best book author websites

15 Best Author Websites & What They Do Well

Published: January 05, 2024

Whether they write fantasy, fiction, or non-fiction, are self-published or published by one of the “ Big Five ,” authors need a website.

The internet is one of the — if not the  — first place readers and publishers will look to learn more about you and your work. A website is also a great way to connect to your audience, inform them of upcoming releases and events, and let them know more about you personally and professionally.

If you’re an author in need of a website, or just like looking at cool website designs, then check out some of the best author websites below for inspiration.

Best Author Websites

• N. K. Jemisin
• Leigh Bardugo
• Rick Riordan
• Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Joan Didion
• Ibram X. Kendi
• Miquel Reina
• Helen Hoang
• Jennifer Egan
• Sandra Cisneros
• Mark Dawson

The author websites below are categorized by the genre they write in (fantasy, non-fiction, and fiction) and whether they're self-published or not. It's important to note that many of these authors work in multiple genres, and have been self-published and traditionally published.

Fantasy Author Websites

1. n. k. jemisin.

N. K. Jemisin has one of the best minimalist websites that exemplifies how powerful a few words and details can be.

On the homepage, visitors immediately see her name, the typography of which matches the typography used on the cover of her latest book, The City We Became (a great touch!). Above that is a testimonial which informs new readers, diehard fans, publishers, and movie scouts alike that she's a widely-known and popular sci-fi and fantasy writer. Below that are three CTAs inviting visitors to read her bio, learn more or purchase one of her books, or read her blog.

What We Like

• Minimalist design 
• Clear CTAs across site
• Blog is frequently updated and tone is casual and intimate

2. Neon Yang

Neon Yang's website immediately grabs visitors' attention with its neon green accent color and bold typography. But it avoids looking crowded by striking a balance between text and images. In fact, it provides only the most essential information, starting with who Neon Yang is, what awards they've been nominated for, and some praise they've gotten in the press. At the bottom of the homepage, you'll find out how to connect with them over email or on social. 

• Accent color and animations keep users engaged as they scroll
• Clearly lays out Yang's books, stories in anthologies, and standalone fiction so visitors can browse or find a specific work they're looking for 
• Offers multiple ways to connect with author

3. Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo's website is a great example for prolific writers with lots of work. It features a carousel slider to promote multiple books, including her latest release Ninth House , recent sequel Rule of Wolves , and collector’s edition of Shadow and Bone , as well as a link to her author bio. It also includes a link to a reading order, which can help first-time readers figure out which book to start with, as well as the "Grishaverse." This microsite is designed to provide visitors with a more in-depth look at the fictional universe Bardugo has created.

• Carousel slider on homepage promotes multiple works and author bio
• Can't miss newsletter opt-in form
• News page outlining releases, acclaim, and TV adaptations

4. Rick Riordan

Visiting Rick Riordan's website takes you on a mini quest, like many of his characters embark on. Starting at the "Explore" CTA on the homepage, you can scroll down to learn about the many different series and books Riordan has written. As you scroll, the yellow-dotted line will turn solid and change color. It's a unique twist on the traditional reading orders you find on most author websites. 

• Interactive reading order
• Lots of images and drawings make his website feel "bookish"
• Book pages include audio files, YouTube clips, reading guides, and other resources

Non-fiction Author Websites

5. ta-nehisi coates.

Ta-Nehisi Coates's website is an excellent example of user-centricity. It immediately tells you a little bit about the author and promotes his latest book, The Water Dancer , with clear and colorful CTAs. The homepage ends with a simple email opt-in form. If visitors are hoping to take another action on his site, the sticky navigation menu makes it easy for them to find info about his books, graphic novels, speaking engagements, and events.

• Color scheme and typography inspired by cover design of best-selling work, Between the World and Me
• Email opt-in form appears in different variations on different pages, including as a parallax section and in the sidebar

6. Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay's website is designed to showcase her work first. On the homepage, her latest release, The Selected Works of Audre Lorde , is promoted above the fold. Next is a larger selection of her recent books with a CTA encouraging readers to view all her work. Only after does she have an About section that's linked to her bio page. Notice this order is reflected in the navigation menu: "Books" is listed first, whereas "About" is listed last. 

• Design tailored to promote and sell her work
• Masterful use of whitespace and accent color
• Images are engaging and informative

7. Joan Didion

Joan Didion has won several awards, been the poster girl of Céline, and the subject of a Netflix documentary — so most people know who she is. That's why her website can focus on promoting her work first, just like Roxane Gay's.

Didion's homepage starts with a quote and title of an anthology of her work, "We tell ourselves stories in order to live." Below that is a carousel slider showcasing her large collection of work while taking up little space. Next there is an excerpt from her work The Year of Magical Thinking , with a CTA to read more. At the bottom of the page there is a short section about who she is with a CTA to read her complete bio. 

• Promotes collection of work before herself
• Unique page dedicated to excerpts from her writing
• Each book page includes a short description, reviews, quotes, and a longer excerpt to help readers make decision to buy

8. Ibram X. Kendi

Ibram X. Kendi is a best-selling and award-winning author, podcast host, contributor writer at The Atlantic and CBS News, professor, and Founding Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. Instead of having to go to one place to purchase his books, another to read his essays, and another to listen to his podcast, his website clearly displays and organizes all of his content, media appearances, and events so you can find exactly what you're looking for, or spend time browsing. 

• Website is a hub for all his works and accomplishments
• His books, essays, pod, and press pages have grid layouts to display a lot of content in a clean and easily digestible way
• Two easy ways to donate to BU's Center for Antiracist Research in header and footer

Fiction Author Websites

9. miquel reina.

When landing on Miquel Reina’s website, it looks deceptively simple. There's his logo to the left, some navigation items to the right, and what appears to be an image of his book Lights on the Sea in the center. But if you stay on the page, then the book at the center is replaced by different translations and covers of his novel. This is an engaging and informative technique for visitors looking for the book in a particular language.

• Animated GIF displays each translation and cover of his book Lights on the Sea
• Offers discussion guide, free excerpts, and signed copies that you can purchase directly on site
• Simple email opt-in form and social media icons

10. Helen Hoang

Helen Hoang's website shows how authors can promote not just one, but multiple pieces of their work. Thanks to their position above the fold and colorful cover art, Hoang's trilogy immediately captures visitors' attention. Visitors can click to learn more about one of these books, or scroll down to learn about the author. You can find these options in the navbar as well. Here, you can also find a page dedicated to the many translations of her books and a page showing all the different places you can purchase her work. 

• Multiple ways for readers to learn more about her work and purchase
• Page dedicated to translations of her books that are available for purchase
• Color scheme based on cover of her first bestseller, The Kiss Quotient

11. Jennifer Egan

Jennifer Egan's website is unlike any other author website on this list. It offers a completely immersive experience to visitors. Those landing on the page will see the title of her latest book Manhattan Beach . Encouraged to scroll down the page by the vertical lines, visitors feel as if they submerge into the ocean thanks to a parallax scrolling effect. As readers continue to scroll, excerpts from the book float to the surface. Once they're done reading an excerpt, they can click to reveal the next in the series. Photographs are included as well.

• Interactive website invites visitors to immerse themselves in her latest book, Manhattan Beach
• Excerpt for each book available with clear CTA button
• Reviews and testimonials throughout site help convince readers to buy

12. Sandra Cisneros

Sandra Cisneros is an international best-selling author whose won multiple awards, fellowships, and honors. Her website offers a more intimate look into who she is, with photos of her swimming, posing with her dogs, and traveling. She also includes a "guestbook," where she displays messages she's received and responded to. This includes a contact form so you can send your own message as well. 

• A very personal author website
• Guestbook shows letters she's received from readers and responded to
• Section for letters to her readers as well

Self-published Author Websites

13. rupi kaur.

rupi kaur has one of the best interactive websites that carefully guides the reader toward different resources and pages on her site. When visitors land on the page, they see a hero image with rupi holding a copy of her latest poetry collection, home body . As readers scroll, the navar transitions from transparent to solid so visitors who know exactly what they're looking for can click on one of those links. The rest can just keep scrolling.

A section featuring her latest collection of poetry with a CTA to buy slides in first. Then, videos of rupi on The Tonight Show and a trailer of her stand-up poetry special appear. Next is a link to her shop, books, and bio. At any point, readers can click on one of the links in the sticky navbar at the top of the screen. 

• Super easy to navigate and fun to browse
• Unique layout with different text alignment and lots of whitespace so it looks like one of her poems
• Includes shop with stationary, art, and other goodies

14. LJ Ross

• Animated background image and hover animations engage visitors
• Fly-out menu with hamburger menu perfect for mobile
• Unique grid layout for book archive pages

15. Mark Dawson

Looking like one of the covers from his best-selling John Milton series, Mark Dawson's homepage perfectly encapsulates his brand. Only two elements are overlaid on top of the background image. The most eye-catching is the email newsletter opt-in form, which pops thanks to its white shadow effect. There's also the navigation bar, which is split into primary navigation items (on left) and secondary items (on right). Notice that "Books" comes first, since they're the main focus of the website. 

• Consistent branding so readers can easily recognize relation to his book series
• Multiple ways to connect, including email opt-in form and social follow buttons
• Built-in shop for purchasing books directly on site instead of being redirected to third-party site

The Online Presence of Authors

Authors can use a website to attract new readers, inform their existing audience of new releases and events, and share some more personal and professional details about themselves. The websites above are all unique but they have one thing in common: like the best bookstores, they’re easy to browse for hours.

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Top 20 Author Websites Every Author Must See (in 2024)

Getting readers to notice you in a sea of online sameness is hard. An author website helps you stand out online while positioning you as a writer worth reading.

But creating an engaging, professional author website isn’t easy. And a website that makes you look like an amateur, can be worse than no site at all.

A great author site needs to be:

• appealing to your audience
• quick-loading
• mobile-friendly
• and designed to grow your readers

To give you some direction and inspiration, we’ve put together a list of our top 20 favorite author websites in 2024. Take a page from the book of these authors and give your website the literary love it deserves.

Author Website Examples:

1. Chunka Mui 

Carry your book branding into your website.

chunkamui.com

We had the pleasure of building this website for Chunka and I think it sells his platform perfectly. Not that my opinion is skewed or anything…

What makes this author website stand out is the bold colors contrasted by the white space design. It emphasizes the author’s brand and the content laid out.

There is plenty of useful, groundbreaking content for readers to learn more about Chunka and his work.

Actionable Tips: If you have a book that you want as the main feature, consider using the style and colors from the book cover to dictate the design of the website. And if you have information to share about your cause or core message, make sure to give that content plenty of room to breathe on the page.

2. Leigh Bardugo

Create rich, fan-focused content.

leighbardugo.com

Leigh’s site has got that rich graphic novel-type feel.

The use of illustrations, textures, decorative fonts, and fan resources all come together really well and complement her edgy fantasy brand.

It’s engaging and well-made, catering to her fans and encouraging readers to jump on board and become fans.

Actionable Tips : Planning an intricate universe for your novels? Use what you have to create some fun resources for your fans to explore on your site.

3. Austin Kleon

Keep your website fresh and worthy of revisiting.

austinkleon.com

Austin Kleon’s blog is the main focus of his author website. This makes his website feel fresh all the time because he literally posts almost every day! 

His books are also tastefully displayed in the sidebar. The longer you’re on his blog the more likely you are to check them out.

What makes his blogs successful is that he links to other resources and encourages others to link to his site. His blog is one of the most respected in the author blogging field – so what he’s doing is definitely working.

Actionable Tips : If your platform thrives on blogs, podcasts, and other content media, then we suggest building your website with those elements at the forefront. Don’t forget to keep it up to date! Your website will garner visitors that are super into your work and you can promote your work to them conveniently.

4. Helen Hoang

Make it easy for all types of people to read your books.

helenhoang.com

Helen has a tab on her menu just for translated editions of her books. They come in many languages, catering to a wider audience.

Her website carries her book branding nicely into an online format. Similar feminine color schemes with white space, yet still punchy and fresh. 

Actionable Tips : If your book covers stand out, then let your website design sit in the background as a supporting character. Keep your books in the spotlight.

5. Mike Michalowicz

Build a lovable personal author brand.

mikemichalowicz.com

Mike pulls off what few business authors can: a cheeky, enjoyable brand of business education that makes you want to dive deeper.

Hover over his books on the home page and he transforms accordingly. And scroll to the bottom and click “I can’t stand this guy” for a laugh.

Actionable Tips : Let your website match your personality if that’s your selling point. Excite visitors with an online experience that makes them stay on the site longer, like fun animations, quirky pictures of yourself, and content with a friendly tone.

6. T.A White

Showcase your series.

tawhiteauthor.com

This is another one of our own author websites. We concentrated on representing each of her book series while keeping the main mystical feel. 

The blend of fantasy and Sci-Fi is seamless with the genre-specific, clear fonts and color palette.

There are even a few deleted scenes for fans to sink their teeth into. 

Actionable Tips : You could frequently change your intro image to fit your latest book release, but have an overall design theme that suits all your potential genres. Be sure to leave room for each of your series to be displayed without overshadowing any of them.

7. Mark Dawson

Focus on growing your email list.

markjdawson.com

More than anything, Mark wants you on his mailing list. It’s hard getting readers to take the leap and just purchase a book.

Mark believes he can convince readers over time, through his author newsletter. And with a glowing opt-in box, and nothing else much to do on the home page at first glance, it’s hard to resist the urge to put your email in!

When it comes to the design of his author website, it’s characterized by high contrast and dark, moody pages that fit his genre.

Actionable Tips : If you want to focus on growing your mailing list, it needs to be front and center on your website. But you can still give your books the stage they deserve by featuring them on other pages of your website. This is a great way to have each portion of your website fulfill a specific purpose.

8. Miki Taylor

Showcase your illustrations.

mikitaylor.com

With characters as cute as Miki’s, we had to use them on her author website.

Even though the website is designed with children in mind, adults will have a blast exploring it, appreciating the conversational, quirky tone used.

The menu style is accented by colored bubbles, emphasizing the playfulness of this author website.

Every little extra has a story behind it, giving more value to kids.

Actionable Tips : Your cute illustrations with unique designs and colors should be celebrated on your website! From the backgrounds to the intro imagery, and even your menu design – you can stray from the conventional while creating a succinct online experience for your readers.

9. Mark Manson

Let your content do the talking.

markmanson.net

Mark’s site is fun! Much like his writing in general, you just kind of love his insouciant attitude and the website reflects this well while still being quite organized. 

He has clearly worked out his funnel very well, both in terms of customer journey and SEO. There are various tiers of membership to his content. 

He’s getting an estimated 250K organic visits a month! He definitely understands SEO and content marketing. All-round this is a brilliant site that is no doubt a huge success for its author.

Actionable Tips : If you want readers to enter your funnel, you should provide as much gripping, premium content for them to subscribe to. Utilize SEO and other content marketing strategies to make your site a hub for gathering interested readers for your platform.

10. Daniel Gibbs

Bring your books’ world-building to life online .

danielgibbsauthor.com

Another one of our author websites! Daniel Gibb’s site loads with an engaging full-screen background video.

Daniel went to a huge effort to create a fully fleshed-out world for his readers using interactive star maps and ship diagrams. He’s even got a full-on encyclopedia of his universe!

His author funnel is very slick, offering books for both his series. With such professionally produced high-value lead magnets , his email list grows rapidly.

Actionable Tips : Create an intro that is as action-packed as the novels you’ve written. And if you have a complex universe, laying out timelines for your books will give fans and newcomers a better understanding of your world. They’ll also feel more confident that they’re in the right place – given that this genre is their jam!

Want To Give Your Readers An Engaging Online Experience?

Get an author website that showcases your books, grows your list, and attracts publishers and promoters.

11. George Weigel

Organize your content better than a news site ever could.

georgeweigel.com

We think the author website we designed for George aligns well with his genre and work as an author. It is content-focused, holding true to the message it is getting across. 

This is a great balance to achieve on a website as less is more and you allow your work to speak for itself.

Actionable Tips : If you have heaps of content to display, don’t be afraid to let less important site features like CTA’s play second fiddle. You need to decide what you want out of your website and let the rest become neat peripherals.

12. Brené Brown

Engage with your community.

brenebrown.com

This website is well-designed, easy to navigate, and feels smooth and sleek. High-quality photography helps sell the value behind the words. Has a ton of great-looking downloadables and shareables.

Actionable Tips : You can professionally display your works while still keeping your personality vibrant throughout the website. Keep the language conversational and the colors warm and welcoming.

13. Charlie Cochet

Display your massive collection of books and related content.

charliecochet.com

We built this behemoth of a website for Charlie. Her website is jam-packed with books and content yet a breeze to navigate through. 

There’s no shortage of things to see with the exclusive content like playlists, signed copies of books, interviews, etc.

Not to forget the mix of stand-out and cursive fonts with bright colors that keep the eyes entertained.

Actionable Tips : Fans of the romance genre don’t shy away from the seductive and quirky, so neither should you. Let your genre dictate the atmosphere proudly. And if you have merchandise to sell, you can include a Shop page to display it.

14. Wilbur Smith

Use your books’ themes to create ambiance.

wilbursmithbooks.com

The homepage you land on is fantastic with striking colors and clean navigation. 

The website feels alive with the engaging animated elements, making you feel like you’re about to embark on an adventure of Wilbur’s choice.

Actionable Tips : Instead of a flashy intro, you can go for alive and realistic. And you can have each page have a theme that goes along with the specific book’s concept to serve as the gripping element.

15. The Winter Skye Series – Valencia Weaver

Create a vibrant playground for your younger readers.

wswbooks.com

When you get to make a fun site like this, you’ll enjoy every second of it. And we definitely did!

Amusing animations pop and excite across this website, making it an entertaining experience for the user. The extras for kids make your stay on this website rewarding.

Actionable Tips : If your books are vibrant, your website should be too. It gives readers an idea of what’s to come. And don’t forget to tailor your reader magnet offering to your target reader – like coloring pages for kids in the case above.

16. Gary Vaynerchuk

Showcase all the ways readers can stay connected.

garyvaynerchuk.com

Everything Gary is on his author website. It feels so easy to sink into his world and get engaged with his many facets of entertainment.

Fans will feel welcome here and newcomers will have a new obsession.

Actionable Tips : If you have many streams of media that some fans may not know about, create a user journey on your website to introduce them to it. You can expand your following in each venture by sharing it with your audience on your website.

17. R.J. Palacio

Let your book do the talking.

wonderthebook.com

A fun and cute layout, Palacio’s author site uses a simple color scheme to focus on her playful character art. She’s created a whole bunch of downloadable resources and even some merchandise.

Actionable Tips : If you have one successful book that you want every new reader to start with, make that the main focus of your website. This doesn’t make you a one-hit wonder (excuse the pun) but rather lets your best work strut and collect a following.

18. Tim Sullivan

Use video to set the right atmosphere to attract your target readers.

timsullivan.co.uk

This is another author website designed by yours truly. 

The background video creeps you out in the best ways possible. Plus, there are transitioning icons that continue the ominous atmosphere and keep the visitor on their toes. 

The dark colors with pops of blood-like pigments are enough to make your skin crawl, and that’s how you know you’re exactly where you need to be. 

Actionable Tips : If your intro creeps out a website visitor and they leave, they were never your target reader anyway. Embrace your genre completely when designing your website as potential readers that love your genre will eek with excitement when the find your site. And don’t forget to back your books up with stunning testimonials that sing your praises in a meaningful way.

19. Good Life Project – Jonathan Fields

Create an entry point to grow your community.

goodlifeproject.com

A site that stylishly broadcasts “feel good” vibes. Combines warm colors with professionally shot uplifting background video which gives it some class. 

This is an all-around very professional and engaging site. The Opt-in bar is perfectly aligned with what the book promises and sends you to a quiz. 

This site does all the right things and does them well while keeping true to its brand.

Actionable Tips : If you want to foster a community, then make sure your opt-in hints at the type of community it will be. You can use a quiz, like the example shows, to discover more about your audience and how you can make your community happier.

20. Maggie Carpenter

Let your genre and personality shine through.

maggiecarpenter.com

We’re in love with this author website…and not just because we built it!

Maggie’s author website has a tone that’s emphasized by the images that are revealed as you scroll. 

But what leaves a lasting impression is Maggie’s voice atop the sultry design.

She’s conversational, cheeky, and admirable. She knows the less desirable tropes that can be assimilated with her genre and she squashes them, saying you’re in for something even better with her books.

Actionable Tips: You can use your voice as the driving factor of your website, keeping the target reader locked in and enticed from beginning to end. Even if it’s in a genre like romance, you can still be friendly while maintaining the desired atmosphere.

Author Website Must-Haves

Your Author Website…

These stunning author websites weren’t built overnight. They took time, effort, and website-building expertise to get it just right.

If you don’t feel like figuring out how to build your own awesome author website yourself, then we can help!

We’re a professional web design agency that specializes in working with authors. Fill in this inquiry form and take one step closer to your dream online presence.

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10 best author websites for inspiration

• Jenna Romano

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain →

Never judge a book by its cover—but as far as we’re concerned, judging by the author’s website is just fine. Of course, we’re kidding, but deciding to create a website for your readership is an important professional step as an author, even in a world traditionally dominated by print.

Whether you’ve already been published or you're in the middle of working on your masterpiece, this article will guide you in creating an author website of your own (if you're not sure if you need one, check out does my business need a website ). We’ll briefly go over what purpose author websites serve and what should be included in one. Hint: You'll need a professional bio , and some testimonials and an RSS feed of your most recent posts can't hurt either. Plus, we’ll show you 10 examples of author websites to inspire your own website design.

Read Also: How to make a business website

What is the purpose of author websites?

As hard as it is for bibliophiles to admit, every author needs an online presence. An author website leads visitors to accessible information about you and your work - which they can then use to view your published books and learn more about your accomplishments. In this way, having a website improves your visibility and cements your professional reputation.

In addition to providing background information to visitors, author websites create opportunities for increasing interest in your work and building a base of avid readers. While word of mouth never goes out of style, your online presence will put you on the map, and improve your methods for promoting upcoming books or events.

Finally, author websites can streamline the sale of your books. Adding an online store to your website means you can sell your books directly to interested readers. Alternatively, if your book is on a platform like Amazon or Kindle, your website can direct visitors straight to your account. By leveraging sales with a good online marketing strategy, you might just bring yourself to the top of the bestseller list.

10 examples of author websites

Before you design your own site, take inspiration from this list of the best author websites made by Wix users. These examples include all the key elements listed above, and then some:

Romi Neustadt

Jessica Winter

Taylor Tyng

John Clarkson

Trevor Cosson

Alan Allinger

Ajinkya Dharane

Crawford Content

01. Romi Neustadt

Romi Neustadt is an entrepreneur who shares her professional wisdom with the world. Her latest book You Can Have It All is an encouraging piece, guiding readers to live an authentic and fulfilled life. Romi’s author website certainly has it all. It communicates her mission as an author immediately, using impeccable personal branding and key elements that lead her to show off her mission and accomplishments.

Take a look, for instance, at the strong first impression she creates. A customized slideshow on the homepage features two powerful images. Romi’s headshot is confident and warm, embodying the vision of an author you’d like advice from. This is followed by a quality image of her latest book, which is accompanied by a short description and a strategic call-to-action button that states “Order Now”—making it easy for visitors to purchase a copy.

02. BB Writer

BB is a fiction and non-fiction writer from Boston with a sincere message and a visually pleasing website. The minimalist design and color scheme gives her website a clean feel, while the addition of images and an inspiring quote about writing enlivens the site and strengthens the writing theme.

Scrolling down BB’s author website, you’ll come upon a short “About Me” section, which allows visitors more insight into BB’s background as a writer and provides a space for her to write about what she’s currently working on.

You’ll also see that she’s added a customized logo to the site. Creating your own logo is a good idea as a writer, since it strengthens your personal brand.

03. Jessica Winter

Authors who want to showcase a specific book should turn to Jessica Winter’s website as an example. Jessica does an impressive job highlighting her latest novel by placing a high-quality image of the book’s cover strategically on the homepage. Alongside this image is a positive book review from another author, which gives an enticing description of her book as sassy, sarcastic and wonderful. Sounds like something you’d want to peruse, right?

Adding a well-designed website footer to her author website leaves Jessica ample space for a contact form. While the footer is generally the last thing people see, it’s a strategic place to encourage people to sign up to your mailing list.

04. Taylor Tyng

Anything from typical, Taylor Tyng’s well-designed author website makes for a pleasant browsing experience that keeps users engaged. High resolution animated images add a unique and exciting effect, telling the visual story of the writer’s journey. These colorful images provide a powerful visual contrast to the dark grey background and white text.

Using a hamburger menu allows Taylor to collapse the navigation bar of his site - ensuring users have a clear path to the important sections of his website while allowing more real estate for the visual attraction of his homepage. Another clever element is Taylor’s incorporation of a lightbox —the pop-up window grabs users’ attention and encourages them to sign up to the mailing list.

05. John Clarkson

The thrilling nature of John Clarkson’s novels is made palpable by his website’s visual theme. Its cohesive design theme includes a bold color scheme and the cover art taken from his book covers. As users scroll down the homepage, parallax scrolling gives the site a sense of depth and sophistication.

John’s homepage’s content is impressive while a clear navigation menu links users to even more information. Here, we have a spotlight on his latest book, reviews from critics and readers, a short bio and strategic calls-to-action placed through the page. Clearly visible links to his Good Reads and Amazon accounts encourages site visitors to purchase his work.

06. Trevor Cosson

Trevor Cosson’s site design is minimalistic, using lots of negative space to bring the user’s attention to the text featured throughout. As viewers navigate the site, they’ll be brought to different samples of his work, including his blog and examples of both creative writing and copy. With such a strong focus on text, you should choose a font that reflects your personality and is consistent with the rest of your website’s visual style. In this case, Trevor’s use of a simple serif font enhances the site’s classic feel.

Trevor’s website header also includes links to his various social media accounts. This is a strategic way to build your following as an author, helping increase your visibility and consistently engage with your readership.

07. Alan Allinger

Alan Allinger uses one of Wix’s templates to create a customized author website. The video box featured in this template perfectly embodies the goals of this crafty design element, which allows you to add overlays to your own video and frame it with customized shapes. In this case, a moving image of clouds inside of a quotation mark alludes to both the inspirational and practical aspects of writing.

Overall, the dynamic template showcases Alan’s work and experience quite well. Plus, the addition of a blog gives him the opportunity to share even more great content with his online community.

08. Ajinkya Dharane

Ajinkya Dharane’s powerful website exemplifies a design that’s daring while simultaneously adhering to the web design rules of thumb. A large, high-quality image dominates the background of his homepage, instantly catching the eye. The visual hierarchy and organized structure of the site are also on point, thanks to the use of boxes and strips added throughout the page.

We also love the subtle branding incorporated throughout. The repeated use of his logo’s elements and the inclusion of a favicon are both skillful ways to strengthen Ajinkya’s brand and bolster the professional appearance of the site.

09. Crawford Content

Here’s another example of a Wix website template that’s just perfect for showcasing your work as an author. In this case, the Crawford sisters work as a team, customizing this elegant design by including their own logo, images and text.

Their sophisticated style is further emphasized by the use of light colors and traditional fonts. Their one-page website makes it easy to scroll through their site, and is a web design trend that's sure to impress.

10. Icon 303

Icon 303 is an artist and writer whose multi talented character is perfectly rendered on this website. The homepage is simple but visually potent—including an applied filter effect to the background image, a rousing quote, and an easy-to-navigate menu so visitors can check out his work.

Each page of Icon 303’s site has its own visual theme—a daring example of how your website does not necessarily have to be uniform. In fact, we’re seeing more and more web design trends that lead to a “more is more” mentality. While the shifting of color palettes, imagery and fonts might be too busy for some, it’s a compelling way to distinguish certain facets of your career on a single site.

What should an author website include?

Websites are personal in the sense that they reflect your distinct taste, so the design and content of each site varies depending on the author. Start by choosing a web hosting platform  and choose a template  that incorporates the features you want to include. Keep in mind that you can always customize these templates to evoke the style of your written work.

Once you’ve set up your foundation, be sure to include the following elements on your website.

A professional domain name

First, choose a domain name  that’s professional and easy for visitors to remember. It’s good practice to stick with something short and on brand. For example, you might choose to include your name and perhaps the words “books” or “author."

Pro tip: Try to use your author name instead of the title of one of your books. That way, if you plan to create new work in the future, you won’t need to worry about changing your domain. This is also helpful when establishing your brand identity  as an author.

An About page

An About page gives you the chance to tell visitors about yourself, your professional accomplishments, and your sources of inspiration as a writer. Here, you’ll want to include a headshot of yourself, a list of notable awards you’ve won over the course of your career, and of course, a professional bio . We’re not talking about a full-length novel—keep your bio short and sweet. For many visitors, this page will be their first impression of you and your work.

Perhaps this goes without saying, but you should dedicate a section of your website to your books. The purpose here is to give visitors an overview of your writing and entice them to purchase something. Include a high quality image of each book’s cover, along with a succinct description of its contents. The best author websites we’ve seen also incorporate excerpts from the book itself, which further entice visitors to read.

You can also set up an online store to sell your books directly from your website If you do this, you’ll want to set up your website in a way that encourages visitors to purchase. Adding call-to-action buttons such as “Buy Now” and linking them to your shop is a seamless way to create an easy buying experience.

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Should you include books that you haven’t finished writing yet? Absolutely. If you have a title already and can create a preview of what the book is about, this will generate hype around its upcoming release.

Positive reviews

Be sure your website incorporates positive feedback about your work—either from readers, notable publications, or other writers. Adding reviews and testimonials  to your website is not only encouraged—it’s expected. Books with reviews are more likely to be read, since they familiarize potential readers with your book’s content and exhibit the general reaction of those who have already finished it. An author website is the perfect place to amplify positive responses and prove your book is worthwhile.

Add a contact form

As an author, you want to keep your fans updated on your career, book releases or special events surrounding your work. In order to do this, you need to capture their contact information and steadily build your mailing list. Help users sign up by adding a well-designed contact form  to your website and use effective email marketing  to increase engagement with your readership.

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10 of the Best Author Websites to Inspire You

POSTED ON Nov 2, 2023

Written by Shannon Clark

Are you looking for website inspiration? Below you’ll find 10 of the best author websites online. 

Every author needs a place to call home. Sure there’s social media, but who wants to be chained to the ever-changing algorithm?

When you have your own website, you don’t have to jump through hoops to get your content in front of your readers. If they sign up to your email list on your website, you can send them regular emails and have confidence that all of your emails will reach their destination—barring SPAM traps and wrong email addresses. 

Another benefit of having an author website is that if you choose to sell books directly to your readers, you can eliminate the middleman (sorry Amazon) and earn more money on every book sold.

Finally, websites are the best way to engage with your readers without unnecessary distractions like other authors, books, or social media feeds. 

Let’s take a look at 10 of the best author websites for inspiration:

What makes a great author website .

The best author websites are one part author introduction (e.g. who I am; what I’ve written, and where you can find my books) and one part “Welcome to my tribe, I’m glad you’re here!” Once you get that right, make sure it also includes the following: 

• It creates an engaging atmosphere.
• The author bio is magnetic.
• The website is genre-specific.
• An email sign-up (e.g. newsletter, free books, coupon code, etc. where a reader will share their email and receive a gift from you.)

Outside of these must-have features, the sky’s the limit. Decorate your author website home so that it feels like you—authentically you. 

Below I’ve listed a group of the best author websites to inspire you when creating your own. 

10 Best Author Websites

1. shel silverstein.

Genre: children’s classics

Why it works: Shel Silverstein was a children’s book author and illustrator, among many other talents. The black and white website with bits of red sprinkled in offers an engaging backdrop for the beautiful illustrations that Silverstein was known for. There are also fun animation pop-ups when you hover over the navigation bar. Many of Silverstein’s stories have a depth that even adults can relate to. The minimal approach to design makes the website both child and adult-friendly.

2. Tim Sullivan

Genre: thrillers (medical and political)

Why it works: The first thing you notice when you arrive at author Tim Sullivan’s website is the movement. It is not a static site. On the contrary, it moves, shifts, and blinks in and out of focus as it transitions between each of his books. The backgrounds are constantly changing, fitting the thriller genre, which is often fast-paced and always changing. 

3. Susan Cain

Genre: (Nonfiction) psychology, personal transformation, love & loss

Why it works: Named the Top 6th Influencer in the World by LinkedIn, author Susan Cain’s website offers visitors a well-rounded view of who she is, what she writes, and how to access her products and services. As a nonfiction author, the site is built around her, not just her books. You can find links to her courses, speaking engagements , and her books. The website colors are calming, and the website is easy to navigate.

4. Urcelia Teixeira

Genre: Contemporary Christian fiction (Mystery & Suspense)

Why it works: Author Urcelia Teixeira immediately grabs website visitors with a stunning scene. Adding a hero (header) image to your website that reflects one of your stories or your genre is a great way to create an atmosphere. A scroll down her webpage offers additional landscape images behind each of her books. She also offers a shop page on her website where visitors can order her books directly—a solid strategy for increasing per-book profits. 

5. Barbara Davis

Genre: magical realism, fiction sagas, historical fiction

Why it works: Here’s another author website that does a great job of creating an atmosphere for readers. Barbara Davis writes in a wide range of genres so setting a welcoming tone for her ideal readers can be tricky. The dark to warm color gradients on her website are easy on the eye and work well as a background for her books. 

6. Jennifer Niven

Genre: teen and young adult fiction (depression, mental health, romance, self-esteem, reliance)

Why it works: Jennifer Niven’s website embraces her audience. It’s quirky, youthful, and casual. The homepage looks more like an Instagram feed than a website. The site creates an engaging experience that fits the genre of her books. 

7. Taylor Tyng

Genre: children’s action and adventure books

Why it works: This visually impressive website ignites the imagination of young readers. From the moving orange triceratops that crawls over a box of mini LEGO® figures to the origami bunny that casually points to a book excerpt, the design is just the right amount of fun to keep young readers glued to the screen. 

8. Michael S. Jackson

Genre: coming-of-age fantasy, epic fantasy, dark fantasy

Why it works: Great fantasy books transport you to another world and spark your imagination. When you land on Michael S. Jackson’s website, you automatically know the genre. From beautiful illustrations to character introductions and fantasy world maps , you are pulled into the story before reading the book’s first page.

9. Kristin Hannah

Genre: family life, domestic life, and historical fiction.

Why it works: Kristin Hannah is not just an author. She is a brand experience . Similar to other authors who offer more than just books, Hannah uses her website to share information about tour dates, her book club, and news. Her website offers a prime example of how to use your website to build a tribe of loyal readers. 

10. Ta-Nehisi Coates

Genre: discrimination & racism, black & african-american fantasy and historical fiction

Why it works: When you make writing a career, books are only a small part of the bigger picture.  Ta-Nehisi Coates is another author who offers readers an opportunity to experience more than just his books. His website offers links to his public speaking and a calendar of his events in the US and abroad. Since he offers books in multiple genres, keeping the focus of the website simple, but structured in a pure neutral palette is a smart choice.

The best author websites offer readers an experience. Sure you can have a static website that just highlights your books, but that’s like having a beautiful house with no furniture—not very inviting. 

The authors listed above have created standout websites that invite their readers to step inside their world instead of having them peek through the windows and admire from a distance.

An engaging website doesn’t have to be expensive. Finding a professional website template or WordPress theme is a good place to start. You can always invest more in website design later if you choose. 

Always remember to include your readers’ needs in your design.

Ask yourself what you would want to see if you visited a website with similar books. What feeling do you want the website to have? Are popups okay or do they annoy you? What about the colors and the website design? How often do you like to receive newsletters in your inbox? How much is too much? What’s not enough?

Whatever your answers, keep them in mind when creating your website. If you can think of other ways to create a more engaging experience for your reader, try it! Outside-the-box thinking could be the key to your website’s success.

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20 Best Author Websites: Inspiring Examples of 2024

Putting up an author’s website and building a robust online presence may both serve you well as you will be attempting to assert yourself as an author, find your audience, maintain proper communication with your readers, and establish a brand of your own.

The article that follows will introduce you to some of the best author website examples in terms of idea, design, execution, and content quality. Please, consider reading this article from beginning to end because we have prepared something extraordinary for you this time. We will go beyond looking at the best author website examples, sharing with you our vision of what works, what does not, and why.

Veronica Roth

Veronica Roth is a novel and short story writer who came to prominence with the release of film adaptations of her Divergent series. At the top of the author’s homepage, the website’s sections are introduced, offering the visitors the chance to experience the author’s creative manner, explore her career path, receive updates on the author, and contact her.

The website integrates harmoniously dynamic and static visual content, which works to the source’s advantage by making it more diverse. The simplistic design is effective because it does not bore the visitors with details, delivers information appropriately, and gives credit to the movie industry for helping her find her way to success and popularity.

J. K. Rowling

Today’s younger generations may as well owe Madam Rowling their love of reading and fantasy as a genre, which is why they take no notice of this author’s website. The writer exploits the discretion tool to position herself better as an author for both children and adults. Being one of the most successful and extraordinary authors of our age, Madam Rowling can use the benefit of sparing the visitors of her website the nuances of collaborating with publishers, the details of her career path. On the one hand, the author assumes that people visiting her personal website are knowledgeable about who she is and what she is famous for to make her personal website a website for books solely.

Grown-up gateway is dedicated to Madam Rowling’s writings for adult readers. Children’s entrance would lead a visitor into the captivating world of mystery, magic, festivity, and hope that the things that give us comfort, peace, and light will be there for us when we need them the most. Both versions of the author’s website abound with details, offering a glimpse into what the author’s workplace may look like, making the website a safe space for the visitors to connect with the author on a more personal level. The children’s version is noticeably brighter and more colorful than the version for adults. Both versions of the website are intuitive regarding how the visitors would be exploring them. Other than that, the ingeniousness of the source coalesces with the mission to allow the visitors to comprehend the author’s personality, style, and approach to work.

Stephen King

Contrary to Stephen King’s reputation as a master of fright, a founder and proponent of the horror genre, the writer’s website is an epitome of homogeneousness, neatness, and informativity. There are two major focal points on the author’s homepage: Billy Summers and Firestarter , the latest of the horror king’s compositions. The website honors Mr. King’s magnum opus written thus far, The Dark Tower series. White, black, crimson, yellow, and brick colors work well together, providing insight into the author’s genre of choice, working methodology, and artistic tastes. The website is up-to-date and provides two-way and effective communication between the author and his audience.

David Sedaris

Design-wise, black readable font against a white background is nearly always a winning combination. David Sedaris’s website illustrates the appeal and effectiveness of that particular approach to design. By making his writings a centerpiece of the source, the author allows his work to speak for itself. The interface of the website is understandable. Therefore, the website itself is easy to navigate. The landing page’s header contains icons that will lead you directly to the writer’s social media accounts. The sections of the website, laid out horizontally and strategically placed, invite a visitor to explore the resource and look for the information they may require to immerse themselves in the creative mind and works of David Sedaris. 

The landing page is, basically, dedicated to the author’s latest composition, A Carnival of Snackery . Books are definitely the website’s focal point, emphasizing the website owner’s expertise. On the right-hand side of the home page is a list of events for the writer’s followers to make an informed decision and as quickly as possible about whether or not they should go and meet the writer himself in person. At the footer of the home page, there is a contact form that allows you to subscribe to newsletters from the author and instantly receive updates on his tour dates, writing, and, essentially, everything pertinent to his life’s work.

This book author’s website is intended to send an explicit message about who she is in a straightforward yet candid manner. The beige color symbolizes minimalism, rigidness, and femininity. The color palette is a unifying element, bringing all the elements of the sources together. The website is totally compatible with the “nothing in excess” maxim. Still, it provides sufficient detail to introduce the author, her disposition, and her style.

The resourse is a new author website. It is also up-to-date, based on the information in the news section. Still, the only noticeable flaw in this particular author website example is that you may not be able to evaluate the resource’s credibility adequately.

Antoine Choley

Built on the Weblium platform, the source is the epitome of elegance, expression, temperance, and convenience. The webpage for Antoine Choley is carefully planned and thorough. By appealing directly to the audience, the author seeks a more meaningful connection to his audience. By specifying his area of expertise, the writer establishes and maintains his reputation as a professional. By sticking with a monochromatic color palette, the author managed to keep the visitor’s attention on the message he communicates through words. Consequently, the website appears versatile and clean at the same time.

Umberto Eco

The website is dedicated to Umberto Eco, his writings, career, and life paths. On the plus side, the website is formidable in terms of the fluency of presentation of information. The author’s website is unprecedentedly easy to navigate, so much so that it is possible to describe it at some point as overly simplistic for a writer of Eco’s level of sophistication and intellect. This website for an author is an example of a tribute to a creator who is now passed on and an attempt to preserve his legacy. Overall, the author website is a go-to resource primarily to those interested in a thorough study of Umberto Eco’s biography and bibliography.

Neil Gaiman

This author’s website is  another example of how fiction writers’ websites help create a brand and mirror the artistic identities and personalities of authors themselves. Neil Gaiman’s works imbue with action, arcane knowledge, Gothic aesthetics, and subdued humor. The author website at hand encapsulates all that.

The source harmoniously incorporates the author’s journal to make it easier for his followers to keep track of his artistic pursuits, plans, intentions, and deeds. The source is convenient and easy to navigate. The harmonious combination of colors, soft textures, and readable font is the basis of the source’s appeal. Dark colors mimic a Gothic vibe of Neil Gaiman’s background, whereas the white background offsets that effect, introducing even more harmony and coherence to the author’s website.

Paula Hawkins

This is another author website example that entices visitors to keep their attention on the author’s works. The abstract background is inspired by the design of the books’ covers, which again epitomizes the strategy of letting the writer’s work speak for itself. The author’s home page is easy to navigate, offering a foothold into different kinds of information the author’s supporters might need to keep track of her work. The panel with the headings leading a visitor to the different sections of the website guaranteeing the visitor themselves a seamless and exhilarating experience exploring the author’s website.

John Grisham

The first time you enter John Grisham’s website, a pop-up window opens, offering you a free newsletter subscription so that you can stay in touch with the author and receive updates from him. The bold statement reads Mr. Grisham is “America’s favorite storyteller.” The books, bio, and event & updates section is an opportunity for getting a birds-eye view of the author’s career, work, and creative approach.

The writer positions himself as socially responsible by making the interface adaptable to the needs of users with disabilities. The resource places emphasis on the books and, at the same time, offers the readers planet of ways to connect with the author.

The statement on the official website for E. L. James claims she is the author of the provocative novels. Madam James is the one to produce the Fifty Shades series. White and pink colors appear to typify femininity. There is plenty of velocity in the photo portrait integrated into the author’s homepage. As much as the resource as a whole, the portrait itself is an epitome of feminine energy.

The footer of the page is:

a) an icon that will forward you to an online store to purchase branded items;

b) a layout of four latest images from the author’s Instagram page;

c) a search icon.

Even though the author homepage makes the whole website easy to navigate, pink, blue, and grey tones, while the white background offsets them nicely, appear still too emotionally charged.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal

A website for author Amy Rosenthal encompasses a creative approach in terms of design solutions. The website’s calligram-inspired appearance resembles a page in the copy of a collection of French Symbolist poetry. Sketchy icons seem overly simplistic but exceptionally endearing at the same time. Yellow, grey, and black colors work well against the white background, serving as a personification of optimism, resilience, and vital energy.

The option of picking a musical accompaniment offers a visitor a more personalized user experience and, hence, an opportunity to connect with the author herself on a deeper and more meaningful level. A respectful attitude toward privacy characterizes the author as virtuous. The author’s online presence builds itself on the notions of creative expression and temperance.

Lewis Carroll

The website under consideration is Lewis Carroll Society of North America’s official source to rediscover the author it is designed to celebrate. The harmonious integration of John Tenniel’s illustrations adds a bit of a vintage vibe and a painterly look to the author’s page. Pastel background makes the monochromatic and sepia images coalesce. The home page introduces Lewis Carroll Society of North America, the author himself, Charles Ludwig Dodgson, also known as Lewis Carroll, and fundamental details about his life’s works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Alice. Through the Looking-Glass. Despite an intelligible and effortless navigation mechanism, the resource is an exceedingly sophisticated and extensive source.

Brené Brown

As you will be exploring Madam Brown’s website, you will most certainly notice the horizontal panel with the titles of the author website’s sections: ‘Books,’ ‘Podcasts,’ ‘Hubs,’ ‘Collections,’ ‘About,’ and ‘Explore.’ As your cursor will be hovering over each of the words arranged in a horizontal line, a drop-down menu will appear, offering you a detailed map and an insight into the significant aspects of the Madam Brown’s personality and work as a non-fiction author, psychology and philosophy expert.

Deep and vibrant colors of the background image at the header of the home page that portrays the author herself contrast with the white background of the rest of the page. The fluent shift between dark- and light-colored fonts enhance the source’s readability. The symmetry of shapes, textures, and, most importantly, colors shape the basis of the resource’s appeal. All in all, the author’s page is credible, up-to-date, and easy to navigate.

Design-wise, this resource is a tribute to a genre that has helped Jo Nesbo on his way to praise, fame, and recognition. Nesbo is a highly-regarded detective stories writer. A dark-themed website is interspersed with saturated images picturing either the books or the author himself. The centerpiece of the author’s home page is his recent composition, The Jealousy Man . The photograph of a book is placed against a field of translucent crimson cover, which, in turn, overlays another photograph depicting a construction site in a high-contrast scene.

The contrast between light and dark colors, hues, and shades builds the suspense effect. Thus, the author’s online presence establishes his creative identity. The harmonious integration of the newsletter subscription form, news and updates section, and the author’s most recent posts on Facebook facilitates communication between the author and his audience.

Stephenie Meyer

A website for Stephenie Meyer is minimalistic, ingenious, and convenient. Distinct fonts and artwork add an authentic look to the source and make it stand out from other websites and web pages in its category. Light-green color represents seafoam and harmoniously complements red, grey, white, and black. The artwork at the header of the homepage works as an attention-grabber. The resource will help you keep track of the author’s professional pursuits and assist you in the business of exploring the world of creations. Seamless navigation makes the experience of browsing through the author’s webpage even more captivating.

Building only on a quick glance at Jojo Moyes’s webpage, the two features of the resource stand out. The author effectively integrates the links to her social media accounts and, in doing so, adopts a more systemic approach to establishing a solid online presence. The use of personal pronouns creates the effect of appealing directly to Moyes’s website visitors. Mint color makes the source visually appealing. Non-aggressive call to action is strategically placed and invites the visitors to sign up for newsletters and follow the author’s official accounts on Twitter and Facebook . The website is credible and up-to-date.

Emily Martin

This particular resource is a great author website example in terms of form and content. On the one hand, it is explicit, colorful, bright, and memorable. On the other hand, it offers insight into the author’s artistic self. Apparently, the artist is fond of pop art, which speaks volumes. Another distinctive quality of the resource is that it integrates the link to the account for Emily Martin on Goodreads . Although the website is static, drawing inspiration from comic books when making design-pertinent solutions endows the website itself with inexplicable vibrancy and velocity.

Online store templates can work for author websites and Matt Kindt’s website. The design is plain and comprehensible, inviting the visitor to keep fixating on the artist’s purpose (what he is trying to accomplish) and the message he wishes to communicate to the world through his work. On the downside, the link to explore Kindt’s artworks seems not working properly. Other than that, the author’s page is brief and to the point.

  What should an author website include?

Authors on the web approach the business of their online presence differently. There is no prime go-to instruction on how to build an effective author website because what works for some writers may not necessarily work for others. 

Top author websites communicate the intention and mission of the author gently and straightforwardly. Also, it is vital to keep a book author website clean and neat, as if enticing a visitor to explore it one step at a time. Professional and authentic design coupled with high-quality content is a secret to generating leads and enhancing your brand’s discoverability.

Once properly organized and carefully planned, these blocks would offer your followers (the visitors of your website) a substantial amount of information about you as an author. Just be honest, be inventive, give yourself time to evolve, and let your supporters see the work you have done on yourself.

Writing is challenging. However, it does not mean that you cannot enjoy the process. So is building a website. Should you decide to build yourself an author’s website , chances are you may feel overwhelmed at some point. Do not let it discourage you because nowadays, there are so many ways for you to create a website by yourself, even if you have no experience in programming.

Weblium can become your devoted companion should you decide to get through with a plan to go online. Weblium can take care of all technical aspects that come with the task of putting up a website, allowing you to invest the efforts necessary to express your creative self.

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Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks.

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Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

The 50+ Best Writing Websites of 2024

The Internet is full of writing websites and blogs to help people reach their creative goals . If you’ve always dreamt of writing your own book, but don’t know how to get there — or if you’re in the process of writing, but feel unsure about what to do next — then it’s your lucky day! Here we have all the best writing websites of 2024 in one single place for your convenience. They’re also organized by category, and alphabetically within each of those categories, to make each one easier to find. Enjoy!

Best writing websites for writing craft and inspiration

1. Almost an Author

Offering up new content every day, Almost an Author covers a grand scope of writing topics. From genre-specific advice to emotional support on your writing journey, there's tons of useful info here for beginner and veteran writers alike.

2. Association of Writer & Writing Programs

Having just marked their 50th anniversary, AWP is one of the premier authorities on writing. The AWP website provides resources and ample opportunities for authors, teachers, and students at every point in their career. Here you’ll be able to find information about writing programs, career options, and conferences all over the world. Keep in mind, though, that access to some of these features is restricted to members only.

3. Creativity Portal

This is a wonderful hub for creative resources that has been around for a whopping nineteen years! Here you can find writing prompts , creative coaching, printable writing templates, and interviews with authors that will help nourish the right side of your brain.

4. Daily Writing Tips

As the name suggests, this site offers daily writing tips ranging from open-ended prompts and exercises to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. It also covers all writing levels and professions, so it doesn't matter how far along you are in your writing career — DWT is sure to help you out.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a master’s degree, you can get your own "DIY MFA" right here! This site (founded by Gabriela Pereira ) aims to cover everything you would learn in a graduate program, while giving you the freedom to choose your own areas of concentration and allocate your time as you please. 

6. Electric Literature

While not exactly a craft-focused website — so no straight-up writing advice or prompts — this nonprofit digital publisher showcases literature-related essays, criticism, and recommended readings. If you're looking to brush up on both literary theory and recent literary trends, Electric Lit is the place for you.

7. Fiction University

This virtual university, run by award-winning author Janice Hardy, contains tons of advice and concrete examples to help authors build a strong writing foundation. It's full of blog posts by professionals who share their own processes and techniques, providing tips not just on what you should do as a writer, but on how  to make it happen.

8. Helping Writers Become Authors

Longtime author K.M. Weiland offers writing advice that ranges from outlining and structuring to characterization and dialogue — plus all the little details in between. She updates her blog faithfully with topical posts that would pique any writer's (or non-writer's) interest.

9. Insecure Writer's Support Group

Writing is intimidating for everyone , whether you're a multi-published author or you're just starting out. That's why getting support, guidance, and motivation throughout the process is vital! On IWSG, you'll discover a wealth of information on writing, publishing, marketing, and anything else you might need to ultimately overcome your insecurities.

10. Literary Hub

LitHub boasts a superb selection of content for all things literary. Here you can get all the latest book-related news, posts on design and the craft, your daily dose of fiction, and sparkling reviews of new works. One of this site's best features is its section on literature in translation — a great resource for those who want to read books and authors from around the world.

11. LitReactor

The LitReactor blog consists of writing classes, workshops, and a myriad of posts on writing and books ( some of which are even written by us! ). There’s also an online magazine that includes interviews, criticism and analysis, and seasonally appropriate reads and recommendations.

12. LitRejections

An unfortunate occupational hazard of with writing is rejection. This is where a site like LitRejections comes into play! It offers personal stories to help discouraged writers persevere through rejection, and maintain hope and motivation as they move forward in their careers.

13. Live Write Thrive

In this website by professional writer and editor C.S. Lakin, you’ll find plenty of nuanced writing anecdotes and tips. Lakin also supplies annotated critiques that can help you prep your book for publication.

14. NaNoWriMo

Besides serving as the official information hub for NaNoWriMo , this site also lends constant support for those struggling to "win" National Novel Writing Month. Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo forums, which are chock-full of other people's personal writing tips and strategies to get you through November — and every other month of the year — as a writer.

15. Now Novel

This comprehensive website, founded by author Bridget McNulty , is a go-to for just about every writing-related question you might have. Here you'll also find advice, courses, and even an author dashboard where you can keep track of your own writing progress.

16. Positive Writer

If you often feel uncertain about your creative abilities, this is the site for you. Bryan Hutchinson created Positive Writer to encourage and inspire all those who want to write, no matter how much experience or confidence they have.

17. ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid offers a fantastic manuscript editing software that analyzes your writing and creates reports for you to learn from! This tool also includes a thesaurus, grammar checks, style suggestions, and more — you can learn all about it on the ProWritingAid blog, or in our review of the app !

18. She Writes

A well-established writing website with a feminist bent, She Writes is "the largest online community and content site for women writers... all around the world." The site features thoughtful posts and resources to help writers on their journeys, as well as a personal She Writes blog page for every user who signs up.

19. Well-Storied

Here you can find recent articles, workbooks, tutorials, and fascinating discussions on writing. Kristine Kieffer has an extensive archive of posts as well, where you can procure information on just about any topic related to books and writing.

20. The Write Practice

Fulfilling the promise of their name, every single post on this site emphasizes putting theory into practice! There's simply no better way to become a writer than by creating a routine, and that’s exactly what The Write Practice helps facilitate.

21. Writer’s Digest

Writer's Digest is one of the most encyclopedic writing websites out there — after all, the print magazine has been around for almost a century now! Here you’ll find genre and vocation-organized articles, events and competitions, webinars, templates, tutorials, and so much more.

22. Writer Unboxed

Writer Unboxed features articles by authors and industry professionals, focused specifically on the craft and business of fiction writing.

23. The Writing Cooperative

Plain and simple, this is a group of people who want to help each other become better writers. On Writing Cooperative, you will find articles that cover just about every aspect of the writing life. They also have monthly writing challenges to keep you incentivized, and there’s even a space where you can submit your own article to the blog!

24. Writing.com

This is an absolutely all-inclusive community for writers . It’s open to all levels and provides a creative, supportive environment for all members, as well as portfolios to store and display their writing. Like most writing websites, it also includes a plethora of writing tools , contests, and rewards.

25. Catapult: Don’t Write Alone

Don’t Write Alone is a blog written by the Catapult team dedicated to helping writers grow their skills. As a publisher and magazine founded in 2005, Catapult has seen a lot of works and now they’re spilling all the details. From interviews, to craft essays, to writer lifestyle essays, Catapult covers it all.

26. Kirkus Review’s Writers’ Center

Kirkus Review is known for its prestigious $50,000 dollar annual prize and its bi-monthly issues where they critique hundreds of recently published books. But, did you know they also have a section of their website devoted to helping emerging writers grow their skills and navigate the publishing industry? They’re always up to date on the latest trends — if they aren’t creating new trends themselves.

27. Writers Write

An invaluable resource for creative writers, business writers, or bloggers, Writers Write offers over 1400 articles, courses, and workbooks to help you take your writing practice to the next level. Alongside their educational content, they offer book reviews, trivia on famous authors, and prompts. Sign up for their inspirational newsletters for regular hits of motivation that will keep you writing.

28. The Narrative Arc

Beginning as a home to Andie R. Cranford’s writing journey, The Narrative Arc is now a treasure trove of practical tips and prompts to inspire your creativity. Breakdowns of popular books are particularly handy for the budding author — but whether exploring writing for the first time or tightening the bolts on your Franken-novel, the site's ideas on craft are elegant and inspiring.

Best writing websites in the publishing industry

29. Agent Query

This database allows authors to perform in-depth searches for literary agents . You can narrow your search by genre and keywords, view agents’ full profiles, and see if they are currently accepting queries — all for free!

30. The Creative Penn

Besides being a bestselling author on various topics, Joanna Penn is also a leading voice in self-publishing . On her punnily named site, you’ll find abundant information related to writing, self-publishing, marketing, and everything else you mind need to make a living as a writer.

31. Digital Pubbing

Digital Pubbing provides industry news, interviews with indie authors, and resources for learning all about ebooks and the publishing industry. In accordance with the name, this is the perfect site for any author hoping to absorb some serious digital knowledge.

32. The Independent Publishing Magazine

We know it might seem like we're repeating ourselves, but this website really is all about publishing (both independent and traditional, despite what the name indicates). Whatever info you need about self-publishing, trad pub, or hybrid publishing , you’ll definitely be able to find it here.

33. Publishers Weekly

And if you have a specific question about the publishing world, you’ll most likely find the answer here. This weekly magazine is packed full of news, reviews, announcements, and many other resources on the industry. It has been dubbed as "the Bible of the book business" and with its extensive archive, it’s easy to see why.

34. Publishing Perspectives

Publishing Perspectives is another leading source of publishing info, specializing in industry news and topical articles. Aimed at publishers, agents , and authors alike, it features a variety of posts that cover book fairs, distribution, education, and much more.

35. Query Shark

Not sure where your query letter is up to snuff? Query Shark offers the opportunity to have your query critiqued, and to read detailed query critiques of other authors' letters, so you can get the best possible results for your book. Be warned, though, that this sharp-toothed feedback isn't for the weak of heart.

36. Writer Beware

This amazingly thorough site compiles information on schemes and scams that affect authors , especially those run through email and the Internet. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, but obviously applies to authors everywhere. If you're a fresh-faced author trying to get published, definitely check it out — it could save you from losing thousands of dollars in an elaborate scam.

37. The Darling Axe

When the industry professionals at The Darling Axe aren’t working on manuscripts, they flock to the internet to share their hot takes on the publishing industry. They also host writing contests throughout the year to build a writing community and give unpublished authors the chance to get feedback from professionals.

Best writing websites for marketing and design

38. David Gaughran

An experienced author of historical adventures, short stories, and popular books for writers , David Gaughran is one of the definitive writing experts out there. His eponymous blog contains plenty of info on marketing and self-publishing, plus workshops to help aspiring authors. And similar to Writer Beware, he's the noble opposition of online publishing scams and scammers — so if you're frustrated by these issues, you'll discover a blissfully sympathetic voice on his blog.

39. Kikolani

Focused specifically on marketing, Kikolani offers tips and strategies for bloggers who want to grow their presence and attract more readers. Here you’ll find information on brand development , social media, customer retention, and other useful tips that you can put to good use as a blogger. (If you're just getting started, though, we'd recommend this course .)

40. Kindlepreneur

Dave Chesson is — in his own words — a “digital marketing nut.” His blog has all the information you could ever need about Kindle book publishing , how to write to market, increasing your rankings on Amazon, and lots more practical tips and advice.

41. Storiad

Storiad is a marketing platform that helps authors and publishers sell books. Go here for essential information on writing apps , databases, tools, and budgeting to help you run your own publishing campaign from start to finish.

42. Writers & Artists

Part of the distinguished Bloomsbury, Writers & Artists has quite a few articles on writing and the self-publishing process. They also offer editorial services and events on many different topics, like genre-specific writing courses and how to get connected with agents .

43. Your Writer Platform

Naturally, this site is dedicated to building your very own writer platform. There are tons of tips, resources, tools, how-tos, and even individual consulting services to help you build the platform that works best for you and your marketing needs.

Best writing blogs by industry professionals

44. Goins, Writer

Bestselling author Jeff Goins created this blog to share his thoughts on writing and to inspire others to chase their creative dreams. He's especially good at breaking complex topics down into digestible bits — new writers, go here for your primers.

45. Jane Friedman

With copious experience in the publishing industry, Jane Friedman offers online classes and articles on the entire process of book publishing. She's a real goldmine of business knowledge, so keep her in mind for when you're ready to publish your book.

46. Nail Your Novel

As a bestselling former ghostwriter who now publishes under her own name, Roz Morris provides advice about writing, self-publishing, and of course, ghostwriting . If you're interested in becoming a ghostwriter, be sure to check out her courses!

47. Nathan Bransford

Nathan Bransford is a former literary agent who posts all about the inner workings of publishing, as well and information on agents and self-publishing. He also does consultations, edits, and critiques . 

48. Rachelle Gardner

Skillful agent Rachelle Gardner has negotiated over 200 contracts with over twenty publishers and helped more than 100 authors fulfill their dreams of publishing. On her blog, she offers writing, publishing, and social media coaching, along with general writing and publishing tips.

49. Kris Writes

For regular insights from a New York Times bestselling author, look no further than Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog. On Mondays, she posts free short stories for authors to find inspiration in, and Wednesdays she posts in her “Business Musings” collection where she breaks down news from the publishing industry and offers her inside opinions. 

50. The Marginalian  

Maria Popova describes her site as “a record of my own becoming as a person — intellectually, creatively, spiritually, poetically — drawn from my extended marginalia on the search for meaning across literature, science, art, philosophy, and the various other tendrils of human thought and feeling.” She sends out a Sunday newsletter with thoughtful deconstruction of the week’s best liberal arts goings-on to help broaden her readers’ appreciation of the creative world.

51. John August

For all the screenwriters out there, John August co-hosts a weekly podcast with fellow screenwriter Craig Mazin discussing both the craft and business of screenwriting while breaking down popular movies. To help screenwriters really get a feel for the process of working with a studio, John has posted multiple versions of scripts from different stages in the production process on films and series he’s written, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Big Fish , and Chernobyl .

What are some of your favorite writing websites? Let us know in the comments below!

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Best Author Websites (Including Unpublished Author Website Examples)

Hey friends! I often recommend setting up an author website, and I get a lot of questions from people who can’t figure out what to put on an author website if they had only published one book—or if they hadn’t published anything yet.

The truth is, you could have one of the best author websites out there, even if you’re still writing the first draft of your book. I’m going to talk about why it can be a good idea to have one and address a few basic questions, and then I’ll give you some links to great author websites.[spacer height=”20px”] Pin or bookmark the post for future inspiration!

Why Are Awesome Author Websites So Important?

If you’re querying agents or editors, they might Google you, and a polished author website can make a great first impression. If a reader Googles your name, a website or blog gives them the opportunity to get to know you and make a better connection with you.[spacer height=”20px”]

What’s the Best Website Hosting for Writers?

WordPress.com is extremely easy to use and inexpensive. Although any new project has a learning curve, most people have no trouble setting up a WordPress.com site for themselves. You would pay for the domain name—I believe it’s $15 a year. You pay a little more if you wanted “penname.com” rather than “penname.wordpress.com,” and the former is a little nicer. I believe the hosting costs $4 a month, and many of the “themes” or design looks are free.

If you use WordPress.org like I do, it’s quite a bit more expensive, and you may sometimes need technical help with some aspects unless you know how to write code or you want to learn. There are some advantages, such as being able to install a popup window to invite people to join your newsletter.

I’ve heard great things about Wix, though I haven’t used it personally.

Author Website or Author Blog?

Most authors don’t want to blog—in other words, write posts on a regular basis. Even though I love blogging, I don’t recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have a real passion for it.  It takes a ton of work to build up an audience, and most authors would rather spend that time writing books. Blogs that don’t have any fresh content for months can be a little depressing for the blogger and for visitors.

The best author blogs have new posts on a more or less regular schedule. If you think this would be lot of fun, you can have an author blog instead of a traditional author website, or you can have a traditional author website with a section for blogging. The latter is probably more common.

What Does—and Doesn’t—Go On an Author Website

Lots of people want to know if they can publish their own work on their website, and the answer is: it depends. If you are hoping to traditionally publish, you probably want to limit this to short passages and snippets. However, there have been a few authors who have broken this rule, with great success (see Andy Weir, below.)

If you’re an indie author or not publishing, you can share as much as you want. (Your work is copyrighted whether you file for U.S. copyright or not, though U.S. copyright does help in pursuing an infringement claim.)

Elements that can definitely go on an author website include:

*a picture of yourself (you can read here about how to get a good author photo )

*an author biography

*information about the author’s work, published or not

*a signup for a newsletter (it’s never too early to start building a list!)[spacer height=”20px”]

Notes On Design

Design elements can convey your personal brand. Do you, personally, want to be perceived as warm and friendly? Sophisticated and original? Dark and edgy? Keep these things in mind with your color choices and design.

Don’t mix too many different font types, and make sure the body copy is readable. Tiny light gray type will make a lot of people bounce.

Require as few clicks as possible. “Enter site”? No, how about you just let me in automatically?

Best Author Websites

Let’s look at some great author websites! Click on the author names to see their websites. These were some of the best writers’ websites I could find when I was researching this post, and I tried to include a variety. However, there are hundreds of thousands out there, so if you have suggestions for other awesome author websites, I’d love to hear them!

Beverly Jenkins

This is a truly great author website designed by The Page-Turner Network and worthy of a romance author legend. You don’t have to have a professional designer or a ton of content, the way Ms. Bev does, to have a beautiful limited color palette that makes an instant positive impression.

Jim Butcher

This website used a free WordPress theme: Suffusion. Unfortunately, Suffusion is no longer available, but I’m pointing that out to say that you can get great professional results from free WordPress themes! I really like the use of the evocative illustration at the top.

Caren Lissner

The stunning images and evocative messaging drew me in and made me want to know more.

Ellery Adams

Adams write cozy mysteries, and her website really captures the feel of her books. I’ll admit to wanting to crop off the top half of her author photo because she’s only in the bottom half of it, but this is one of the best author blogs I’ve seen in the cozy mystery genre.

Weir’s mega-blockbuster novel The Martian famously started as a series of blog posts, so it’s no wonder he’s got a sharp-looking blog. I think it shows that you can keep things very simple and still be appealing. The bold font and background convey a sci-fi feel. He’s got a tab for each of his projects, a good bio and an author photo that conveys his personality, and invitations to sign up for the newsletter. Are you noticing how big the authors’ names are on some of these sites? Get into a best-selling author mentality and don’t be shy about the size of your own name.

Thrity Umrigar

I’m sharing this one as an example of someone who does a lot of different types of writing, because I know some of my readers are the same way! Umrigar writes novels, but she’s also a journalist, a memoirist, and a children’s book author. She’s brought everything together very nicely here. This website was built on Squarespace, and it looks really good.

Amor Towles

The author of A Gentleman in Moscow features a book trailer right on the home page, which is something I would probably do with my book trailers (see here and here ) if I had a more traditional author website instead of or in addition to a blog. By the way, if you’re interested in book trailers, you might want to read my post on How to Make a Book Trailer: 5 Steps, Plus How Much It Cost. 

Unpublished Author Website Examples

I love it that Emily’s picture—with a big smile—is front and center in this website. Her friendliness and sense of humor comes across, and the blog portion of her website has sharp and engaging visuals.

Sarah Lynn Burnett

This writer who hasn’t published a novel yet, though she’s published shorter pieces. She’s based in the Caribbean, and her location set the tone for her splashy website.

Apple Plotnick Jannotta

This website features the author’s completed, unpublished novel (which sounds terrific, by the way.)

If you’re building up your author social media presence and it includes Instagram, you may also want to check out my post about the 200 best Instagram hashtags for writers ! Hashtags are a great way to get discovered.

And if you’re an author with a website you’re proud of, feel free to share a link in the comments! (I only ask that the websites be G- or PG-rated…otherwise, I will remove the link.) I think we’d all love to see more published and unpublished author website examples! I know I only have a handful here. If you want to link to some of the best author blogs or websites, or share your opinions on how to make awesome author websites, I know we’d all appreciate that, too.

I’m going to be doing more posts about social media presence for writers, so subscribe to the blog, if you haven’t done so already (there’s a place to sign up on the lefthand side of the page). And if you’re in the middle of writing a novel that’s becoming a little messy..or you’re ready to start a fresh new project…be sure to check out my book Blank Page to Final Draft , a step-by-step guide to planning, writing, and editing your novel.

Thanks so much for reading, and happy writing!

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45 thoughts on “ best author websites (including unpublished author website examples) ”.

I’ve been an avid user of WordPress for several years. My recent site I put up while I was writing my novella then added a link to the book on Amazon when I self-published it a month ago. https://theimplantbook.wordpress.com/

I have another site I use to post my short stories and flash fiction. I guess you could call it my author site. https://robertiveystories.wordpress.com/

Hi Bob, I hope everything’s going well with you in these crazy times. Thank you for sharing!

Oops, sorry Bob—the anonymous comment was me. I forgot to sign in! 🙂

Hi! Your website helped me so much when I was first starting out. I write epic fantasy, and submitted the first novel of the series to agents and publishers. But then was told a publisher won’t look at me without a platform. I’m hustling now, and I have a fledgling website where I’m blogging. There are still kinks to work out, which drains my non-techy mind. How long does it typically take to reach 1,000 followers on social media? I’m focusing on Facebook. Thank you for all the insight and information! My baby website is https://jenboothauthor.com/ .

Excellent post! I’ve been wondering about when to start an author website and just assumed you waited until you got published. Great tips and examples too!

Hi Michal, good to see you! I hope you are doing well. Absolutely, you don’t have to wait until you’re published to get a website! Thanks for the kind words! 🙂

Great post, Bryn! Those are some lovely websites. Like others, I’m a fan of WordPress. Themes make everything so much easier. I’m currently using the Twenty Seventeen theme. When I set up my website, the important things for me were simplicity/ease of use for the end user (I hate having to search for things on a website!) and of course, aesthetics. I think I’ve done okay on both those fronts, but I’m always open to suggestions. 🙂

Hi PJ! The 2017 theme is so terrific, especially for writers! It’s so clean and easy to read. You are so smart to think about ease of use!

This was a fantastic post. Lots of good stuff here that I need, especially the examples of published and not yet published authors.

I don’t even know how Instagram works really, though my brother has been telling me it’s the best social media site to find and learn new things.

I began blogging a few years ago, then felt embarrassed by a story and then kind of sat on my domain for a year. Then I erased both of my stories.

When my data science program started they wanted us to write weekly blog posts for extra credit. I’m a person with a lot of self doubt, so not trusting my code or calculations, I kept away from writing anything analytical believing people would find a mistake in my coding or math and stick it to me in the comments (or in person). I just kind of blogged about life in a data science program, and most recently on matters I was interested in.

I have to clean up my editing though, as I keep finding grammar mistakes in my stuff (embarrassing). If anyone is interested, that website is at https://www.chrisvpowers.com (I only found one f-word among all 11 posts, so I think that meets Hollywood’s current PG guidelines?).

At about the same time, I snagged the domain name for blogging as an author (much more salty language and violence there, so I’m omitting that link). I chose to use the domain name of the brand I’m hoping to build around my book for this site. But like my first step into blogging, I’ve been sitting on that website, unsure of what to put there.

This post has given me a lot of guidance and I’m hoping to make some headway this week. I plan to stake out a place on Instagram (and explore) in the not-too-distant future.

And I’ve either got to make major changes to my Pinterest board or make a whole new account for my writing career, as it just screams insecure dude with too much interest in news and an addiction to fried garbage. And that’s not the message one wants to give people. You would think with an MBA in marketing I’d be good at delivering messages, but I’m horrible.

I should also mention that I started putting my blog on Medium.com, a major blogging site. But I feel, now, that my stuff just gets lost in the noise (with so many other blog authors, especially in this Coronacrisis, on that platform looking to stake a claim now). There’s a lot of click-bait on Medium about getting to the top of the feed, but I really feel like it’s a toss up as their algorithm personalizes for the readers with great specificity and they benefit from the long tail of content while you get a trickle of followers. But maybe I’m wrong. Then again, I guess Google does the same sort of thing, just on a larger scale.

Additionally, people should know that if you’re posting to your own domain as well as your Medium account with duplicate posts, that Google’s algorithms may punish your post in thinking it’s plagiarized (I’ve seen this pointed out on several SEO pages, though I haven’t checked the Google blog for any official confirmation).

So for the last few months I turned off the indexing of my personal website to see how well my Medium following grew. I’m still experimenting with that, but I have a feeling I’m going to separate my brands into three categories: My Novel/Screenplay site, My Personal Homepage (debating what theme to settle on), and My Medium page (where I put general interest articles).

Oh, and for a host, I use Wix.com. I’m pretty decent with computers, but I chose Wix because they deal with everything, from an intuitive editor, the domain, the SSL certificate, to managing the server and security. Plus, I’m lazy. I’m assuming WordPress does something similar with their services. There’s also SquareSpace, which I might have gone with because their commercials were so damn funny (search for John Malkovich/Jeff Bridges and Square Space on YouTube and you’ll find their hilarious commercials).

Again, thanks for the great post. I’ve got a lot to think about and a lot of great resources to look to.

Chris, I think your blog looks great! I think it’s so interest that you have such a balance between numbers and data, and creativity. I didn’t know that about Google—punishing you if cross-post! That’s good information.

I think it can be really challenging to figure out how to present yourself online. I was interviewed by someone this week who was doing a post on a Harvard blog about SEO, and I told him I’d had two failed blogs. Defining a focus (writing and positivity) and coming up with a tag line (“tell your stores, love your life”) helped a lot for me.

I completely disagree that you’re putting out a bad message. And you’re going to have to stop saying you’re lazy. You know it’s not true. 🙂

Well, Bryn, you can now claim a new genre. Horror. Internet is a SCARY place. Like a granny in a “Model T” I push the limits of my discomfort-zone. I have my Facebook page where I post things about my writing, and sometimes about philosophy. Recently I asked, “What’s the difference between wisdom and foolishness?” There were a lot of great ideas in the replies. I get more response when I post photos of my mother and little tidbits about her. That’s more about Mom than me. So many people loved her. I do have a website. I haven’t done a lot with it recently. I changed the “look” of it when I decided to re-brand myself as a fantasy author. Is that what an Author Website is? Can I use what I already have? I really am tech-phobic with a high dose of author-avoidance. True confession: I got a trojan a while back and I am afraid to do too much with an entity that can take over my computer and force me to delete ALL of my programs in order to get rid of it. I still don’t know if I infected others who contacted me during that time. That’s why I referred to you as a writer of horror.

In your post, there are a lot of things for me to try. Thanks for all the great ideas. I feel inclined to try some of them.

Jessie, you are one of the most fearless people I know (it’s no wonder you write heroic fantasy), but a trojan would scare anybody! This blog was hacked once, and it was awful…I have a ton of security in place now, and full backups every 24 hours! I think it’s great that you’re using what you have and rebranding it.

This is so great. I especially love that you included examples from unpublished authors. All the research I’ve done says you have to get the website early, but I never had any idea what to put on it since I’m not published. Now I know what some of it can actually look like.

Also, yay Jim Butcher. He’s one of my favorites. I can’t tell you how excited I am to get not one, but TWO Dresden books this year. Doesn’t hurt that he’s a fellow OU alum either. Boomer Sooner!

Hi Erin! Well, not to give you another job, but you definitely deserve to have a website! You’re doing great writing! I love Jim Butcher. He lives near my old hometown, Kansas City. So we can both claim him!

Aww. You’re so sweet. It’s definitely something I want to get done this year. I just need to get some author photos first.

I’m an Artist and a Writer. My website includes both. Is this ok? carleneshulerbrown.com Carlene

Carlene, just wanted to say that your artwork is beautiful! <3

Carlene, definitely okay! I think you’re bringing it all together so well. Wow, you are really talented!

Tanks a lot for this post. It was really helpful!

I love it when you share resources like this ⭐?⭐

I just subscribesuto your YouTube channel ✒?!

I’ve had a wordpress.org site for about 2 years. It is horribly more expensive,with the domain cost paid up front, for 3 years of use. And then there’s a low monthly fee. However, to my understanding, there’s plenty more security measures you get with the .org site. And I wanted to keep my site secure. Other than that, I love having my site. It’s like one little piece out of the great, world wide web that I own. And ownership is a nice feeling.

Thank you for writing this. I have been keeping a blog for quite a while now and while I do prefer working on my novel or short stories I have found my stride with it. I definitely want to check out these other blogs for some pointers.

This article was a godsend for me in terms of giving me the confidence to create a website even though I am unpublished. I am working on self-publishing my first novel, a romantic space opera on a limited budget. It is currently in the hands of a copy editor and I will soon start working on a custom book cover. I created my website myself using Wix (I meant to use wordpress and somehow I ended up with Wix, but anyway it’s done and paid for so I’m stuck with it). Now, I feel that my picture is too large. Can you take a look at my site and give me your opinion about in in general? I know it’s pretty bare bones now, but I would appreciate any constructive criticism. Also I’m thinking of what content I can add while I work on the cover. I don’t think I have time right now to blog, but should I include perhaps elements of world-building like the main characteristics of each of the alien species that are part of the story?

Hi, Maria! I am so glad the article was helpful. GOOD FOR YOU for working with a copy editor, even on a limited budget. That’s the way to do it right. I do think the author pic is large on the site, and since you are writing a romantic space opera, I think you might want to think about having an outer space-ish image at the top. You can always change the top visual later if you write in other genres later. I love the idea of including world-building with alien species!

Thanks again for your quick reply and for taking the time to look at my website. I appreciate your valuable input and will look into adjusting it accordingly.

How did you find your copy editor? I mean, I know they’re available, and I know I want to find one who deals with the types of stories I’m writing. But I don’t want to just go with the first hit on the google search, you know?

Hi Bryn, I know I’m arriving late to the party. I have a rather awkward question I’d like to ask you. You mention putting up a photograph of yourself. Do you have to do this? I’m pretty ugly, and I do not photograph well. Do you have any suggestions of what else could be used? Thanks in advance.

I do not have any pics of myself on my site, but I do have pics of my characters, which I commissioned through an artist – Rod Espinosa – on deviantart.com. They were expensive, but I am so happy I’ve got visuals to go with the text. 🙂

That IS an awesome idea.

JJ, I apologize to be answering such a sensitive question over 5 months later—I sometimes get behind on the comments with old blog posts. You probably don’t even remember asking this…and it may be that you’ve since realized that you aren’t ugly, which you’re not! I think many of us feel self-conscious about how we look. I certainly do. Some shy authors commission a sketch, and that’s certainly a possibility, but at some point when you get a big writing deal, your publisher will want a photo. At that time, I would say dress simply, work with a professional photographer if possible, and as long as people can see your eyes and your smile, they’ll get a sense of who you are and make a positive connection.

In any case, I am sure you would never be so cruel as to judge or dismiss someone else based on their looks. You probably see other people’s unique beauty or attractiveness, even if they don’t fit the conventional mold. I hope you can be almost as kind to yourself.

Hello, Bryn. When I searched your website for anything that could help me understand how to start an author website I found just the thing I needed! Thank you for your timely advice. One of the not-quite-yet-author websites you listed, Emilyrae, happens to live in a nearby town, so I reached out to her. I have a question–how do I get other people to find my website? I am 55 years old and the only social media thing I do is Facebook, and don’t understand the rest. I guess I have to join the ol’ 21 century eventually. Thank you, Silke P.S. I already get your email posts.

“Hi Bryn!

I would love to have you on my podcast: A Quest for Well-Being. It has 30,600+ downloads, 128,000 Youtube views, and 2500+newsletter subscribers!

We can discuss the topic in your book 5,000 WRITING PROMPTS.

To listen to previously published episodes, please visit: fitforjoy.org/podcast

If interested, please email me: [email protected]

Looking forward to our meaningful conversation!

Much Love and Joy!!! Valeria”

• Pingback: 4 must-have pages for your unpublished author website - Debbie Emmitt - Mystery author, editor and proofreader

Thanks for bringing this post to our attention (again) via Twitter, Bryn. I read it back in 2020 and have referenced it several times in the last year. I’m an unpublished author (with hopes to publish soon in one way or another, at which point book covers and graphics will take a focus!) and have had fun tinkering with my website: https://leahdobrinska.com/

Thanks for laying this all out, especially the unpublished author sites. Tinkering with my own right now at http://www.eoconnors.com

• Pingback: 11 Good Author Bio Examples

Bryn, great links! I built my website about 8 years ago but with my second book scheduled to be released Spring 2022, I have been thinking of different ways to refresh it. The author websites you listed are certainly inspiring. Thank you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post and especially for the examples from unpublished writers! I’m currently revamping my website, trying to take it from just a blog to a true author website, and the examples you provided give me something to work from. Thanks again, and happy new year!

Hi Janet! I’m so glad it was helpful! I’m looking at revamping my own website right now—it’s always just been functional, but I want to make it pretty. 🙂 It can be a big undertaking but I know it’ll be worth it, and I’m sure you’ll find that to be true, too. Thanks for the kind words!

Great post! Only just discovered it, via your retweet today.

I have a website/mailinglist/newsletter/readermagnet-thing going on in parallel with my rather ambitious WIP. It’s not that I expect it to get much attention and draw people in, it’s more that I want somewhere to capture any interest I manage to get through other routes. If I should get a short story published, or shortlist in a competition etc, then I want somewhere where I can direct would-be readers, and keep their attention for the year or two (or three) that it’s going to take me to get the book finished. It’s not a website – it’s a reader trap.

I’m at https://paulcmercer.com

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Book Marketing & Publishing Tips

45+ Author Websites with Stellar Designs

June 26, 2019 by Diana Urban

Are you planning to create an author website?

The BookBub Partners team is conducting research on this topic and would love to hear from you — please fill out this survey to tell us about your website plans!

TAKE THE SURVEY

  Many successful authors have websites that are the hub of their online marketing activity — they provide a central platform for everything from blogging to book sales and email newsletters. But what should you include in an author website?

We’ve compiled 45 stellar examples to give you some ideas. These sites can provide inspiration for any authors or publishers looking to launch or redesign an author website.

When reviewing author websites to include in this list, we followed the guidelines in our article about nine author website trends you need to know about . To appear on this list of examples, sites had to meet most, if not all, of the following criteria:

• Include a list of published books
• Prominently display new or impending releases
• Provide an obvious way to subscribe for updates
• Provide a way to contact the author
• Include links to the author’s social media profiles
• Display a list of upcoming events
• Include a blog to showcase the author’s personality and/or writing process
• Be easy to navigate
• Have a clean, unique design
• Be mobile friendly

We’ve made sure to include both traditional and self-published authors, along with a variety of styles and genres, so everyone can find some inspiration.

1. Bella Andre

2. Brett Battles

3. Alexandra Bracken

4. Mike Chen

5. Cassandra Clare

6. Colleen Coble

7. J. Daniels

8. Emma Davies

9. Susan Dennard

10. Marie Force

11. Kami Garcia

12. Kellie Coates Gilbert

13. Elizabeth Gilbert

14. Mark Griffiths

15. John Grisham

16. Michael C. Grumley

17. Paula Hawkins

18. Kevin Hearne

19. Jody Hedlund

20. Tami Hoag

21. Colleen Hoover

22. Rachel Howzell Hall

23. Julie James

24. Beverly Jenkins

25. Dean Koontz

26. Stephanie Laurens

27. Fonda Lee

28. Marie Lu

29. Debbie Macomber

30. Nana Malone

31. Gretchen McNeil

32. Megan Miranda

33. Janet Mock

34. Karen Marie Moning

35. Jennifer Niven

36. Brenda Novak

37. Lauren Oliver

38. James Patterson

39. Nora Roberts

40. Gretchen Rubin

41. Aminah Mae Safi

42. Helen Scheuerer

43. Savi Sharma

44. Melissa Storm

45. heather sunseri.

46. Kiru Taye

What other author websites would you add to the list? Link to them in the comments below!

Want to share this post? Here are ready-made tweets:

Click to tweet: Authors, you need a website! Here are 45+ examples of amazing author sites for inspiration. #WritingCommunity http://bit.ly/1opMDcL

Click to tweet: Are you planning to launch or redesign your website? Here are great examples from 45 authors! #pubtip http://bit.ly/1opMDcL

This post was originally published February 18th, 2016 and has been updated with new examples!

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33 Published Author Website Examples (and how it's made)

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Here are some of the best and unique author websites I've ever seen. Whether they're self-published or otherwise, fiction or non-fiction, there's something in each of them to inspire your own :)

They are handpicked after scouring over a hundred authors and online writer websites on the internet.

All of these websites are built using website builders and a content management system (CMS) such as Wordpress.

If you need more detail, check the review I wrote on top website builders authors use to build their personal website .

1. Tim Ferriss

Made with Wordpress

#1 New York Times bestseller, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferriss publishes his latest writings, hosts his podcasts, and sends his (1.5M+ subscribed) newsletters on his website

Author of the (also) #1 New York Times bestselling book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up", Kon Mari and her team used Wordpress to build her brand site and occasionally publisher notes on spark joy living.

3. James Clear

James Clear has been writing on his Wordpress site since 2012 and is now the author of the New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits, has published over 100 articles to date and manages his (1M+ subscribed) newsletter over there

4. Elizabeth Gilbert

Made with Wordpress and Divi

Elizabeth Gilbert's website features a bold orange and purple to match the cover of her latest book: "City of Girls". When you've literally written a dozen books,  it's a good strategy to feature your latest on the home page.

5. Brené Brown

Brené Brown's website serves many purposes. Obviously it's used to feature her latest book, but she also actively promote her podcast where she converse with change-catalysts, culture-shifters from around the world. You can also join her  Dare to Lead book club.

6. Bronnie Ware

Bronnie's website deisgn is simple and down to earth. While other authors' site writes from the third person, Bronnie's notes and stories are personal.

7. David Epstein

You can tell David Epstein's is professionally designed. The website's accent pastel green (not coincidentally) goes really well with his book cover. The matching newsletter sign up form is a nice touch as well.

8. Debbie Macomber

Debbie's website is light and whimsical, just like her story books for children. I like  that her team designed a custom cover image for each of her book on the home page.

9. Ryan Holiday

Cool, dark, and mysterious, the black and white design definitely plays well to contrast the cover of his latest book: "Lives of the Stoics". Either way, check out that sweet bookshelf of his!

10. Janet Mock

Made with Wordpress and Elementor  

Everything about Janet's website exudes posh and elegance! The self portrait, brass-colored font, and olive green background especially gives the site a very classy touch.

11. Marie Force

Marie Force's home page features a professional and practical layout with a focus on highlighting the various books she wrote. What's cool is that you can read the first chapter or snippets of her books right on the site before you pre-oder.

12. Morgan Harper Nichols

Made with Squarespace

Morgan Harper Nichols is an artist and poet whose work is inspired by real life interactions and stories. She recently wrote How Far You Have Come, an exquisitely illustrated collection of poetry and essays on her journey as a writer.

13. Jennifer Niven

Jennifer Niven is a full time author who tells stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Notable work includes Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic and   The Ice Master: The Doomed 1913 Voyage of the Karluk .

14. DIY Author

DIY Author is a resource site dedicated to helping authors create their work, publish their book, and build a business. It was created by Chris Well, a published novelist who has written suspense and mysteries for traditional publishers and as a self-published author.

15. Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese-Australian author who published her best-selling memoir, Yassmin's Story , with Penguin Random House at age 24. She built her personal brand on Squarespace, where she features her best writings and media engagement.

16. Romi Neustadt

Made with Wix

Romi is a mom, yoga-loving flexitarian, and entrepreneur who empowers women, and helps them figure out what they want and how to make it happen. Her latest book You Can Have It All shows you exactly that.

17. Taylor Tyng

Taylor is an author of 3 books who find joy in writing for middle grade readers, who are no longer children but not quite adults.

18. Kiru Taye

Kiru writes passionate romance and sensual erotica stories featuring African characters on the continent or in the Diaspora.

19. Emma Davies

Emma has produced over a dozen novels, all of which make a great bedtime story. Some of her best works include The Mystery of Montague House , The House of Hope Corner , and Letting in Light .

20. John Clarkson

John wrote his first crime thriller, And Justice For One , which was made into a screenplay adaptation for Paramount Pictures.

21. Trevor Cosson

Trevor is a professional writer whose work span fiction, real life stories, and copywriting. You can find his latest writing and portfolio on his Wix site.

22. Alan Allinger

Alan has been telling stories his entire life. From Oscar winners to Sci-Fi hits, to shows from the Shondaland empire, chances are Alan's work has shaped some of your favorite visual stories.

23. Ajinkya Dharane

Ajinkya mostly writes crime fiction for fun. His work mostly involves some kind of conspiracy theories and classic whodunit crime stories.

24. Troy Hunt

Made with Ghost

Troy is a Pluralsight author of many top-rating courses on web security. He frequently blogs on his site and uses it to promote his security workshops, where he teaches technology professionals how to break into their own applications before other does.

25. Ali Abdaal

Ali is a doc, Youtuber, and podcaster who frequently writes about actionable productivity tips, practical life advice, and high-quality insights from across the web.

26. Jeff Atwood

Jeff runs Coding Horror, a blog on programming and software development, where he studies, research, and share exciting news in the industry.

27. Joel Gascoigne

Joel is the co-founder and CEO of Buffer. He frequently writes about business, remote work, and travel on his site.

28. Emily Atkins

Made with Substack

Emily Atkins was a reporter before she launched Heated , a climate-focused Substack newsletter, one of the most popular publications on Substack.  It helps that Heated gather thousands of paying subscribers, enabling Emily to earn more money (and recognition) than any salaried journalism job.

29. Nicole Cliffe

Nicole Cliffe is a freelance writer who pens Slate’s parenting advice column, “Care and Feeding”. Her substack newsletter, Nicole Knows , is a potpourri of beauty, pop culture, and general life observations.

30. Judd Legum

Judd Legum's substack newsletter, Popular Information , focuses on in-depth information and government and political analysis. Some of his stories have forced companies to reverse their policies.

31. Ed Latimore

Made with ConvertKit

Edward  Latimore is a retired American professional boxer and is now a best-selling author of several books. His writing focuses on self-improvement and a practical approach to stoic philosophy.

32. Srini Rao

Srini Rao turned his blog into a WSJ bestseller but struggled with his writing business. It wasn't until years later he made a come back with self publishing.

33. Deborah

Deborah is a homesteader who became an author when she decided to teach her fans how to raise goats sustainably. Since childhood, her big dream was to be an author, and now she's signed a contract for her third book.

David is the founder of MakingThatWebsite.com and started making websites for businesses back in 2014. He's a keen learner and wants to share his journey and knowledge with other business owners and freelancers. He launched MakingThatWebsite.com in 2021 to make website building more approachable and scalable for businesses.

Have a tutorial you want to learn? Leave a suggestion here .

Kindlepreneur

Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Book Marketing / Author Website: 3 Best Options for a Book-Selling Website

Author Website: 3 Best Options for a Book-Selling Website

Building a website can be complex, but it's arguably one of the most important early marketing steps an author must take. In this digital age, every author needs an online platform to showcase their work, connect with readers, and cultivate a loyal following. But with so many options and skills to learn, how do you know what level of website marketing is right for you?

• The three main types of author websites
• How to create a simple one-page website using drag-and-drop builders
• The benefits of a self-hosted content-driven “niche” website
• What it takes to set up an advanced direct sales website
• Why having your own author website is crucial
• Essential elements to include on your author website
• Whether to build your website yourself or hire a professional

Table of contents

• Who Should Choose This
• How to Build
• Using Drag-and-Drop Website Builders
• Why We Recommend WordPress for Self-Hosted Websites
• Why We Recommend SiteGround for Self-Hosted Websites
• Before Getting Started Selling Direct
• Why Have Your Own Author Website?
• Website Terminology 
• What to Include on Your Author Website
• The DIY Approach
• Hiring a Professional
• My Recommendations and Final Thoughts

Three Types of Author Websites

When it comes to author websites, there are three main options to consider: a simple one-page website, a content-driven “niche” website, and an advanced direct sales website. Each type has its own benefits and challenges, and the right choice for you will depend on your goals, skills, and resources.

Beginner: Simple One-Page Website

A simple one-page website is a great starting point for authors who want a basic online presence without spending too much time or effort on the finer details. This no-frills approach typically includes a sign-up form for your newsletter and links to your books on popular online retailers.

• Authors just starting out
• Those with limited technical skills
• Authors who want a basic online presence
• Choose a drag-and-drop website builder (e.g., Squarespace , Wix , WordPress )
• Select a template that fits your genre and style
• Add your author bio, book information, and newsletter sign-up form
• Link to your social media profiles and online retailers
• Easy to set up
• Requires minimal technical skills
• Limited design and functionality options
• May not support advanced features like blogging or e-commerce

When it comes to creating a simple one-page website, drag-and-drop website builders are the way to go. These user-friendly platforms allow you to create a professional-looking website without needing to know how to code or design.

Top Drag-and-Drop Website Builders for Authors

Here's a comparison of some popular drag-and-drop website builders:

These builders offer a wide range of templates that you can easily customize to fit your genre and personal style. They also make it simple to add essential elements like your author bio, book information, and newsletter sign-up form.

Getting Started with a Drag-and-Drop Website Builder

To get started with a drag-and-drop website builder:

• Choose a platform that suits your needs and budget
• Select a template that aligns with your author brand
• Customize your template with your own content and images
• Add a newsletter sign-up and email lead magnets to start building your email mailing list
• Link to your social media profiles and online retailers where readers can purchase your books

By using a drag-and-drop website builder, you can create a simple but effective one-page website that showcases your work and connects with your readers, all without getting bogged down in technical details or complex design decisions.

Intermediate: Content “Niche” Website

A content-driven “niche” website is a more advanced option for authors ready to take their online presence to the next level. These websites are typically self-hosted and use platforms like WordPress to create a more engaging and interactive experience for readers.

• Authors with some technical skills
• Those who want to use content marketing to promote their books
• Authors looking to build a stronger brand and online presence
• Define your strategy and pick your niche/genre
• Choose a reliable web host (we recommend Siteground )
• Install WordPress
• Select a Wordpress theme that fits your genre and style
• Create content (blog posts, articles, etc.) related to your books and niche
• Optimize your site for search engines (SEO)
• Greater flexibility in design and functionality
• Ideal for content marketing and SEO
• Allows for more reader engagement and interaction
• Requires more technical skills
• Hosting and security are your responsibility
• Potential for hacks and security breaches

When it comes to building a self-hosted author website, WordPress is the clear choice for most authors. Here are some of the key reasons why we recommend WordPress over other content management systems (CMS):

• User-friendly interface : WordPress has an intuitive, user-friendly interface that makes it easy for authors to create and manage their website content, even if they have limited technical skills.
• Extensive customization options : With WordPress, you have access to a vast library of themes and plugins that allow you to customize your website's appearance and functionality to suit your specific needs and preferences.
• Large community of users and developers : WordPress has a massive global community of users and developers who contribute to its ongoing development, provide support, and create new themes and plugins. This means you'll always have access to a wealth of resources and expertise when building and maintaining your website.
• Extensive template library : WordPress offers an extensive library of pre-designed templates (themes) that you can use as a starting point for your website design. These templates are designed for various niches and styles, making it easier for you to find a design that aligns with your author brand.
• SEO-friendly : WordPress is designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, which means that your website will be more likely to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs), helping readers discover your books and content more easily.

While there are other CMS options available, such as Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly, WordPress remains the most popular and versatile choice for self-hosted websites. Its combination of user-friendliness, customization options, and extensive resources make it the ideal platform for creating a professional, engaging author website.

When it comes to choosing a web host for your self-hosted author website, SiteGround is our top recommendation for most authors. Here's why:

• Affordable pricing : SiteGround offers competitive pricing plans that suit the needs and budgets of most authors.
• Excellent performance : With SiteGround, your website will load quickly and reliably, providing a smooth experience for your readers.
• Easy WordPress installation : SiteGround makes it simple to install WordPress with just a few clicks, so you can get your website up and running quickly.
• Automatic backups : SiteGround provides automatic daily backups of your website, ensuring that your content is always protected.
• Responsive customer support : If you ever need help with your website, SiteGround's knowledgeable support team is available 24/7 to assist you.

While there are many great web hosting options out there, we believe that SiteGround offers the best combination of features, performance, and value for most authors, especially those who expect to receive fewer than 50,000 page views per month.

However, if your website starts to receive a significant amount of traffic (like Kindlepreneur, for example), you may need to consider a more powerful hosting plan or provider to ensure optimal performance.

If you're unsure which web host is right for your specific needs, be sure to check out our in-depth comparison of the best website hosts for authors:

Advanced: Direct Sales Website

An advanced direct sales website allows authors to sell their books directly to readers, bypassing traditional online retailers. This approach offers greater control over the sales process, customer data, and profit margins, but it also requires a more significant investment of time and resources.

In my recent article, “ How to Sell Books Direct to Readers: The Complete Guide ,” I took a deep dive into everything you need to know about direct selling as an author. If you're considering this advanced option, I highly recommend checking out that comprehensive guide.

We also recently shared some eye-opening results from our survey of 876 authors selling books directly to readers . The data revealed some fascinating insights about what it really takes to succeed with this increasingly popular strategy. I recommend reading through those results as well.

• Established authors with a strong readership
• Those who want full control over their sales and customer data
• Authors willing to invest time and money into e-commerce
• First, you'll want to learn the basics of selling direct
• Consider and explore the best courses for selling direct (you'll thank me later)
• Check out our author survey results that covers what it really takes to succeed in direct sales.
• Choose an e-commerce platform (e.g., Shopify , WooCommerce )
• Design your store and add your products
• Set up payment processing and shipping options
• Create marketing funnels and campaigns to drive traffic to your store
• Full control over the sales process and customer data
• Higher profit margins (you keep all the revenue)
• Ability to use advanced marketing strategies
• Can be complex setup and maintenance
• Requires significant time and financial investment
• Need to handle payment processing, shipping, and customer service

What do Stephen King, James Patterson, Danielle Steele, and Nora Roberts all have in common?

In addition to being highly successful authors, they all have their own websites. In fact, it is difficult to find a bestselling author that doesn’t have their own website.

Let’s consider a few reasons why authors of all levels of success choose to have their own website.

1. Professionalism: It’s only natural as humans to make judgements based on appearance. For example, if you meet with an attorney for the first time and he struts in wearing a stained and torn hoodie and greets you with a dispassionate, “‘Sup?”, your confidence in him might wane. Instead, lawyers typically dress in finely tailored suits because they know that a polished appearance is more likely to engender trust. Similarly, when an author has a professional-looking website, it gives the appearance to readers that they take their work seriously and have produced a quality book. This imparts a level of trust between the reader and the author, and may lead more readers to purchase from that author.

2. Marketing: Many independent authors that have been able to turn their writing into a career have found that developing a database of readers is an invaluable key to their success. Having your own author website enables you to allow readers to sign up for your newsletter, giving you an avenue to market to them as your new books become available.

3. Brand control: Some self-published authors rely exclusively on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and the like to present their works. While online retailers and social media may be necessary outlets to reach customers, they place limits on their appearance and functionality. For example, while you can add custom photos and text to a Facebook page, at a glance they all really just look the same. Everything from the size of the images to the formatting of the page and the color scheme is ultimately determined by Facebook. And the world’s largest book retailer Amazon fills your book’s page with products and ads that can easily divert customers away from your book… the very opposite of where you want customers to go! Your website, however, is controlled entirely by you, giving you the opportunity to really let your personality shine and ensure that your books are the focus.

4. Direct sales: That’s right, despite what you may have been led to believe, Amazon isn’t the only place where customers buy books. And, as this article points out, you can increase your profit margins by selling books from your own website.

5. Discoverability: When someone searches your name or book on Google (or any major search engine), what results do they get? It could be that in addition to a few accurate search results, similar but competing websites are listed. You would certainly benefit by having your official site show up high in the results, and a well-designed website can do just that. Additionally, if you choose to blog regularly, this can direct more traffic (i.e. more potential readers) to your site from an even greater variety of search engine keywords.

Need Help with Your Keywords?

Take my full featured video course on how to select the best keywords and categories for your book.

If you’re new to the idea of having a website, there may be some terms that you’ve heard (or not), but don’t really know exactly what they are. Here are a few basic ones that I’ll be mentioning throughout this and other articles on the subject.

• Domain : A website’s domain is it’s .com (or .net, .org, etc.) name, and it can be likened to an address. For example, while you might just call this site Kindlepreneur, it’s domain is actually kindlepreneur.com. And just as a physical address like 123 Main St. might be the location of a storefront, the domain kindlepreneur.com is a virtual address where this site can be located.
• Subdomain : A subdomain is also a name that could be likened to an address. However, subdomains don’t have their own exclusive .com (or .net, .org, etc.) name. An example of a subdomain would be support.google.com, which would take you to Google’s technical support center instead of their more popular search engine. Think of it like an office that is found at 123 Main St. Suite 142, rather than just at 123 Main St. It’s still there, but it may be a little harder to find.
• Hosting : Simply having a domain doesn’t cause you to have a website any more than registering a retail business in your state means that you necessarily have your own shop. Instead, you would have to rent a storefront where you can stock your wares. Similarly, for a website you need a hosting provider to rent you space where your website content can be held. Some website options are self-hosted, meaning that they take care of hosting for you, while others require you to purchase hosting separately.
• SEO : Short for Search Engine Optimization, SEO refers to a site’s ability to rank highly on Google, Bing, and other search engines. SEO is very important to a website’s quality and amount of traffic. It could be likened to the difference between a lot of vehicles passing by a business on Main St. downtown and the same traffic being diverted away from the business district to other more popular locations. And for more on SEO for authors, check out Publisher Rocket .
• Responsive : A responsive website is one that changes dynamically based on the device being used. For example, when viewing a responsive website on a computer you might see a list of menu items and a couple of columns of content, but when viewing that same site on a smartphone, the menu may be reduced to a simple three line menu button, and the columns may condense into a single scrollable column. (Sorry… no storefront comparison on this term. But don’t think I didn’t try to think of one!)

There are a few factors to keep in mind when designing your author website . 

• Make sure that your design fits your genre. Images, titles, and even the site’s color scheme all give visitors an impression about you and your books before they ever begin reading anything on your site. And if your visitors get the wrong impression, they may leave before giving you a chance.
• Author bio. Readers feel more connected with an author when they know something about them. A professional quality photo of yourself, along with a few personal details can go a long way in allowing readers to feel like they have a bond with you. More details about what makes a bio effective can be found here .
• Include your books. This suggestion is kind of obvious. Just make sure that you remember to either allow readers to purchase your books directly from your site or link to Amazon or another retailer where they can purchase them.
• Reviews and accolades. Is your book an award winner? Did it receive a positive editorial review (such as an Indies Today review) or a prominent endorsement? Then make sure that you share that type of information with your website visitors.
• Newsletter sign-up form. As mentioned earlier, a newsletter can be a very valuable marketing tool for authors. View this article to learn more about which newsletter service might be your best option. Similarly, providing links to your social media can help your readers to keep in touch with you.
• And more… It’s your website, so it’s really up to you what you decide to include. Do you want a blog , which can be good for your SEO? Or how about a contact form so that readers can send you messages? What about giveaways? Perhaps a press kit? Your options are as limitless as your imagination (well, unless you’re a fantasy writer!).

Need Help Building Your Author Website?

As an author building your online presence, one of the biggest choices you'll face is whether to create your website yourself or hire someone to do it for you. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but I'm here to help you weigh the pros and cons and make the best decision for your needs.

Going the DIY route is great because it can save you a ton of time and give you full control over your website. However, it does require a lot of learning, which could take you away from writing or marketing in other ways.

If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of direct book sales, I highly recommend investing in a comprehensive course. My top pick is the Author Marketing Mastery through Optimization (AMMO) course by USA Today best-selling author Steve Pieper.

Pros of DIY

• Save money on website development costs
• Gain valuable skills in website design and management
• Maintain full control over your website's look and functionality

Cons of DIY

• Steep learning curve for beginners
• Time-consuming, especially when you're just starting out
• Potential for mistakes and frustration

While hiring someone to create your author website can be expensive, it could save you a big headache by ensuring your site is professionally designed and functional.Here's what to think about:

Pros of Hiring a Pro

• Expertise in web design and functionality
• Saves time and allows you to focus on writing and marketing
• Minimizes the risk of mistakes and technical issues

Cons of Hiring a Pro

• Expensive, especially for custom designs
• Potential loss of control over your site's look and functionality
• Ongoing costs for updates and maintenance

For most authors, I recommend starting with a simple one-page website to establish your online presence. As you grow your readership and become more comfortable with web design, you can gradually upgrade to a more advanced content-driven or direct sales website .

Remember, your author website is a crucial tool for connecting with readers, promoting your work, and ultimately, selling more books. By choosing the right type of website and investing in its development, you'll be well on your way to building a successful and sustainable author career.

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When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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15 Of The Best Book Recommendation Sites To Find Your Next Book

Abigail Clarkin

Abigail can often be found holding a book in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other. When she is not devouring stories (or dessert), Abigail trains for marathons and writes poetry about growing up with eight brothers and sisters. She enjoys working in marketing for a real estate developer and creating Instagram content for fun (@marathonandmunch) about all the tasty eats found in Providence, RI.

View All posts by Abigail Clarkin

At some point, you’ve likely encountered a long, bleak patch when your reserve of recommended books ran dry. A few years ago, there was a stretch when I didn’t have people in my life who understood my taste in books. I’d finish a fantastic series and then be disappointed when I realized that there was no rebound read to help me recover from the last series. Thankfully for the readers like us who are still nursing book hangovers, there are personalized book recommendation websites across the internet to save us.

If you have run out of books you’re interested in reading, look through these fifteen book recommendation sites.

Subscriptions

Book Riot has its very own subscription service called Tailored Book Recommendations . TBR is made up of staff who dedicate their time to carefully tailoring book recommendations for readers based on what they like to read personally. Sign up for either a recommendations-only level subscription or a hardcover level subscription (which includes having three books mailed to you).

If you’d like free and discounted reading deals sent straight to your email, sign up for BookBub. Based on the genres you choose when signing up, BookBub will send personalized recommendations of ebooks that can be purchased for a reasonable rate. Themed lists are also available on their site.

22 Books Coming in 2018 Recommended by Librarians https://t.co/Sil3Wvs6Lh @tarawestover @thuglibrarian @CommerceLibrary @randyribay @alicewriterland @anglophilelibr pic.twitter.com/Uu6cIJuuxx — BookBub (@BookBub) March 2, 2018

3. Library-Specific Sites

If you’re a patron at a large library, there’s a chance that your library offers personalized book recommendation services delivered via email. A few libraries currently offering this service include New York Public Library , Denver Public Library , and Sacramento Public Library . Ask your librarians to see if this is a resource for you as well.

Themed Lists

4. epic reads.

Epic Reads is one of the largest young adult fiction communities online. Along with their endless energy and passion for YA, one reason for their popularity is their interactive quizzes, lengthy lists, and colorful book charts that point readers towards their next favorite read. A few years ago when I met a reading slump, I worked my way through much of their amazing Young Adult Retelling Chart . Many of my favorites were found through this resource.

5. Penguin Teen

The Penguin Teen website features book lists, news about young adult authors, and a helpful book suggestions tool that focuses on genre specific book recommendations.

6. Reading Rockets

If you’re looking for children’s books for the kids in your life (or for the child in you), check out Reading Rockets. Reading Rockets provides specific, lengthy themed lists for young readers. With list topics ranging from “Books About Kids Who Find Reading Hard” to “That’s So Gross,” you are sure to find a book for any occasion. This site can be a wonderful resource for teachers, librarians, and educators.

Tor is the online hub for fantasy and science fiction. Check out their many lists to find stories that will transport you to fictional lands.

A project from Netgalley, Bookish offers a wide range of book lists, including fiction, audiobook, and young adult. What makes this site stand out is these are all brand new releases or forthcoming titles, so you can get your library holds or preorders in early.

All of the recommendations on Olmenta are submitted by passionate readers. The site allows you to peruse titles by genre or category, and it’s a fun way to let someone else pick a book for you (without needing to do any real work on your end). You can submit your own suggestions, too.

10. Shepherd

Who could offer better recommendation lists than authors, experts, and passionate readers of books on aa topic? Shepherd offers a wide range of book lists, including everything from best YA books about immigration to novels where something queer’s afoot. In the near future, Shepherd will make it possible to sort lists by genre, as well, so you could find books set in China that are romance, nonfiction, YA, or otherwise.

Made-For-You on the Spot

11. whichbook.

On Whichbook, book recommendations are calculated by one out of two categories: 1. Mood, or 2. Character, setting, and plot. The reader has the choice to use sliders on the “Mood” section to rate what they’re looking for in a book. Do you want a book that is completely happy? Or on the border between safe and disturbing? There is also the option to select your desired character characteristics, the story setting, and/or plot points that you’d like included in the recommendation.

Maybe AI knows the perfect book for you. Readow starts by asking you some simple questions about recent reads and uses technology to pair you with your next great book.

13. What Should I Read Next

14. readgeek.

Registering is optional when using Readgeek to receive book recommendations. In order to get ahold of book suggestions, simply rate a few books that you’ve read on a 1–10 scale. After you finish rating as many as you’d like, Readgeek calculates which books you’d most likely enjoy based on your previous ratings.

15. Literature Map

At Literature Map, you can type in an author’s name and then view similar authors that other readers are enjoying. The site generates a map that displays author names in relative states of closeness. The closer the authors, the more likely other readers enjoyed both.

Another simple but fun AI-driven recommendation site is Gnooks. Pop in your three favorite writers and you’ll get a recommended author to try. It doesn’t end there, though: you can rate whether or not you like the author suggested for even more recommendations.

17. Goodreads

Goodreads provides a space for people to track their reading, write reviews, and view books, lists, and authors that align with their interests. When creating an account on Goodreads, the reader has the opportunity to create original book lists. One of my favorites is the “Want to Read” option: every time you view a book description that sounds interesting, you can save the book to a list that is dedicated to books you plan to tackle later. For those of you who are looking to build a never ending To-Be-Read list, Goodreads is a perfect place to start.

18. Narrative Muse

Are you interested in reading books specifically written by underrepresented voices? Narrative Muse serves as a recommendation site for those who are looking for both films and books created by women and nonbinary writers. Create an account to be matched with books that fall under these categories.

19. The Storygraph

Billed as an alternative to Goodreads, The StoryGraph is a book tracking site, a community making site, and offers book recommendations. You can import your Goodreads information to The StoryGraph, and both the website and app have clean but visually appealing interfaces. Here’s our full StoryGraph review .

20. r/books

Numbering at almost 21 million subscribers, Reddit’s main book subreddit is a haven for book discussion and recommendations. Want to know what Reddit users across the massive site are reading? There’s Reddit Reads for that.

Still looking for more ways to find your next favorite book? Take this quiz on what you should read next to receive an immediate recommendation. If you’re willing to look for suggestions in places off of the internet, check out 31 Ways to Find the Best Book Recommendations .

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20 Great Book Websites for Finding What to Read Next

I’m writing this list of the best websites about books for me five years ago. Back then I was deep in the beginning of learning about book world and would have welcomed a list of the great book websites to help me learn what to read next. Getting to know the publishing industry is a lifelong process of book discovery, and the Internet makes the literary community more accessible and inclusive than ever. These 20 book websites (plus a few extra way down at the end) are the places I go to find out about new books being published, to deepen my understanding of literature and reading, to get book recommendations, to grapple with critical book reviews, and more. I hope you’ll find your next favorite book through this list of great book websites to grow as a reader.

20 Best Book Websites for Book Recommendations, Lists, and More

(1) amazon book review.

Love it or hate it, but Amazon is a quality place to go to find out about new books. The Omnivoracious Amazon Book Review is a flagship for good book content, with recommendations from celebrities and other notable readers being a unique feature. I love the author interviews they have on their site, with writers like George R. R. Martin , Holly Black , and Charlie Jane Anders recently stopping by for a chat, often on the podcast. Amazon’s Best Books of the Month list is one I check religiously for new books to add to my TBR. They often surprise me with little-known reads I wouldn’t otherwise have on my radar (even if I think they make YA an afterthought), which is why I rate them highly for “new book discovery,” meaning a place where you can learn about books to read.

Strengths: Author interviews, previews of new releases, lists of recent award winners, podcast, new book discovery

(2) Book Bub

When Book Bub first came on the scene about five years ago, I signed up for their signature daily newsletter with hot deals on eBooks. I scored a lot of great books to load up my Kindle, but I didn’t really follow the site for a few years as I wasn’t reading too much on my eReader. Now they’re everywhere, moving beyond the email list to create original bookish content. It’s now totally expected to have one of their many comprehensive book lists pop up in a search for new books. The only downside that I see is that now you have to have an account to view their book lists or other blog content . I do like how they track book recommendations from authors like Stephen King, Jill Shalvis, and Nora Roberts.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, eBook deals, new book discovery

(3) Book Marks

One of the sites associated with Literary Hub or “Lit Hub,” which I write up as #12 below, Book Marks is the place to go if you want to find book reviews of the latest big books. Book Marks’ specialty is aggregating adult literary fiction and nonfiction book reviews and then assigning them a score card so you can see how many reviewers gave the book a Rave, Positive, Mixed, or Pan. Without a doubt, if you want to find out the critical consensus on a book before buying it or checking it out of the library, Book Marks should be your first stop. I also like how the site regularly interviews book critics to ask them more about their bookish lives. The site also reprints classic book reviews.

Strengths: Book reviews, coverage of new books, literary criticism, book news, essays

(4) Book Riot

Sure, I might be a little biased to include Book Riot in my list of the best book websites since I write for them , but the fact is, Book Riot is one of the leading destinations on the web for book lovers and certainly one of the top best sites for new books. Book Riot’s got all areas of the reading life covered and does an especially good job at highlighting diverse authors, featuring all genres, and amplifying thoughtful and at times controversial opinions about books, publishing, and reading. The annual Read Harder Challenge pushes readers beyond their comfort zone with categories like “A book by an AOC (Author of Color) set in or about space” and “A novel by a trans or nonbinary author,” and a thriving community of challenge takers trade book recommendations and ideas. Book Riot’s many book podcasts are also must-listens for readers wanting to learn about new books and what to read next.

Strengths: Diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, podcasts, book news, reading challenge, new book discovery

(5) Brain Pickings

Looking for engrossing essays about books that will push you emotionally and intellectually? You’ll definitely want to stop by Brain Pickings, the literary love child of Maria Popova, a blogger who decided to create an “inventory of the meaningful life” more than a decade ago and share it with other readers. Popova’s one-woman show is an intensely personal exploration of art and ideas, with coverage of children’s literature alongside philosophy, literary fiction, and creativity. Sign up for her newsletters to get a hit of thought-provoking writing a few times a week, guaranteed to break up your mundane day. Popova is author of two books: Figuring (2019), which highlights the hidden legacy of influential female thinkers, scientists, and creators, and A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader (2018), a book for younger readers that collects essays about reading from leading creative thinkers like Neil Gaiman, Shonda Rhimes, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, backlist coverage, newsletter

(6) Bustle Books

The website Bustle is designed for the modern woman, and the ample literary coverage on their standout Bustle Books channel reflects that. Here readers will find profiles and interviews with female authors, lists that focus on feminism, and personal essays that explore the experience of being a female reader in today’s world. Bustle Books is known for provocative articles challenging the publishing world to be more diverse and more female inclusive. You’ll also find fun articles, too, about books, TV and film adaptations, and books in pop culture.

Strengths: Feminism, diversity, essays, book list articles, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(7) CrimeReads

Like Book Marks, CrimeReads is a branch of Literary Hub (discussed in #12 below). This book website has a niche focus on “crime” in literature: through true crime, mysteries, thrillers, fiction about crimes in general. On CrimeReads, you’ll find essays about writing and reading crime fiction, appreciation of and interviews with crime fiction authors both well known and underrated, reading lists for crime fiction and nonfiction, and coverage of crime in TV, movies, and other media. CrimeReads also has essays and original reporting on true crime. If you’re a mystery and thriller lover, appreciate a good courtroom novel, or just love reading about true crimes stories, you’ll definitely want to head over to CrimeReads and marathon read their quality content.

Strengths: Mystery/thriller/suspense, true crime, nonfiction, the writing life, book list articles, essays, literary criticism, new book discovery

(8) Electric Literature

With its signature tagline of “Reading Into Everything,” Electric Literature hosts an eclectic mix of bookish coverage, ranging from highbrow literary criticism to horoscopes for writers and everything in between. A hallmark of Electric Literature is a focus on reading more diversely, and a regular feature called Read More Women asks writers to recommend books by women (a response to male authors who only recommend books by fellow male authors). One thing I love about Electric Literature is how often they touch on writing and the life of being a storyteller. (I’m a bit biased because I’ve written for Electric Literature and consider it one of my proudest accomplishments to have my writing on there.) Electric Literature also publishes original fiction in its literary magazine , so keep your eyes peeled for some of today’s best authors and new and emerging voices alike converging there.

Strengths: Literary criticism, diversity, essays, author interviews, the writing life, all-genre coverage, book news, book list articles, new book discovery

(9) Epic Reads

Oh, Epic Reads: what started as an arm of HarperCollins publishing house has turned into the go-to destination for YA book fans. Readers of young adult literature love Epic Reads for the humorous tone, creative article ideas (bookish horoscopes, fan reactions to plot twists, book title or song lyric? challenges, etc.), addictive quizzes, and, of course, the many TBR-exploding lists. You’ll also find book trailers, cover reveals, and details on the latest books and tour dates for YA authors. Even though Epic Reads is part of HarperCollins, they don’t only put the spotlight on books through their publishing house. Epic Reads is simply and purely about celebrating YA literature, no matter whose imprint is stamped on the book jacket. So often YA can be a heavy genre, with books tackling serious themes, but Epic Reads always reminds me that reading ( and YA) can and should be fun, too.

Strengths: Young Adult (YA) books, quizzes, book list articles, new book discovery

(10) Five Books

Five Books has a niche formula and does it well: a list of five great book recommendations. This powerhouse book website solicits a fascinating mix of today’s most interesting, creative, and thoughtful “Experts” —like Mary Beard , Madhur Jaffrey , Mia Farrow , and Jo Nesbø —to offer five book recommendations on a specific topic, such as “The Best Prose Poetry,” “Congress,” and “Zombies.” An additional nice feature of Five Books is the ability to make your own lists and share your expertise. The site lives up to its tagline of “The Best Books on Everything” as you’ll find as wide a variety of book lists and book coverage as anywhere on the web.

Strengths: Book list articles, book recommendations, new book discovery

(11) Goodreads

In the 9 years that I’ve been a member of Goodreads, I’ve seen the site change a lot—for the better. Goodreads is perhaps the most essential website for readers as it allows you to track the books you’ve read, want to read, and are reading and add custom shelves to sort books. Connect with other readers in groups and follow authors for updates and exclusive information. The Goodreads lists are a rabbit hole to tumble down and find out more about books. I’ve found that the user-generated reviews have also improved over the last few years, going from one-line snarky hot takes to more thoughtful reviews. Plus they are home of the popular Goodreads Reading Challenge, an annual self-challenge to set a goal of how many books you want to read that year. (I’ve been known to argue against the challenge on this blog and offer alternatives to the Goodreads challenge , yet what can I say… I do it almost every year.) Even the Goodreads blog is getting better at publishing creative articles about the bookish life.

Strengths: Community, reading data tool, book list articles, user-generated reviews, reading challenge

(12) Largehearted Boy

Largehearted Boy is a book and music blog established in 2002 by David Gutowski and an essential corner of the literary internet. Obsessed with best-books-of-the-year lists? Make sure you bookmark Largehearted Boy, which compiles an index of the best-of lists you can peruse till your heart’s desire. Check out last year’s “Online ‘Best Books of 2018’ Book Lists” for a TBR-buckling example. (Full disclosure: I’ve submitted my best-of lists from this blog before and been included.) Also great for book discovery is the weekly “Books of the Week” that Montreal bookstore Drawn & Quarterly hosts on Largehearted Boy. What I love about Largehearted Boy is the thoughtful and honest book reviews, the blending of music and literature with the “Book Notes,” where an author matches a mix tape to their new book. Like Brainpickings, Largehearted Boy traces a very personal experience of inquiry into being a reader, writer, listener, and human being to provoke our own consideration. It’s an honor to share in it.

Strengths: Book list articles, author interviews, essays, book reviews, new book discovery

(13) Literary Hub (a.k.a. “LitHub”)

The parent site of the aforementioned Book Marks and CrimeReads, Literary Hub pumps out new book content for readers on the daily. I also suggest signing up for the LitHub newsletters as they come out each day with a summary of new posts not just on LitHub but elsewhere on the Internet. The weekly edition is a must-read, too, and it’s where I get many of the interesting bookish links I post on the Facebook page for this blog . On LitHub, you’ll find an endless stream of great writing about books, including essays on writing and reading, author interviews, highbrow intellectual literary criticism, book lists, and new fiction. Browsing LitHub is like reading a digital version of a literary magazine (like The New York Review of Books ) that you actually want to read. Unquestionably LitHub’s specialty is literary fiction, though they do also cover various genres, too. However, you likely won’t find much YA and children’s literature coverage on LitHub, excluding when they come up in personal essays about reading or writing kidlit.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, book list articles, author interviews, new book discovery, book news

(14) The Millions

Established in 2003, The Millions is one of the oldest book websites around, and over the past 15 plus years it has built up a reputation for being a gathering point for intellectually curious readers. Head over to The Millions if you want to check out the latest buzzy literary releases, hear more from authors about how they conceptualized and wrote their new book, discover the most anticipated books published in the month ahead, and find out what books were nominated for awards. The strength of The Millions is definitely literary fiction and nonfiction. Two of the best recurring features on The Millions are the annual Year in Reading , in which notable creatives and thinkers share a little about their year in reading, and The Millions’ Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half Year 20XX Preview, a TBR-toppling list of the most anticipated books of the year. This list comes out in two parts: January for the First-Half and July for the Second-Half. (Example: here’s the First-Half of 2018 Preview and Second-Half .) You’ll want to comb through these articles with your TBR ready, and you can find all The Millions lists on Goodreads for easy record keeping. I look forward to them every year as traditions, almost holidays, on the bookish calendar.

Strengths: Literary criticism, literary fiction, nonfiction, essays, author interviews, book list articles, previews of new releases, book news

(15) The New Yorker ‘s Books Section

Arguably the best literary magazine in America, The New Yorker is also a flourishing website with tons of great book content, most of it found on The Page-Turner blog . On The New Yorker ‘s Books channel, book reviews, publishing news, essays and articles from the magazine about writing and literature, and New Yorker staff book recommendations. Note that you’ll need a subscription to view more than a few articles a month. I admit I’m a proud subscriber of the magazine; I never recycle the issues, and they take over every corner of the house like an invasive species, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Strengths: Literary criticism, essays, literary fiction, nonfiction, author interviews, book reviews, book recommendations, book news

(16) The New York Times Book Review Online

It would hardly be a list of the best book websites without including The New York Times ‘ Book section. After all, The New York Times Book Review is one of the most prestigious and influential periodicals in publishing, and landing a coveted spot on its bestseller lists is just about every writer’s dream. Fortunately, the Review ‘s virtual presence is a worthy digital companion to the supplement you’ll find in Saturday’s paper. Online, you’ll get the same great book reviews, essays, and humor sketches, plus some podcasts going inside the Book Review and publishing that week that are seriously worth checking out. Every week I look for the New & Noteworthy feature, which highlights new releases you should put on your radar, and the Editors’ Choice: New Books We Recommend This Week, a weekly list that includes extracts from the critics’ reviews that’ll make you want to read these fresh books. One of my favorite recurring series in the Book Review is the By the Book interviews with writers, thinkers, and creatives, which discuss the bookish life and always includes interesting books to add to your TBR. You can find all of these digitized and uploaded weekly .

Strengths: Book reviews, book recommendations, author interviews, literary criticism, book news, podcasts, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(17) NPR Books

National Public Radio (NPR) has always been ear candy for readers, but now you can get all their great book programming online in one spot. The NPR Books site collects all the author interviews, book reviews, and stories about the reading life that you’ll get on the radio. If you’ve ever had the experience I have where you’ve gotta turn off the car in the middle of a story and you don’t have a pen or paper ready to record a book title or author name, they’ve got you covered. Beyond audio programming, NPR Books has a solid stream of book reviews and feature articles about writing and reading with a focus on diverse authors. Breadth and depth of coverage is a signature of NPR, which is why you’ll find articles about children’s books alongside graphic novels and comics and highbrow literary fiction. NPR Books is known for one more thing: the annual end-of-the-year book concierge . This behemoth of a book recommendation machine is a slick book discovery tool to find more than 300 of the best books of the year. Yes, I said 300. I’ve found so many great books this way, ones that were otherwise overlooked in best-of-the-year lists, and the methods to sort by what you’re in the mood for make this giant list manageable, with some seriously high-quality UX. Oh, yeah: you’ll be working through that list for the rest of the upcoming year.

Strengths: Book reviews, diversity, book list articles, author interviews, book news, all-genre coverage, new book discovery

(18) Publishers Weekly

If it’s publishing industry news you want, Publishers Weekly should be your first stop. Publishers Weekly (PW) is packed with insider-y gossip-y content about what’s hitting the shelves now and soon. Writers will want to check out PW’s articles to get an idea of what agents are buying and what trends are moving through books. I also sometimes mine the announcements that publishers make of new and upcoming books to get ready for upcoming releases and add them to my calendar.

Strengths: Book news, publishing industry information, book list articles, previews of new releases, new book discovery

(19) Read Brightly

Kid lit fans, this one is for you. Read Brightly is an online children’s literature website that’s part of Penguin Random House. Read Brightly is an excellent resource for readers of children’s literature and the adults who help children learn to love reading. One great feature of this website is the way each article is broken down by reading levels, a key distinction that takes the guessing game out of trying to connect children to the most age and reading level appropriate books. A flurry of articles celebrate kid lit, with creative and diverse book lists around categories like “Move Over, Rover: 10 Picture Books That Feature Unusual Pets.” Each month, Read Brightly hosts a reading challenge for kids designed to help them stretch themselves and discover new books. Like Epic Reads, this book website is hosted by a publishing house but features books from all parts of the children’s literature publishing world. Read Brightly truly lives up to its motto “Raise Kids Who Love to Read” as that passion for literacy and raising bookworms comes through in every story they write.

Strengths: Children’s literature, Young Adult (YA) literature, book list articles, previews of new releases, reading challenges, all-genre coverage, book discovery

Last but definitely not least, Tor is the go-to destination for science fiction and fantasy readers on the literary web. Tor has long published books, but their online presence takes their mission to highlight great voices in speculative fiction and pushes it further, creating a space for a community of SFF fans to grow and thrive. On Tor, you’ll read honest book reviews that are fair and critical of the books and authors in question, original fiction, lists of books, personal essays, eBook deals, SFF industry news, and coverage of SFF-related media, like Game of Thrones . What I like about this site is the freedom that Tor gives its bloggers and staff writers to really speak their minds about books. You might find articles about super-super niche sub-sub-sub genres you didn’t even know were a thing, but you definitely won’t find BS here. This makes Tor a leading place to go for readers who want to dig into the issues behind books.

Strengths: Science fiction, fantasy, SFF related TV shows and movies, book news, book reviews, essays, book list articles, book discovery

More great book websites

Here are a few other book websites you’ll definitely want to check out but didn’t make the full list (because I ran out of time!): Atlas Obscura’s Books Section , Catapult , The New York Review of Books , and Vox.com’s Books Section .

What are some of your favorite book websites? What did I miss? Leave a comment!

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Sarah S. Davis is the founder of Broke by Books, a blog about her journey as a schizoaffective disorder bipolar type writer and reader. Sarah's writing about books has appeared on Book Riot, Electric Literature, Kirkus Reviews, BookRags, PsychCentral, and more. She has a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Library and Information Science from Clarion University, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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