers and search engines that you're actively engaged in your writing career.
Keep your site fresh with this minimal effort plan:
- Schedule 30 minutes monthly for quick updates
- Add new reviews as they come in
- Post one blog entry monthly (even short ones count)
- Update your events calendar quarterly
- Check all retailer links still work after each update
Websites do not need huge time commitments. Little and often is preferable to occasional overhauls. Schedule regular calendar time for this activity and treat it as a non-negotiable part of your author business, rather than an optional extra. Consider implementing a simple maintenance schedule in the planning system of your choice. This prevents essential updates from falling through the cracks when things become busy with writing sprints or book releases. Remember, a stale website is worse than no website at all, so regular content keeps your professional commitment on display.
Conclusion
Look around right now. How many author websites have you visited today? That's the power of owning your digital space. Constant availability, seamless connection, and complete control over your author brand.
No more hiding behind social media algorithms. No more missed opportunities from readers who couldn't find your books. No more waiting for "someday" to show up with perfect technical skills. Your website awaits—and with it, every reader who's hungry for your next story.
The question isn't if or not you'll create your site, but when you'll stake your claim on the web. Keep in mind: every day that goes by without an author website is a day of lost readers, credibility, and opportunity. The good news? You have everything necessary to reverse that right now.
Stop reading. Start creating.Your author career deserves nothing less.
Head to https://www.authorsonmission.com/call to schedule your strategic consultation with our team, and learn how to transform your author website into a powerful book marketing platform with professional book marketing services
