This post’s question is from @morganmurdick_author on Instagram:
I was wondering how long it was before publishing your book when you launched your author site?
This question has a short answer and a long answer. I will give the short answer here and save the long answer for another blog.
Author Sites: Do I need one (if so, when)?
Every writer who plans to be published (indie or traditional) needs to have an author site. There is a great debate as to whether it is necessary or not. From my professional experience as a media communicator and an author, I say yes. You need it.
Don’t think of the author site as an eCommerce site. That’s not what it’s only about. Of course you want to sell your books through it, but that shouldn’t be it’s main function. Let your author site serve as your writing portfolio. This is where you will showcase your talent and who you are as a writer. You want people to know the mastermind behind the stories. Showcase it with your own, personal site!
Now, when you need the site:
Honestly, I would create your site as soon as possible. Why? Many reasons.
1. Get used to the platform.
If you are planning to create the site yourself, definitely start sooner than later. You are going to want to learn the ins and outs of the site before you start showcasing it to the public.
It’s easy to make a site, but it’s hard to make one that works.
What does that mean? It means a lot more goes into a site than meets the eye. You want a professional, branded site. That takes time and thought. (I will write another post that dives more into site creation.)
2. Contact Opportunities
You never know if there’s an agent or publisher on the prowl, hungry for young stories. A website is a professional way of saying to them, “Hey, I’m a writer. Check out my stuff”. They will be able to see what you are doing, learn more about you, and potentially contact you if interested. (This also doesn’t only mean publishers. It could also mean other writers/authors who are looking for connections!)
3. Showcase
This was kinda the point I made before the points, but it’s important so I’m going to say it again. Use your site as your portfolio. Show off what you can do! Get users pumped and excited that you are writing a story. Give them sneak peeks that you couldn’t do over social media. Do whatever you can for further engagement and traffic to your site.
These are three reasons as to why you need a website early, but there are plenty more! If you don’t know what to put on your site or how to make it do not fret! I am a professional Media Communicator. Meaning, I know the ins and outs of CMS site creation! I will write another blog to help you out.
If you have a question, just let me know and I will be glad to answer!
Happy writing!