Do You Need an Author Website? (Part 2)
Even the rare author whose (big five) publisher heavily promotes their book needs to connect with fans to maximize book sales, not to mention an author whose publisher may not have a near-unlimited marketing budget.
Still, some authors used to the traditional publishing world love the idea of using their profile on the publisher’s website as their own “webpage.” Unfortunately, there are a number of problems with that approach.
First, using your profile on your publisher’s website as your platform means giving up control. You have no say into the layout and the content on the publisher’s website. You are also at their mercy when it comes to updating your page.
Second, the people visiting your publisher’s website aren’t there solely for your books. Instead, they’re there for your publisher’s catalog, of which your book is just one piece. What happens when you have to switch publishers? You’ll start from scratch with a new profile on your new publisher’s website, and the cycle will continue if you change publishers again.
Instead of relying on a third party, you’d be better off being in complete control when connecting with your fans. The only way to have full control is by creating your own author website.
Connecting With Readers Through Your Author Website
A website allows you to engage and connect with your readers on your terms, unlike on your publisher’s website. Any fan mail, questions, and other messages sent to you will go directly to you.
You can also get your fans to subscribe to your mailing list. Once someone signs up, you can send them updates about your books and alert them about special sales. Offering discounted prices to fans on your best-sellers always yields excellent conversions.
You can tailor your website design and content to your fanbase: if you’re a sci-fi, romance, or comic book author, for instance, you could get creative with your website design. Do you have sketches of the characters in your fictional book? You can share those with your fans on your website. You won’t be restricted by your publisher’s more toned-down aesthetic.
And as you most likely know, fans love exclusive tidbits about your books. Your author site is the perfect place to include insider details about your book. For example, you can share the unique backstory of your characters. You can also let fans in on your writing process and the inspiration behind your books and characters.
Boosting Your Income Through Your Author Site
As a traditionally published author, your long-term book sales income will come from royalties. If your publisher is the one handling your marketing and sales, is there anything you can do to boost your income?
(I won’t go into details about handselling your author copies this time, that deserves a separate write-up of its own!)
If you have a website and you link to all the marketplaces where your book is available, you could drive some sales.
As a bonus, setting up affiliate accounts and linking to your books through your affiliate links can earn you extra cash on each book sale. The more sales channels you list (e.g., Amazon, IndieBound), the better, to give your fans choices since some people prefer shopping on specific marketplaces.
~ Nanda
Writers' Conferences you might be interested in:
- The 3rd Annual Taos Writers’ Conference – July 12 in Taos, NM
- Centrum Port Townsend Writers’ Conference – July 14 in Port Townsend, WA
- Sewanee Writers’ Conference – July 16 in Sewanee, TN
- Writing the Rockies Conference – July 17 in Gunnison, CO
- Juniper Institute for Young Writers – July 21 in Amherst, MA
Upcoming Literary Events you could attend:
- On July 12 at 7:30 PM, at Skylight Books Los Angeles, award-winning storyteller and national best-selling author David Marlett will launch his new novel, American Red.
- On July 13 at 6 PM, at Cellar Door Books in Riverside, author and founding member of Inlandia Institute, Larry Burns, will be signing copies of his new book, Secret Inland Empire: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.
- On July 16 at 7:30 PM, at Art Share L.A., F. Douglas Brown will be honoring the legacy of Sandra Bland through a reading series, un::fade::able.
- On July 20 at 7:30 PM, at Beyond Baroque in Venice, you can join The Lit Show, the 14th annual celebration of song and literature starring Suzie Wiliams & Brad Kay.
- On July 21 at 4 PM, at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, local authors Jeffrey Kwitny, Tom King, and Richard Tarlow will present and sign their new books.
