Tag: Author Websites

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

‘Tis the Season of Thankfulness

lighter look at a writer's life

Even though Christmas items have been up in stores for what seems like forever, ’tis the season of . . . thankfulness! Lest we skip over Thanksgiving for the season of holly, mistletoe, and Christmas nougats (my favorite), I decided to make a list of reasons writers need to be thankful. So, here’s the list, and feel free to check it twice (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).

1. Writers can be thankful for the gift and talent of writing.

Some people are talented at singing, while others are gifted in working with their hands, like woodworking, mechanical tasks. Those are worthwhile things, but God made writers a special breed, wired to share His story on the page. It’s a wondrous gift and a serious responsibility.

2. Writers can be thankful for technology.

Even though it drives us absolutely CRAZY sometimes, technology makes writing easier in this day and age. Personally, I’m thankful I don’t have to fire up an oil lamp, write everything out in longhand, and then “snail-mail” huge manuscripts to prospective publishers. I’ve been a teacher so long that you probably could not read my handwriting anyway.

3. Writers can be thankful for websites like this one.

With a few clicks, we can get top-notch instruction on everything from where the commas go to how to write travel pieces. Speaking of commas, we can even read endless debates about whether to Oxford comma or not (For the record, I am firmly in the Team Oxford Camp).

4. Writers can be thankful for other writers.

I don’t know about you, but I found my “tribe” or “squad” or whatever you want to call it through writing. Our fellowship is unique, as we relate to the struggles, commiserate the rejections, and celebrate the successes. Bonus thankfulness for writers conferences, where we gather to consume caffeine while we are talking, laughing, and eating way too many sweets. Oh, yeah, we also take classes and discuss writing (most of the time . . . well, some of the time . . . well . . . ).

5. Writers can be thankful for readers.

Where would we writers be without our readers? You are the reason we do what we do. Your support and feedback are invaluable

Now you know my thankful list—what’s on yours?

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

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The Intentional Writer

Does Your Website Homepage Answer These 5 Questions?

The intentional writer

A homepage is like the lobby of your personal office building. When a visitor arrives at an office lobby, we want to do several things, including:

  • Make them welcome
  • Let them know if they’ve come to the right place
  • Let them know how to find what they need once they step inside.

The same goes for our homepage.

Many websites have a chatty homepage with some form of welcome from the writer. Something like: Hello, I’m Lisa. Welcome to my website, where I talk about…

While this approach is certainly welcoming, it’s not ideal. Because although your website URL may be your name, your website is primarily not about YOU, it’s about WHAT YOU OFFER—your products, ministry, and the solutions you provide for web visitors in need of hope, healing, encouragement, and positive entertainment.

Why does this matter?

  • Most visitors to your homepage have come looking for something. If they don’t find what they want they’ll try the next address on their search list.
  • You have only a few seconds to hook a visitor. If you don’t capture their attention immediately, they’ll move on.
  • If you don’t make it clear what your site is about, people who really need what you have to say may not realize it and leave before they get to your wonderful content.

In order to create a homepage that captures the interest of your target audience and guides them to your wonderful content that can help them, consider the following questions:

1.      Can a visitor get an inkling of what your site is about in a quick glance at your homepage?  

Or do they see nothing but some pretty photos and a bit of vague text? Your tagline, logo, header image, font choices, and other design details all tell visitors something about what kind of site they’ve landed on. Are you giving them a clear message, or do these details obscure the real personality and purpose of your brand and your message?

Examples: A quick look at these four very different writer sites gives you a pretty good idea of the kind of thing they write.

Don’t despair if you don’t have the finances to make your site look as awesome as these ones. A simple site design can be just as effective. Do all you can to make design choices that give a clear message about the personality and purpose of your site.

2.      Who is this site for?

Who is most likely to need what you have to offer? The more precisely you describe who you are aiming to help, the more likely they are to stay long enough to read what your site is about. Is your target audience young moms? People struggling to lose weight? Sports fans who love mysteries? People who wonder if God still exists? Whoever you write for, make that clear on your homepage.

3.      What does my site offer?

People visit the web because they looking for something. They have a problem and they’re looking for a solution. You might have what they’re looking for, but do they know that by looking at your homepage?  Do you make it clear what kinds of products and solutions you offer?  

The Serious Writer homepage is a good example. The design is quite simple, but one glance at the header tells you exactly what they are about, and the text beside the photo describes who their intended audience is.

4.      Is my site easy to read and navigate?

How readable is your text? Flowing script fonts may look beautiful, but they tend to be hard to read. Use them sparingly. Also watch out for small font sizes and insufficient contrast between text and background. The majority of visitors are looking at your site on their phones. If they can’t read your text, your message is worthless.

Likewise, your menu should clearly show where a visitor can click to find that they want. Make sure the commonly sought parts of your page (About, Contact, Books/Products, Blog) are clearly labeled and easy to find.  

5.      What do I want them to do next?

Someone has come to your homepage. They fit your target audience. They like what you say you can do for them. Great!

Now what?

You could let them click around on the menu to see what’s available, but a great homepage points visitors to your best content with an obvious call to action.

What are the one (or two) primary actions you want them to take?

Do you want them to buy your new book? Sign up for your newsletter? Take your quiz? Try your free webinar?

Guide visitors to that next step with simple text and compelling images.

Your turn

What can you do to improve your homepage? Choose one of the questions above and figure out how you can make your homepage even better.

Lisa E Betz

An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Her second novel, Fountains and Secrets released January 2022, from Redemption Press.

Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa sorts book donations at the library, directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes.

In addition to writing novels, Lisa blogs about living with authenticity and purpose. Visit her website: Quietly Unconventional. Or visit her social media: Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads.

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Guest Posts

Should You Have an Author Website Before Publishing?

Guest posts

Websites are part and parcel of the modern professional lifestyle. This is especially true for anyone working on their own, whether they’re a contractor, an entrepreneur …or an author.

An author website gives you an online presence for your professional pursuits. It also serves as a central location for your online activity. 

The question is, do you need a website before you even get published? The short answer is yes. Here are a few of the reasons why.

A Website Sets the Tone

First and foremost, a website gives you direction, entrepreneurially speaking. Remember, just because you can write doesn’t mean you’ll automatically become a published author. You also need to spend time honing the business side of the operation — and that starts with a solid website.

An author website gives you a chance to set the tone for who you are to the rest of the reading world. It provides purpose and gives your personal brand a clear identity. 

With that in mind, don’t just cobble together anything and let it sit up on the web unattended to. Make sure that your website is a strong representation of who you are. Let it serve as ground zero for your online identity. 

This is why it’s often recommended that you self-host your website. While you don’t need to pour endless funds into creating an online masterpiece, owning your content is an integral part of maintaining full influence and control over your online persona.

That said, if you can’t afford to self-host for now, you can always start with a free service. Just make plans to migrate to your own site as soon as you can afford it.

A Website is Functional

Along with defining your personal brand, a website is also an extremely functional piece of your authorial collateral. It can help with numerous logistical elements on the business side of the equation.

Remember, your author website is, in effect, a website for your personal business. Since it’s your business website, you want to be sure that you make it the right way.

The good news is that, at least at first, you primarily need your site for information. In other words, you aren’t running a complex e-commerce store. Instead, make sure to include other critical pieces of information, like an “About Me” page, a “Contact Me” page, and a blog.

A good, serviceable website can help you look more professional. It can also be a great way to attract the eye of an agent or impress a publisher down the road.

A Website is Marketing

A website can also be a great way to market yourself. This applies to everything from your site’s URL to your blog and email lists.

For instance, you can use a blog to attract the attention of the kind of readers that you’re writing for. If the idea of coming up with even more content for a blog sounds overwhelming, don’t get discouraged. You can add to a blog occasionally with short update posts and can even manage your blog from your phone using apps like Evernote and Grammarly.

Other elements, like an email list, run themselves. All you have to do is set up a sign-up form on your home page and let the emails come rolling in. The best part is that many email providers allow small entrepreneurs to have free email lists until they reach a certain threshold. This means you can accumulate emails from followers and you won’t have to pay until you actually have some momentum.

Setting the Stage for Future Success

At the end of the day, creating an author website after you’ve achieved success is akin to putting the cart before the horse. It isn’t going to help you get anywhere.

Instead, take the time to create a modest (i.e. not too expensive or large-scale) website that can serve as your base of operations as you launch your authoring career.

So, take some time to consider your options. Will you go for a self-hosting site right off the bat or will you start with something free? How will you make sure your site is accessible to the people who need to access it? What will your voice, tone, color scheme, and overall personal brand look like?

Once you’ve answered these questions, get to work on your site in the name of a successful, published future.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for dynamic content. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for August 14, 21 & 28

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Why Writers Need a Website with Rhonda Dragomir, Joshua J. Masters, and Matthew Brough

Why do writers need a website? Our fantastic trio can count the reasons. Learn from those who’ve gone before as Rhonda, Josh, and Matt give us the top nine reasons why writers need websites.

Watch the August 14th replay.

Need inspiration for your own website? Find your source from the Show Notes and Live Chat discussion.

Show Notes and Live Chat link:

About Our Guests

Rhonda Dragomir is a graduate of Asbury University with a degree in Social Work, she is also a pastor’s wife and Bible teacher. Rhonda is an award-winning writer, with published works in Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies and Spark magazine.

Joshua J. Masters is a pastor, author, and speaker. He was featured on CBN, HIS Radio, the Light Radio Network, and One Christian Voice. He was also involved in the production of over a dozen films as director, crew member, and a SAG-AFTRA actor. You can connect with Joshua at: www.joshuajmasters.com

Matthew Brough has pastored Canadian congregations in the Presbyterian Church for over 13 years and currently serves Prairie Presbyterian Church in Winnipeg, MB. He has church planted, and worked in youth and young adult ministry for many years. Matthew is the author of a fantasy adventure book series for ages eight and up. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife, Cheryl, and their daughter, Juliet.

Website Wizardry & WordPress with Joshua J. Masters and Rhonda Dragomir

Joshua J. Masters and Rhonda Dragomir return with part 2 of their website series to show us the basics of website planning. Learn about domain names, hosting platforms, SSL certificates, the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, and much more!

Check out the August 21st replay.

For a list of hosting platforms and helpful website tools, go to the Show Notes and Live Chat Links.

Show Notes and Live Chat Link:

Sticky Statements with Jean Wise

Are you familiar with the term “sticky statements”? If like me, it had you scratching your head, perplexed, then you’ve come to the right place. Our very own, Jean Wise, expounds on what sticky statements are, and how they can transform our writing.

Watch the August 28th replay.

For sources to help you with your own sticky statements, see our Show Notes and Live Chat Links.

Show Notes and Live Chat Link:

Jean Wise is a freelance writer, speaker, retreat leader and spiritual director. She is a contributing author of devotions for six compilations published by Barbour, plus the solo author for Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room, an Advent devotion (Barbour Books, 2014). She has published numerous magazine articles in magazines such as the Lutheran, Christian Communicator and public health journals.

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link.

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming, then we open up
the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

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Publicity

Why every author needs to build a strong website – Part 1

Do you need a website as an author? Let’s think about this for just a moment. In this day and age when you are curious about something don’t you resort to Googling it? The internet has dramatically changed how you research something you are interested in. What happens when someone types in your name to see if you are a Christian author? What’s the first thing they see in the search results?

I challenge you to Google yourself if you are not sure of this yet. You may be surprised by the results! Articles you haven’t thought about in months, perhaps years. The page your publisher put up that perhaps you don’t love the copy from? What does your Google search show about yourself?

An author’s website is a critical tool that is a central platform for many items that can not only help you build your brand but also to sell your books. However, a poorly constructed or “unplugged” website can also do detriment to your brand. Having worked with many publishers I can tell you that when a publishing house is looking at signing you one factor is your potential market. An author with a solid website that is socially integrated and has followers is a major bonus for a publisher or agent. This means you will be easier to market and therefore they are taking less of a chance in signing your book.

How do you get a great website? Well, first let me just say that not all websites are equal and they don’t always have to cost a fortune to be effective. I have personally run across people that prey upon authors to get “quick cash” by being webmasters that do very little or designers with price tags that cost into the $1500-$2000 range. These are more likely than not never going to make your ROI (return of investment) back. Also places that charge like that are more likely to require you to go through them for every single small change will only add onto that price tag.

Here are some tips on avoiding being put in a negative situation when having your website built:

  • Make sure you have control – With all of my authors I make sure that when my group builds a site that my business doesn’t own any of the domains or hostings. This is all done in the clients name. This protects you in the event something ever happened to the vendor. If you legally own the domain and hosting directly then you can always get someone to fix it. When someone else owns the hosting you could be left in the dark if your vendor disappears.
  • Create a site you can update/post from on your own – All the templates we use we teach authors to use. The reason for this is simple. If you want to change a color of a certain text or add a new post you are not stuck waiting for the webmaster to do it.
  • Make sure the vendor offers support – You wouldn’t buy a brand new car without the warranty would you? Make sure the vendor is able to offer support for everyday issues without too much fuss.

In my next post I will cover self-hosting on your own and the benefits of WordPress as a hosting platform for your website. If you have questions or would like a free assessment of your website please contact me at www.Meetme.so/MeaghanBurnett.