After much consideration, you’ve decided to take the plunge and develop your online presence with a shiny new author website. Now comes the important part— making sure your site is well designed. You want the style and function of your author website to turn curious visitors into dedicated fans. To capture the interest of even your most casual reader, here are five must-have design essentials for your website:
Be A Quick Read.
The computer screen is not conducive to reading large blocks of text. No matter how fascinating your story, if the passages are too long and wordy, readers will quickly get bored and leave. Be sure to use short paragraphs, and make your point in as few words as possible.
Have A Unique Identity.
While it’s important to keep your website current, don’t jump on the bandwagon of every “next big thing.” Use trendy design fads sparingly, or you run the risk that your website will quickly look dated. Instead, rely on definitive style elements that most accurately reflect both your personality and your writing.
Capture Picture Perfection.
This may be the first time your audience gets a good look at you—what do you want them to see? An intriguing adventurer? A friendly neighbor? A well-read scholar? Consider having your photograph reflect your genre. Also, it’s important that your picture is clear, sharp, and best of all, the work of a professional photographer.
Focus On Your Writing.
Some websites include advertisements to generate extra income. While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with an ad or two, it’s viewed as poor practice to fill your site with distracting ads. And don’t hijack your author website to trumpet your political opinions or digress about unrelated topics or hobbies. People visiting your author website want to know more about your writing—bombard them with ads and miscellany, and they will quickly leave your page.
Appeal To Your Demographic.
Know your target audience, and give them what they find most appealing. Your author website should capture the essence of your genre with its color scheme, fonts, and accenting images. For example, if you’re a romance writer, dreary colors and distressing visuals might not be the best choice. However, photos of roses and love letters may go straight to your readers’ hearts.
Utilizing these must-have design essentials will help ensure that your author website is a definite must-read. With a well-designed website, you’ll attract the attention of agents, editors, and visitors... and keep them coming back for more.
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