Welcome to Insecure Writer's Support Group, where we all confess we don't have the biz figured out and commiserate together. For more mental support, check out the IWSG Facebook page.
It may be time for me to move on from Blogger. I'm embarking on creating a website, and possibly keeping this blog as a link from the site. I say "possibly" because I'm a bit overwhelmed. There are SO MANY options for how and what my site will look like. Right now I'm thinking a Squarespace site and either designing myself or looking into a designer for branding: font choice, custom image.
Sometimes I think writing is the easier part in all of this.
So writers, tell me which websites are your favorite--design-wise, content-wise. This could be an author site or something else. If you have any advice about what works for you and your own website, feel free to share, along with a link so I can visit!
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Stephanie Scott, Young Adult Author page
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I just launched my author website at the end of April. I deliberated of which platform to use but in the end chose Weebly because it allowed me to create something unique. It was all drag and drop so I could put things where I wanted them. The support was also very helpful. If you want to check it out, you can find it at www.mollymaka.com.
ReplyDeleteAs for other author websites, I love sites that allow me to get to know the author and also lets me see what they have written and how to find it. It also needs to focus on their brand and look professional. Julia Quinn and Kristina McMorris's sites are both fabulous. They each really are unique to that author, you get to know them, they highlight what they are known for writing and they are engaging.
Hope that helps!
I also saw your posts on the RWA forums recently about this same thing. I'm not much further along than I was six weeks ago when I started thinking on this. I'll check out those other writers' sites. I've been visiting sites for YA authors who I write similarly too and have gotten some good look and feel ideas, but how to translate onto a website is where I'm not sure what to do next.
DeleteThere are so many options! I ended up with a wix site because it was so easy to use, but looks more professional than some of the others. Wordpress didn't make sense to me. I did keep my blogger for, well blogging. :) It has a link to my official site and the webpage links to my blogger. There format was easy to learn as well. That's key for me. I mean, who has time to learn a new format?
ReplyDeletegood luck!
Here, I should have posted a link so you could see an example from wix-
DeleteMy website
Happy to like your FB page, Stephanie. My website is hosted by Go Daddy. I hate their ad campaigns, but their templates sure make it easy to build a professional site. I kept my blogger account and link to it from my website. I would love to be able to hire someone to help me with my brand, but it isn't in the cards. If you can, you should.
ReplyDeleteI use WordPress and love it. I bought a custom domain name and extra space for $99 dollars a year. It's very intuitive and you don't have to put much into designing it. I think people mistake that WordPress is only for blogging, but you can make it into a website, too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been debating WP. I have peeked behind the scenes of Word Press for my RWA chapter's webpage and it's a steep learning curve. I think I can do it, but I also like the appeal of some of the newer formats like squarespace and weebly.
DeleteMy hubby is a techie, so I haven't had to worry about it so much. He's building my site from the ground up, but it's slow going because there's still a day job. Regardless, I would never leave blogger. Maybe embed the blot, but not abandon it. Can you imagine trying to funnel your readership to a new place? So many would get lost along the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks, good point. I don't have a huge readership, but i like the connections through blogger and ease of posting on other blogs, so I'll keep this and link from my site. Everything else TBD....
DeleteI'm over at WordPress (and really like it). Been thinking about getting my own domain... feel like I should make that decision in the next few months. The ability to customize more, have more freedom and ability to create the site I WANT is really appealing. But then, I also think about all the time I would put into it... so much time....
ReplyDeleteHope you find something that works well for you!
I’m using Weebly these days. It’s easy to use, offers customizable templates, and it allows me to update my site whenever I choose. I tried Wordpress, but it was too complicated, though I've kept my blog there. At one time, I wanted a xuni.com design (they do scores of authors) but there’s a real advantage in being able to update my webpage whenever I want. I don't want to give that up. BTW: I think your blog design is awesome. Clean, attractive, and easy to read.
ReplyDeleteVR Barkowski
Oh man, I wish I could help you, but I get totally overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices. Blogger works for me right now, so I'm sticking with it- for now. good luck!
ReplyDeleteCan't help you with author websites, but I like Julia Quinn's website a lot---it fits with her genre and writing style. I also like Elizabeth Chadwick's and she has all her Blogger blogs linked.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a favorite, but I do find white backgrounds blinding after a while. I also like themed sites. With coffee cups, ravens, anything symbol the hints at genre. :-)
ReplyDeleteHere's my link if you'd like to drop by :-)
Anna from Elements of Writing
Right now, Blogger is all I can handle, Stephanie, and it serves my needs very well. I'm challenged by technology, so I'm keeping it simple. Writing is the easiest part of book-making! I'm sure that you'll sort things out well if you follow your intuition. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've noticed a number of published authors still use blogger and more basic Word Press blogs with updated templates. I think whatever works for you.
DeleteI know I need a website and link my blog to it, but I don't have the time or energy right now. But I'm going to look through your feed for tips!
ReplyDeleteI've helped set up many websites (part of my job) and there are so many options. Squarespace would be a good one to use. My What Are the Kargrandes site is set up there.
ReplyDeleteI use Weebly for my author site. It's easy to use. For a while, I kept my blog on blogger, but then moved to Weebly's blog. The only downside was I couldn't import the posts. There are lots of choices out there, so you should have no problem finding one that suits you best.
ReplyDelete~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
Thank you--I checked out your site :)
DeleteI have the same insecurity. I've been using Wordpress for both blogging and as domain host, but I keep getting reminded that I should have more control over my website. Argh... I just want to write my books.
ReplyDeleteI like doing a lot of the extra stuff, but it can definitely be consuming if you let it. I've had some downtime over the past few months while I've worked on edits, but I miss the faster pace of writing, and yet I have all this stuff I still want to figure out.
DeleteI've been with blogger since 2005, so I'm married to it. However, I use Wix for my official author's website and feature the blog on there as well. It's a good thing to get yourself out there.
ReplyDeleteI used the website builder available through Go Daddy and built my own. The templates made it, and it's easy to update. However, one day I may look into having it professionally built. I'm off to go like your FB page.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Much appreciated. :)
DeleteI learned a lot just reading these comments! I really like the commenter that mentioned the themed idea, but i think (at least for me) that would require someone to help me with a website.
ReplyDeleteI love my web designer (same header as my FB page and my blog ;)) Rae Monet Designs- she is really good at understanding writers and our websites. I think it's important to have the site reflect your brand, too many authors simply push one book or series and not the author themselves. Make it you! :) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same moment, I think. I feel like I need more than Blogger gives me . . .but I don't know that I'm ready to take the time and work on that it will be to make all the decisions and develop the new site.
ReplyDeleteYou can visit my website. I'll post my link at the end of this comment. I hired a web designer whom I love. He answers questions promptly and fixes anything that's not working. His link is at the bottom of my website.
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
I heart blogger because it's so easy to use and design things (simply). For my websites, I've used wix.com and webs.com. I like the ease of webs.com, but I can do more with wix.com (for free), so I'm debating whether to move my one website to wix.com or not. I still like to keep my blog at blogger for now. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I'm not very technical, so I can't be of too much help here! Still trying to get this stuff figured out too. I did start designing a site with Weebly, which is meant to be one of the easier ones here, but never finished it. It's on my bucket list for this year, at least!
ReplyDeleteHaving choices is a 2-edged sword. It's great to have so many options, but having so many options is overwhelming. I use Go Daddy as my host & their web builder. I should check into their new "design" thingee and update my website. Time is not my friend right now. LOL Good luck!
ReplyDelete