Do you need an author website, or can you save it for later? The following questions and answers will help you decide if you should save your time and money…

 THE Q&A TO HELP YOU DECIDE IF YOU NEED AN AUTHOR WEBSITE?

A lot of websites were built as part of creating an author platform and we’ve had many aspiring authors ask: ‘Do I need an author website.’

So, just like we did for those deciding to build an author platform, see if the following questions resonate with you as we supply the simple yes and no responses to help you decide if you need an author website. You might surprise yourself.

Ready?

WILL I NEED AN AUTHOR WEBSITE IF I’M ONLY GOING TO WRITE THE ONE BOOK?

No. You don’t need one.

WHAT IF I’M PUBLISHING A MEMOIR TO SHARE WITH MY FAMILY?

No. Unless you’re Stephen King who wrote an amazing memoir about writing!

I’M PUBLISHING A BOOK JUST FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS,  INCLUDING MY WORK FRIENDS AND CLUBS? DO I NEED ONE?

No. But throw a great publishing party, invite everyone, and have cake.

I WANT TO GAIN THE ATTENTION OF A PUBLISHER?

Heck-yeah, hon, you’ll need an author website!

I WANT STRANGERS TO BUY MY BOOKS. HOW WILL THEY FIND ME?

Your author website can help readers find you as it’s a big part of your author platform.

I ALSO WANT MEDIA PEOPLE (JOURNALISTS, PODCASTERS ETC) TO FIND ME AND TALK ABOUT MY BOOK?

Consider adding a media page, or at the least a media kit to your website to share the details about you and your book.

I’M ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH MY MANUSCRIPT, DO I NEED TO BOTHER BUILDING A SITE?

That depends is you are going to publish your manuscript? If not — then no, you don’t need to bother.

But, if you are going to turn this into a career, your smartest move would be to build your author platform today.

Unless you are choosing to play a game of hide-forever from your readers, you will need an author website… Click To Tweet

WHY DO I NEED AN AUTHOR WEBSITE?

Unless you are planning to play a game of hide-forever from your readers, you will need an author website.

Websites have come a long way and are being created daily for farmers, politicians, influencers, bakers, hairdressers, even a set of dogs chasing a rainbow has a website. Warning, don’t go there. It’s a few seconds of your life you’ll never get back.

Anyway, if you want to survive The Office Staring site, be a part of this digital age and invest in your future with your very own author website.

IS AN AUTHOR WEBSITE REALLY NECESSARY?

YES! An author’s website is your online business card to the world. It’s the HEART of your author platform.

Your author’s website is the only piece of cyber turf you will ever own. You don’t own social media sites like Facebook. You’re only there as a guest, subject to their T&Cs while they try to sell you advertising space. But hey, follow us while you’re over there.

Oh, and owning your website is really the only place that will shout your author’s name while saying “Buy My Book!” and not have it labelled as spam.

Pst, when your website is new, it enters the ghost-town phase. No one will see it because you’ll need to build up some sort of cyberspace street-cred to be considered legitimate! And that takes time… You can read more about that here.

If you want to be serious about your author career, consider the website a necessity. It’ll be that prime piece of real estate where everyone on the planet can find you!

Which is kinda scary when it’s said like that.

Did you know that your author's website is the only piece of cyber turf you will own… Click To Tweet

HAVING AN AUTHOR’S WEBSITE ISN’T SCARY! IS IT?

Before you break out the onesie to binge on the latest mini-series, please understand why having an author website is important…

With no author website in your name, you could miss out on all those amazing readers. Potential publishers, journalists, and book agents will always snoop on your website first before they contact you. So having a polished site shows those visitors that you’re the real deal, and that you are serious about your author career.

As an FYI, those people who visit are there to learn more about that author. You.

So consider your website as an investment in your career, and one you should build soon(ish), like today.