An author’s website is a tool that enables a writer to build an online identity and foster a relationship with the readers.
Every writer needs this today because a writer’s corner online is where they can easily present their works, tell their story, and interact with their readers.
Any author will benefit from a well-structured website that not only contains their services but also promotes their manuscripts, provides new information, and cultivates a readership.
Authors prefer to use WordPress because it is straightforward and has numerous customization options.
Authors can alter their sites to suit their voice or style due to the wide variety of themes and plugins.
This blog intends to showcase nine impressive WordPress author websites that have a good balance of form, function, and interaction with the reader.
Each instance guides how aspiring authors may make their impressive websites by demonstrating important design principles and effective measures.
1. What Makes a Great Author Website?
A functional author website comprises key features that improve user experience while promoting an author’s work.
One of the key considerations for the website design is achieving User-friendly Engagement.
These include having menus that allow users to access information without getting lost or confused.
Book authors must have a properly defined structural menu that comprises different sections like biography, books, media appearances, events, and contacts.
Another one of the important parts of an author’s website is Engaging Content or in simple words content attached that includes images, videos, or even podcasts that help narrate the author’s story as well as the written word.
A good “About the Author” page can help readers locate the author and portray their life objectives, their motivation, and their childhood memories interestingly and engagingly.
Websites Active engagement is the other major area that needs to be focused on within the website or for the creation of the website.
This includes CTAs and other links on the website that encourage visitors to take action further by following the author on social media, purchasing books, or signing up for newsletters.
Finally, a Responsive Design makes sure users who are iPad or smartphone users can access the website without any hassle because the website is appealing to them.
2. Overview of WordPress as a Platform for Authors
The versatility of WordPress makes it an excellent choice for writers, as it comes with a lot of features and is easy to operate.
One of the notable features is the number of themes available, authors can select from pre-existing templates which can be suitable for a particular kind of genre.
Because of this flexibility, writers have the opportunity to build an online platform where they can market themselves distinctly.
Furthermore, WordPress by default is SEO-friendly which makes it easier for writers to rank higher in search engine queries.
Updateable features such as permalinks or even adding meta descriptions greatly assist writers in marketing their content.
In addition to this, many plugins are accessible to improve SEO even more — people who are utilizing posting tools such as Yoast SEO, are well instructed on how to optimize their posts.
Writers also have access to forums and tutorials within the WordPress community which is conducive to helping writers meet their specific needs.
For fledging authors struggling with building their websites, this community aspect could be beneficial.
All in all, WordPress is an all-inclusive platform allowing writers to design blogs that have a professional touch to them without being overly technical.
3. Featured Author Websites
3.1 Mark Dawson
An author who is a self-made entrepreneur. His name is Mark Dawson, and he’s selling thousands of copies of self-help books in the form of a John Milton series.
He marketed this series for the first time in June 2013 and has sold more than 300,000 copies of the six released titles.
Another underlying factor that fuels Dawson’s success is his innovative marketing campaign strategy, which includes setting up advertisements on Facebook.
Dawson invests around $370 per day, only to reap more. What more does Dawson do?
He updates his followers constantly through emails14 using his mailing list of over 15,000 subscribers.
His website is a perfect example of his approach as it actively fosters engagement through clear CTAs for signing up for the newsletter and making purchases on the page.
3.2 James Patterson
He is one of the contemporary writers with a large list of published works which include thrilling novels and books for children.
The website is an elaborate one as it offers amusing sections dedicated to a series of his books and more than 150 works published.
His marketing capabilities include effective partnerships with retailers as well as the use of content on his site such as book trailers and interviews with the author to broaden the reader’s interest.
His site also has interactive components that include quizzes with plots and characters that fans want more to test.
3.4 Helen Hoang
Helen Hoang has emerged as a noteworthy author of contemporary romance novels especially due to her representation of neurodiverse protagonists in her stories.
She displays her debut novel called “The Kiss Quotient” on her official page along with the other books she has written and each has a summary and a purchase link attached to them which tries to market them.
She also uses her page to promote herself as an author, sharing her writing process, and aspiring and blooming writers can easily resonate with her blog posts.
The colorful design of the website mirrors the playful and nurturing essence of her stories and encourages viewers to seek information about the fate of her characters.
3.5 Stephen King
His website offers all the necessary materials associated with his collection of more than 60 novels.
The site draws special attention to the literary works of the Writer by presenting details about them, as well as the plans for their conversion into full-length films and television shows.
Monthly updates keep readers engaged with the latest news of his frequent leaky work in the cinema and his literary masterpieces.
Many fans grow accustomed to asking common questions about their idol and his work, and these are also included on the website in a Section called Frequently Asked Questions.
The site also has a range of other content, including short stories available only on the site, which means there is content that will encourage visitors to come back more often.
3.6 Melanie Moreland
Moreland’s Website integrates both a sleek and interesting design that emphasizes her romance novels which is the essence of her voice as an author.
Moreland has several books published including many bestsellers such as “The Contract” and she uses the site for building a community instead of marketing.
On her site, she updates blogs where she resolves conflicts and posts writing advice in addition to sharing her experiences in getting published so that budding writers have easy access to them.
3.7 Rupi Kaur
The author’s distinctive combination of minimalist poetry paired with appealing visuals is adored and valued by millions across different nations, thus enabling the woman to become a relatively new face in poetry.
Kaur uses her website as an addition to her work and has other sections with illustrations related to her bestselling poetry collections like “Milk and Honey”.
Video readings help Kaur’s fans engage with the theme of her poems, and actively offer numerous experiences inspired by her writings, which further enhances her creative inspiration as well as that of her readers.
3.8 Jerry Jenkins
The website of Jerry Jenkins emphasizes marketing tactics to convey the services and the books he has written including the famous ‘Left Behind’ series.
Noticeable CTAs accompany the neat design, just like the links to each book he sells that feature the same, but encourage newsletter subscriptions.
Jenkins also makes educational blog posts with a focus on storytelling, so that aspiring writers are also given necessary material and tools to help them further hone their craft.
This shows that he doesn’t only focus solely on promoting his work but also cares about fostering future talent in the Publishing industry.
Read also: How To Speed Up Your WordPress Author Website
3.9 Zain Daniel
On Daniel’s website one is exposed to a variety of his non-fictional books and articles, this walks hand in hand with his works revolving around business psychology and human conduct.
He has importantly penned over five works one of which is Drive through ‘To Sell Is Human’.
Founded on a minimalistic approach, Pink prefers a style that focuses on adequate information without creating clutter on the interface.
His website contains visually appealing designs integral to the rest of the content and helps welcome users who not only wish to know more but also explore recorded material on relevant current events.
Read also: The Lazy Author’s Guide to WordPress Website Maintenance
4. Key Takeaways for Aspiring Authors
For authors who wish to take inspiration from the working website examples listed, there are crucial points to note.
- Always Focus On The Target Audience: While creating a website or an online journal, make sure to structure the layout allowing users to have a hassle-free experience while navigating.
- Appeal To Your Readers: Create a more personal level of contact with the audience by employing video and any other interactive tools.
- Always Have A Clear Outcome: Make sure to include relevant sections that offer newsletter subscriptions and book sales to up the conversion rate.
- Make Sure To Stick To Your Brand Image: Have a set list of colors and or designs in place that suit your taste and style while still appearing professional.
- Maintain Freshness of Content: Keep your users engaged by providing them with updates on how your writing is going or any new projects in the form of blogs or newsletters.
Using these strategies, beginner writers can also utilize their websites for branding in such a manner that appeals to the users and effectively convinces them of their writing capabilities.
Read also: How To Secure Your Author Website on WordPress
Conclusion
All in all, an author’s website is a vital tool as it enables readers to connect with the author rather than just the books themselves, allowing them to see who exactly crafted the stories they enjoy. Implementing it is significantly easier nowadays with websites such as WordPress as well as taking inspiration from websites such as this one.