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Never judge a book by its cover—but as far as we’re concerned, judging by the author’s website is just fine. Of course, we’re kidding, but deciding to create a website for your readership is an important professional step as an author, even in a world traditionally dominated by print.
Whether you’ve already been published or you're in the middle of working on your masterpiece, this article will guide you in creating an author website of your own (if you're not sure if you need one, check out does my business need a website). We’ll briefly go over what purpose author websites serve and what should be included in one. Hint: You'll need a professional bio, and some testimonials and an RSS feed of your most recent posts can't hurt either. Plus, we’ll show you 10 examples of author websites to inspire your own website design.
Read also: How to make a business website
10 examples of author websites
Before you design your own site, take inspiration from this list of the best author websites made by Wix users. These examples include all the key elements listed above, and then some:
01. Romi Neustadt
Romi Neustadt is an entrepreneur who shares her professional wisdom with the world. Her latest book You Can Have It All is an encouraging piece, guiding readers to live an authentic and fulfilled life. Romi’s author website certainly has it all. It communicates her mission as an author immediately, using impeccable personal branding and key elements that lead her to show off her mission and accomplishments.
Take a look, for instance, at the strong first impression she creates. A customized slideshow on the homepage features two powerful images. Romi’s headshot is confident and warm, embodying the vision of an author you’d like advice from. This is followed by a quality image of her latest book, which is accompanied by a short description and a strategic call-to-action button that states “Order Now”—making it easy for visitors to purchase a copy.
02. BB Writer
BB is a fiction and non-fiction writer from Boston with a sincere message and a visually pleasing website. The minimalist design and color scheme gives her website a clean feel, while the addition of images and an inspiring quote about writing enlivens the site and strengthens the writing theme.
Scrolling down BB’s author website, you’ll come upon a short “About Me” section, which allows visitors more insight into BB’s background as a writer and provides a space for her to write about what she’s currently working on.
You’ll also see that she’s added a customized logo to the site. Creating your own logo is a good idea as a writer, since it strengthens your personal brand.
03. Shannon Redmon
Authors who want to showcase a specific book should turn to Shannon Redmon's website as an example. Shannon strategically highlights her latest novel on the first fold of her site, pairing a high-quality image of her book cover with a photo of herself, helping visitors put a face to the name.
Meanwhile, her other books remain easy to find. Upon scroll, visitors can explore her other book titles. They can even find a library of video previews promoting her latest work. You can also find recordings of online discussions she's had with other novelists, dubbed the Suspense Squad.
04. Taylor Tyng (NEW IMAGE)
Anything from typical, Taylor Tyng’s website makes for a fun, engaging browsing experience. Visitors are greeted by an animated image of the author seemingly floating in the clouds. From the get-go, readers can see that Taylor specializes in "fantastical fiction."
Taylor uses fun graphics, playful typography and animation to give readers a sense of his personality. Another clever element is Taylor’s incorporation of a lightbox—the pop-up window grabs users’ attention and encourages them to sign up to the mailing list.
05. John Clarkson
The thrilling nature of John Clarkson’s novels is made palpable by his website’s visual theme. Its cohesive design theme includes a bold color scheme and the cover art taken from his book covers. As users scroll down the homepage, parallax scrolling gives the site a sense of depth and sophistication.
John’s homepage’s content is impressive while a clear navigation menu links users to even more information. Here, we have a spotlight on his latest book, reviews from critics and readers, a short bio and strategic calls-to-action placed through the page. Clearly visible links to his Good Reads and Amazon accounts encourages site visitors to purchase his work.
06. Trevor Cosson
Trevor Cosson’s site design is minimalistic, using lots of negative space to bring the user’s attention to the text featured throughout. As viewers navigate the site, they’ll be brought to different samples of his work, including his blog and examples of both creative writing and copy. With such a strong focus on text, you should choose a font that reflects your personality and is consistent with the rest of your website’s visual style. In this case, Trevor’s use of a simple serif font enhances the site’s classic feel.
Trevor’s website header also includes links to his various social media accounts. This is a strategic way to build your following as an author, helping increase your visibility and consistently engage with your readership.
07. Alan Allinger
Alan Allinger uses one of Wix’s templates to create a customized author website. The video box featured in this template perfectly embodies the goals of this crafty design element, which allows you to add overlays to your own video and frame it with customized shapes. In this case, a moving image of clouds inside of a quotation mark alludes to both the inspirational and practical aspects of writing.
Overall, the dynamic template showcases Alan’s work and experience quite well. Plus, the addition of a blog gives him the opportunity to share even more great content with his online community.
08. Evan Nicholls
Evan Nicholls is a poet whose work has been featured in various literary magazines and publications throughout the years. Evan uses his website to show off the full breadth of his work, including Holy Smokes, a chapbook of poems and collages that he authored.
His website makes a powerful statement. It gives the most real estate to intriguing collage-like graphics that, when clicked, reveal handpicked samples of his work. Evan incorporates subtle branding elements throughout his website. The repeated use of colorful triangles and scrapbook-like graphics draw visitors in and reflect Evan's passion in poetry and collage art.
09. Crawford Content
Here’s another example of a Wix website template that’s just perfect for showcasing your work as an author. In this case, the Crawford sisters work as a team, customizing this elegant design by including their own logo, images and text.
Their sophisticated style is further emphasized by the use of light colors and traditional fonts. Their one-page website makes it easy to scroll through their site, and is a web design trend that's sure to impress.
Vi Khi Nao
Author and poet Vi Khi Nao's website is anything but conventional. Featuring loud, colorful images of fruit in the background, Vi's website is impossible to ignore and hard to tear your eyes away from. Visitors may find themselves clicking through the site, just to see what's behind these curious images.
It doesn't take long to realize that Vi's artistic choices are a reflection of her mission as a writer: to work across multiple genres, languages and art forms to tackle meaningful, sometimes uncomfortable, topics.
What's the purpose of author websites?
As hard as it is for bibliophiles to admit, every author needs an online presence. An author website gives visitors easy access to information about you and your work, including published books and accomplishments. This boosts your visibility and strengthens your professional reputation.
Author websites also help generate interest in your work and build a loyal reader base. While word of mouth is always valuable, an online presence puts you on the map and makes it easier to promote upcoming books or events.
Finally, an author website can streamline book sales. Adding an online store lets you sell books directly to readers, or you can link to platforms like Amazon or Kindle. By combining strong online marketing with steady website traffic, you might even reach the bestseller list.
Learn more: AI website examples
What should an author website include?
Your website should reflect your unique style, so its design and content will vary depending on your preferences. Start by selecting a web hosting platform and a template with the features you need. You can always customize the template to match the tone of your work.
Once your site is set up, make sure to include these key elements:
A professional domain name: Pick a domain name that's professional and easy to remember. Keep it short and on-brand by including your name and possibly “books” or “author.” Pro tip: Use your author name instead of a book title, so your domain remains relevant as you create new work. This also helps establish your brand identity as an author.
An About page: Your About page is where you can introduce yourself, share your achievements and discuss your inspiration as a writer. Include a headshot, notable awards and a professional bio. Keep it concise—many visitors will form their first impression of you here.
Your books: Create a section dedicated to your books. Include high-quality images of the covers, brief descriptions and even excerpts to entice readers. Consider setting up an online store to sell your books directly from your site. Add clear call-to-action buttons like “Buy Now” for a smooth shopping experience. If you’re working on a new book, include it too. A preview or title can generate excitement for its release.
Positive reviews: Showcase positive feedback from readers, publications or other writers. Adding reviews and testimonials helps potential readers get a sense of your book’s appeal and increases the likelihood of them picking it up.
Add a contact form: Keep fans updated on your career, book releases or events by capturing their contact information. Add a simple contact form to your website and use email marketing to engage with your audience.
Read also: How to start a business, Best business websites
Best author websites FAQ
What design elements are important for an author website?
Professional layout: Clean, intuitive navigation.
Brand consistency: Fonts, colors, and imagery that match your genre or personal style.
Mobile-friendly design: Ensures usability on all devices.
Fast loading times: To prevent visitors from leaving if the user experience on your site doesn't match their expectations.
High-quality images: Clear, attractive visuals for book covers and headshots.
Readable typography: Avoid overly decorative fonts for body text.