You Need An Author Website.

I budget for one writers conference each year and, every time I attend a conference, I am taken aback by the number of authors who have no website at all, not even a mediocre one. A writer without a website is like an automobile without gas. Your website is the public face of your writing brand. It speaks of your credibility and professionalism as a writer. It assures both publishers and readers that you are serious about what you are doing, and that your writing is much more than just a hobby.

If you’re not computer savvy, the mere suggestion that you need an author website may come as a frightening proposition. It is true that building a complex website can be taxing, and requires special skill, but you don’t have to start with the Taj Mahal of websites. Just get a site up, even if it is a simple one.

Tools

You don’t need to be a computer programmer to launch a website. Myriad tools are at your disposal that will take almost all of the complexity out of the process for you. You might be familiar with names like Wix, GoDaddy, Web.com, Hostinger, or Site123. These are online tool providers that allow you to create a site with the simplicity of a drag-and-drop interface. Pull an object from the menu and drop it on the page where you want it. Don’t like where you dropped it? Drag it again to a better spot. Most of the site builders above have layout templates that make the job even easier!

To find an online website builder, just open your search engine of choice and search for “website builders.”

Domain Name

Your website will be tied to something called a domain name. In my case, I own the domain “damonjgray.org.” Anyone, worldwide, who enters damonjgray.org will be automatically sent to my website. Because domain names are registered, no one else can use your domain name.

You will want to pick a domain name that speaks of your brand. As a writer, I suggest you use your name, or your penname. You are the brand. But pick a domain name that accurately describes you, your writing, your subject matter, whatever it is that you want people to think of when they hear or speak of your writing.

Now that you have a few ideas for a domain name, you need to see if any of those names are available. Remember, it must be unique. In your search engine, search for “domain name registration.” You’ll get numerous pages of hits. Pick one and you will see a field where you can type in the name you want to register. At this point you’re simply checking to see if the name is available. For example, if you enter damonjgray.com, you’ll find that you can buy that domain name. However, if you enter damonjgray.org, you’ll be denied.

Web Host

Having settled on your desired and available domain name, hold off purchasing it just now. Let’s turn to finding a “web host.” Websites are collections of code that are “served” to end users by web servers. These are exceedingly fast, powerful computers running at a “server farm” somewhere. They have to be fast and powerful because your website is going to share server resources with many other websites. If you don’t want to share, be willing to spring for hundreds of dollars each month in hosting fees. Either way, prices vary wildly, so check out several options.

Do a search for “web hosting” and see where you get the best deal, bearing in mind that cheaper does not always equate with a smarter buy. Read online reviews of the web host you’re considering. As you’re searching, look in the features or listed offerings for something like “No-code website builder.” Look also for “Free domain,” or even “Free domain and SSL.” We’ll talk about that last one in a moment.

Purchase Your Domain Name

Now that you have decided on your web host, it is time to buy your domain. It simplifies things if you can register your domain with the same firm that is hosting your site on their web server. Just as domain names are registered with a domain registry service, your site is registered to that domain. Having both the domain and web hosting under the same umbrella makes this task much easier for you.

Domains names are typically sold in blocks of years. You can lock it down for one year or ten years. It’s up to you. If you are able to find a hosting service that offers a free domain name, you can lock it down for whatever time frame you’re comfortable with.

Start Building

Now it is time to start laying out your website. Start by looking at other author websites. See what you like and what you do not. Look at the features each site has and create a list of those features you want to include in your site.

Look for things like:

• Author photos
• Featured books
• A subscription option
• Online blog
• Embedded videos

All of that may seem rather daunting, but it really is not when you get familiar with the site builder tools offered by your web host. Spend some time playing with it, and don’t be afraid to experiment because nothing is viewable online until you are satisfied and click the ‘Publish” button.

One Last Item

Security is a significant concern because, sadly, the internet invites bad actors who look for vulnerabilities to exploit for dishonest gain. Hundreds of technologies have been developed to combat these internet thieves. Entire corporations exist for the sole purpose of waging the war to keep us protected online.

Unless you are selling from your website–storing people’s banking information and personal data—this is not a concern for you. If you are using your site for commerce, hire a professional to set up those commerce components for you.

Working on the assumption that your site is a simple, non-commerce site, there is one security piece you do need, simply because search engines demand it. It is called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL encrypts the communication between an end user, and your author site.

This is important because the connection between a computer and a website isn’t direct. It makes numerous “hops” from one router to the next before it reaches you. Each one of those hops is a vulnerability point where a bad actor can intercept our data.

Look for something on your web host called SSL Encryption, and tell them to install it. Some of these are automated, and others are a little clunky to set up. But you must have this, or you will find visitors to your web site are few to none. Current-generation browsers won’t even go to a non-secured site unless you force them to do so. You can distinguish secure from non-secure sites by looking at the first four or five letters of their address at the top of your web browser. If it reads, “https://” you know it is a secure site. There may also be a small padlock icon next to it.

This is a lot of technical information. Refuse to be intimidated by it. I tried to lay it out for you as individual steps, so start at the top and work your way to the bottom. If you get stuck, call one of your geeky friends or family members and let them assist you.

You can do this. You need to do this.