This month-long series of blog posts will explain author websites and offer tips and writing strategies for an effective author website. It alternates between a day of technical information and a day of writing content. By the end of the month, you should have a basic author website up and functioning. The Table of Contents lists the topics, but individual posts will not go live until the date listed. The Author Website Resource Page offers links to tools, services, software and more.
Calling All Grammar Witches: Beta Readers for Your Site
You’re just days away from launching your new and improved Author Website. Now’s the time to proofread, test links and make sure everything is working! Recruit friends (and enemies?) to click around and make sure the site works.
- Links. Click on every single link to make sure it works.
- Grammar and Spelling. Grammar Witches, i love you. I’ll do everything you tell me to do.
- Photos. Add photos to every page, because it makes it more appealing.
- Tweak posts. OK, you’re a writer. You will be tweaking every single post. Just don’t stress out over this; write the best you can and let it go.
Fix everything that is reported to you. Make sure everything is in order for launch.
Including a photo on every page is a very good point. Not only for the visual stimulation it adds, but also, if someone wants to link to the page on Pinterest it’s required.
James–Yes, for Pinterest, but also for FB and other social media, a photo helps a lot. In fact, I think it’s almost a required skill these days to be able to do basic photo-editing.
Darcy
I recommend GIMP http://www.gimp.org freeware for photoshop tasks. Also, to find original free photos to use, try compfight.com – it’s a Flickr search tool & has a creative commons filter. Thanks for the great article series!
This is great stuff for writers–i intend this summer to delve into your suggestions more and to improve my own web presence. I use the Authors Guild templates but I want to add to what I’m doing. I’m sending this link to our local SCBWI group. I think several will find your ideas helpful. You continue to amaze me with both your creative output and your generosity in passing on what you’ve learned, Darcy. Thanks.
Hey, Susi:
Thanks! I’m glad the website stuff help. Ask if you need anything!
Darcy