Author Websites: Separating Fact (a.k.a. Nonfiction) From Fiction

So you want to build a website to promote yourself and your new book. What should your domain name be? What kinds of content should be on your website? Well, that depends on whether your book is fiction or nonfiction.

"All author websites are not the same," says Karin Bilich, founder of SmartAuthorSites.com. And one of the critical differences comes from whether the author is a fiction or nonfiction writer. Because all the decisions about the website -- from the domain name to design to content to voice -- should begin with whether its fiction or nonfiction.

What Should Fiction Writers Do?


If you've written a novel (or multiple novels), your website should make visitors feel like they've delved into your book or series. The site design should reflect the time and place in which your book takes place. The first thing visitors should see when they get to your homepage is the beginning of an excerpt (with a more detailed excerpt available) so that they can immediately get a brief introduction to the story.

According to Karin, "If you're appealing to an audience who likes fiction books, you need to make them fall in love with the book right away." There are a million novels out there ... why should someone read yours? "That's what you need to address as soon as visitors arrive."

But what if your website isn't as much about selling books as it is about promoting yourself as an author? "It shouldn't be all that different ...Whether you're trying to appeal to readers, agents or publishers ... you still need the 'wow' factor," says Karin. The right design is absolutely critical.

Of course, your website should also include some information about the author, ways to contact you, as well as any positive news or reviews you've received. And if you have a calendar of book signings, even better! "That just makes you look like a hot commodity," says Karin. "But it's really the first impression that's most important. And that can only be accomplished by really transforming the look and feel of your book into your website."

What Should Nonfiction Writers Do?

"Building a website for a nonfiction writer is a completely different beast," says Karin.

In some ways, it's easier for a nonfiction writer to promote him/herself and the book. Someone who has written a nonfiction book has an "expertise," and this expertise can branch out into an interactive experience.

For example, if you've written a book on investing, your book can only cover so much, says Karin. But if you build a website through which you interact with readers, you can use this knowledge to blog about the latest stock market fluctuations or to answer reader questions about their personal investment issues.

"The website for a nonfiction author doesn't need to focus quite as much on the book itself," says Karin, "although promoting it is certainly an important piece." Instead, the website should be about promoting the author.

Each nonfiction author should think about the subject matter they write about and how they can use that knowledge in an interactive way. "Can you cross-link with other resources in your field (this is great for search engine optimization)? Can you write articles or blog about it? Can you create and moderate a message board where people can talk about the topic?" All of this will help attract potential readers.

"And if you integrate easy ways to buy the book into these types of interactions, your website can be enormously successful," says Karin.

What Should Be On Every Site?

There are some staples that every author should have, regardless of whether they write fiction or nonfiction. Those include:

• Author bio and contact info
  
• Registration form -- a place for readers to sign up for e-alerts
  
• A "news" or "events" area -- something that's ever-changing
  
• An "inside the book" area -- this could be an excerpt or a table of contents ... something that allows people to get a "sneak peek"
  

By: Karin A. Bilich

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Karin Bilich founded SmartAuthorSites.com in 2006 after nearly a decade working in web development, strategy, and copywriting, including serving as Webmaster for PublishersWeekly.com and LibraryJournal.com. She continues to work directly with authors to create the best website possible for each individual author's goals and objectives. For more information, visit www.smartauthorsites.com.

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