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What features must a good author website have?

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Alaric
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Post by Alaric » Fri October 24th, 2008, 12:17 pm

Hmm ... well, definitely some info about the author and their background, their books, a contacts page, and so on. In this day and age that sort of thing is rather essential, not to mention being a great way to promote yourself relatively cheaply.

I also like things like a semi-updated blog from the author, a Q&A page, writing tips, books they use to write their novels and other books by different authors of the same genre. The best author sites are EC's new one, Sharon Penman's and Bernard Cornwell's. They've all got that sort of stuff on there.

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xiaotien
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Post by xiaotien » Fri October 24th, 2008, 4:11 pm

pay pal donation link?

"feed a poor struggling writer"

haha!

i like the FAQ.
of course, i hope to get some
asked questions after i publish. ??

:D

also, upcoming author events.
i hope to maybe have one or two
of those, too? ha!
SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
greenwillow / harpercollins summer '09

cindypon.com

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Margaret
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Post by Margaret » Fri October 24th, 2008, 7:45 pm

I'm pretty understanding if an author doesn't update the website frequently, because it's better to put the time in writing novels than tinkering with the website. That said, it's best not to put a lot of things on a website that date quickly - it's annoying to reach the home page and find a splashy pitch for an event that happened two years ago, or a promo for a soon-to-arrive new book scheduled for publication last year (so is it out yet or not?)
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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Fri October 24th, 2008, 7:48 pm

I also think some authors are very involved and hands-on with their site design and updates while other authors have hired someone to do it for them, or their publisher has. It's usually in the latter case that the sites aren't updated frequently. It is a time commitment, regardless, and I understand why some authors just don't find the time. Still... seems to be an essential these days.

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xiaotien
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Post by xiaotien » Fri October 24th, 2008, 8:07 pm

margaret, so true and well said.

i believe very much so in your web presence--
my blog helped me get a picture book contract
out of no where!

i think it's important to keep an author website
as updated as possible. and i absolutely love
my blog.
SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
greenwillow / harpercollins summer '09

cindypon.com

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MLS859
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Post by MLS859 » Sat October 25th, 2008, 12:09 am

I agree about keeping a website updated -- nothing worse than looking for news and finding...none...I'd rather see a comment about there being no news than nothing.

I don't like websites, though, that are too "busy". If I don't know where to look first, then it can be overwhelming.

I also agree that it's very important to be able to contact the author -- and to get a response of some kind.

Also, if I find an author doesn't have a blog and/or forum where they take an active part, then I'm disappointed.

Lynn

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xiaotien
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Post by xiaotien » Sat October 25th, 2008, 12:11 am

[quote=""MLS859""]

Also, if I find an author doesn't have a blog and/or forum where they take an active part, then I'm disappointed.

Lynn[/quote]

lynn, really? that's so interesting!

i can be disappointed if an author doesn't
keep a blog... but really, because i've been
online for a decade and most of my friends have
never been into it, i do know that blogging isn't
for everyone.

and my belief? NO BLOG is better than the dead blog.
that's even worse!!!
SILVER PHOENIX : Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
greenwillow / harpercollins summer '09

cindypon.com

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cw gortner
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Post by cw gortner » Sat October 25th, 2008, 1:36 am

I just updated my website after a few months of neglect and I try to keep my blog current. I think both of these are very important tools, essential, really, to an author's online presence.

What I most want on author sites are: contact information (that they reply to!); new release information, when available; and something fun to bring me into the writer's world. On my site, it's Juana's World. On Michelle Moran's site, it's her cool photo gallery; whatever the writer wants to use to get you excited about their work is fine with me, as long as it's creative.

I maintain my own site, so if anyone here wants to see something there that's not, please let me know. ;)
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MLS859
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Post by MLS859 » Sat October 25th, 2008, 2:53 am

[quote=""xiaotien""]lynn, really? that's so interesting!

i can be disappointed if an author doesn't
keep a blog... but really, because i've been
online for a decade and most of my friends have
never been into it, i do know that blogging isn't
for everyone.

and my belief? NO BLOG is better than the dead blog.
that's even worse!!![/quote]

Well, the key to a website or a blog is that they are current -- so, yes, if the site is dead in the water then it's probably better that an author doesn't have one.

And, you're right, blogging isn't for everyone (I'm just now getting into it myself though I really prefer message boards over blogs any day -- I like that forums are much more interactive) but, for those who do seek out an author's site, it's definitely important that they be up-to-date -- and active.

And although I do write (not published -- yet!), I'm speaking here as a reader.

Lynn

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Ellie
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Post by Ellie » Sat October 25th, 2008, 2:59 am

I like information on upcoming projects. Titles, information on what the story is about, estimated release dates etc.

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