| 03 October 2024

15 Author Websites That Get It Right

Michael Adams

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Why do I need an author’s website? Isn’t my social media enough? If you are an author, you have probably thought about this at some point. It’s a common question.

Undoubtedly, social media is an effective tool for establishing a community and interacting with readers, but the catch is that social media is only just one piece of the puzzle. It gives you control, but not total control!

What if the algorithm changes? Your posting might get buried in the sea of other content.

However, a website is something personal. Something you can call your very own platform. Under the best author websites, everything is under control, including the appearance, content, and reader interaction with writing. It turns into a central point where people can find out more about you, your writing process, your next projects, and where to get your books. Sounds good, right?

The following blog discusses why having a website is important for authors nowadays, with examples of the existing author website designs.

Is Building a Website Really Important?

Is establishing a website really important for an author? Judging by so many author’s websites, we believe it is important, but why? What benefits can an author get?

We were waiting for you to ask this question.

Now consider this. Some of the most well-known writers have their own websites. Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling are among these few authors. Although we believe their popularity and fame come from strong writing displayed in the book, websites are also important from the perspective of interacting with the audience and marketing the book.

Their websites offer more than simply book displays. They also provide access to special information, newsletters, updates, and even personal glimpses into the lives of the authors. Moreover, they can build stronger bonds with their readers because of these websites.

All of these are very important elements for establishing a phenomenal fan following. You would want that for yourself, too, wouldn’t you?

So, how do you build a website? Should you look for an author website designer, or would a DIY job prove to be sufficient?

Both writing a novel and creating a website demand a great deal of creativity and a strong devotion. Don’t worry; we will be examining some websites of leading authors and what makes them unique so you can take inspiration and get ideas for how your very own website should look.

15 Examples of Effective Website Design for Authors

• Mark Dawson

Mark Dawson’s website, which resembles one of the covers from his best-selling John Milton series, appropriately captures his brand. His author’s website design is distinguished by dark and gloomy pages that complement his genre and strong contrast. There are just two overlays on top of the backdrop picture.

Mark wants you on his mailing list above all else. This is why the email newsletter opt-in form is in the most striking layout with a white shadow effect, which makes it stand out. Moreover, there is the navigation bar, which is divided into secondary items on the right and primary navigation items on the left. You’ll notice that “Books” is listed first because that’s the website’s primary focus.

With his author newsletter, Mark hopes to gradually persuade readers. It’s also difficult to resist entering your email when there’s a bright opt-in box and not much else to do on the homepage!

Takeaway

This author’s website is the best example of uniform branding to make readers understand the connection to this book series. Moreover, there are many channels of communication, such as social media buttons and email forms. There is also an integrated built-in shop allowing users to buy books directly from the website without being redirected to any third-party site.

• Leigh Bardugo

The website of creative writer Leigh Bardugo is a wonderful resource for anyone who writes a lot. The author’s webpage shows a rich graphic novel-like feel. Also, the combination of fan resources, colorful typefaces, textures, and illustrations works enhances her fantasy brand.

It has a link to her author bio and a carousel slider to promote several of her works, including the collector’s edition of Shadow and Bone, the sequel Rule of Wolves, and her most recent book, Ninth House. It also contains a link to the “Grishaverse” and a reading order, which might assist new readers in deciding which book to begin with. The purpose of this website is to provide users with a closer look at the imagined world that Bardugo has built.

Takeaway

This author’s website designers are phenomenal in their work. These professionals have built this website with the utmost creativity and uniqueness. For example, the carousel slider on the homepage can be used to highlight several pieces and the author’s biography. Moreover, there are newsletter sign-up forms. In addition, the site also contains information about news pages detailing TV adaptations, reviews, and releases.

• Rupi Kaur

One of the best interactive websites is Rupi Kaur’s, which skillfully directs the viewer to various sections and resources within her website. Upon accessing the page, users are welcomed with a heroic image of Rupi clutching a copy of her most recent poetry collection, “Home Body.” The scrolling bar changes from transparent to solid as readers scroll, allowing users who are certain of what they want to click on one of those links. Since her books feature heartfelt poetry on love, life, and loss, they deeply resonate with her audience. Her writing speaks directly to people’s hearts. To maintain this emotional tone, her website avoids using the word “newsletter” and instead refers to it as “love notes,” as if Rupi is personally sending them messages of love. 

Takeaway

The web design for this author is incredibly simple to use and enjoyable. Moreover, the different text alignment and a unique layout with lots of whitespace make it appear like one of her poems. The website also includes a store selling stationery, artwork, and other treats.

• Rick Riordan

Like many of his characters, you go on a mini-adventure when you visit Rick Riordan’s website. To find out more about the several series and books Riordan has authored, start at the homepage’s “Explore” CTA and scroll down. The yellow-dotted line will become solid and change color as you scroll. It’s a distinctive take on the standard reading lists that are found on the majority of author websites. 

Takeaway

The website displays an interactive order of reading for the visitors to determine which book should be read first or which book should be a sequel. Moreover, his website has a lot of drawings and photographs, giving it a “bookish” vibe. The website also contains reading lists, YouTube videos, audio files, and other resources for users to access easily whenever they want.

• Roxane Gay

The primary goal of Roxane Gay’s website is to display her artwork. Her most recent book, “The Selected Works of Audre Lorde,” is advertised above the fold on the homepage. Here is a longer list of her most recent works, followed by a call to action for readers to check out all of her writing. She doesn’t have a bio page link in her “about” section till after. You’ll notice that the navigation menu displays this order as well, “Books” is displayed first, and “About” is listed last. Unique, right?

Takeaway

This web design for authors is very much distinctive from other websites. The site is specifically created to market and sell her art. Moreover, the designers have specifically and expertly used accent color and white space to give it a wholesome look. Let’s not forget about the pictures; the images are interesting and educational, making sure that the visitor stays on the website for a longer time.

• J. K. Rowling

Talking about authors, how can we not talk about J.K. Rowling? The younger generations of today don’t seem to care about Rowling’s website because they love and admire her so much that they may not even notice or pay much attention to her website. However, as one of the most prolific and remarkable writers of our time, she knows that visitors are aware of who she is and what makes her famous. Thus, she has given a very unique touch to her author’s website design.

The adult reader’s edition of J.K. Rowling’s books is called Grown-up Gateway. The appealing world of mystery, magic, celebration, and hope that the things that provide us comfort, peace, and light would be there for us when we need them most would be revealed to visitors upon entering the children’s entrance. The author’s website, in both forms, is packed with information in the author’s workspace, creating a secure environment for readers to get to know the writer better. Compared to the adult version, the children’s version is much brighter and more colorful.

In terms of how users would scroll around, two options in the very beginning can take the user to what he is most interested in: the grown-ups and young readers section. Both versions of the website are user-friendly. Apart from that, the resource’s cleverness fits in to let visitors understand the author’s character, writing style, and method.

Takeaway

As soon as you go to the website, you have two options to enter yourself into the world of creativity. A simple yet very convenient tool. Clicking the grown-up section will provide you with books, news, and her personal writings. Moreover, if you click on the young reader’s section, you will explore different exciting and upcoming books like “Harry Potter,” “The Ickabog,” and “The Christmas Pig.” The website also allows you to navigate around by clicking and dragging your mouse, unlike the traditional method of scrolling bars.

• Paula Hawkins

Paula Hawkins’s website is another example of a wonderful web design for authors that draws readers in and encourages them to peruse the author’s works. The book covers’ designs served as inspiration for the abstract background, which further contains the idea of letting the author’s writing speak for itself. The author’s home page is user-friendly and provides access to a variety of information that her followers may find useful in following her career. Moreover, the header panel on the author’s website ensures that visitors will have a smooth experience as they scroll through the various areas of the website.

Takeaway

The website’s black theme gives it a perfect layout, giving an essence of the genre the writer mostly writes in. Moreover, the site has options for bios, books, and events, where users can explore upcoming events and books and get to know more about the author.

• Dan Brown

Talk of an author who likes writing complicated plots and secret organizations. Yes, you have guessed it! It’s Dan Brown! The main focus of this author’s site is his books. The Lost Symbol, a movie based on a composition by Mr. Brown, is promoted in the header. The author’s social media accounts are promoted on the website. Moreover, the theme and how things are designed reflect the author’s interest in the paranormal. With their black background, the pictures on Mr. Brown’s book covers appear incredibly majestic.

Those interested in learning more about Mr. Brown’s creative process should visit his website. The design choices seem well-thought-out and demonstrate the website builder’s proficiency with color psychology.

Takeaway

The background images and themes are so carefully crafted that the visitors might feel enticed to keep browsing through the source in question. The website contains everything you need to know about the writer, his books and events, and even films.

• Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer, the famous author of the book, “The Twilight Saga,” has a simple, clever, and practical website. Differentiating typefaces and artwork give the site a genuine appearance and set it apart from other websites and web pages within its category. The hue light green, which symbolizes sea foam, goes well with red, grey, white, and black.

The artwork in the homepage header serves as an eye grasper. Moreover, the site allows you to stay up to date on the author’s career activities and to help you continue your exploration of the creative world. Additionally, the author’s webpage is significantly more engaging when it is scrolled smoothly.

Takeaway

Stephenie Meyer’s site is the best author website for visitors and readers. Why? Because it is practical. The user does not need to scroll around or have to go through the whole page in search of something. This website has made specific pages for each of the important aspects every individual wants to dive into, such as books, updates, archives, and movies.

• Veronica Roth

On her website, Veronica Roth is identified as the New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent trilogy as well as other books, including “Chosen Ones” and “Poster Girl.” It distinguishes itself with a simple design that highlights her literary creations and a special area for educational materials. The layout of the website showcases Roth’s accomplishments and makes her books easily accessible, reflecting her business identity.

The website’s components are introduced at the top of the author’s homepage, allowing visitors to see the author’s creative process and professional path, stay up to date on the author, and get in touch with her.

The website skillfully combines static and dynamic visual content, increasing the site’s diversity and serving its purpose. Because it conveys information effectively, avoids boring visitors with unnecessary details, and acknowledges the film business for assisting her in achieving fame and honor, the design’s simplicity works well.

Takeaway

The author’s website design gives a wholesome look and feel. The site contains pages like home, bio, classrooms, books, news, events, and contact us. The user can specifically visit any of the pages they want to visit. Also, the theme and font style are chosen with incredible considerations, making it not easy for the viewer to scroll around but giving a sophisticated and smooth look to the website. Moreover, the books on the website have crisp, high-quality photographs. It makes use of a calming and aesthetically pleasing color scheme that makes the website look better.

• Joan Didion

Most people are aware of Joan Didion because she has been the focus of a Netflix documentary, won multiple prizes, and served as Céline’s poster girl. Because of this, her website concentrates on showcasing her work first.

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live” is the opening line of a collection of Didion’s writings that appears on her website. Beneath it is a carousel slider that takes up less space and displays her body of work in detail. After that, there’s a call to read more, followed by an extract from her book “The Year of Magical Thinking.” Moreover, there is a little biography of her at the foot of the page, along with a call to read the full version.

Takeaway

The best web design for authors involves creativity and simplicity, which is what this website has. This website encourages the gathering of work before oneself. Also, the dedicated pages feature selections from her work. Moreover, a brief synopsis, reviews, quotations, and a longer extract are all included on each book page to assist readers in choosing what to look upon.

• David Sedaris

Sedaris’s website serves as an example of the usefulness and attraction of specific design methodology. A readable black font set on a white backdrop is almost always a great mix in terms of design. David, the author, lets his writings do the talking by making them the main focus of the source.

The website has an easy-to-use interface. As a result, scrolling the website is simple. Icons in the header of the landing page take you straight to the author’s social media profiles. The website’s sections are arranged horizontally and thoughtfully to encourage users to browse the resource and find any information they would need to fully engage themselves in David Sedaris’s creative mind and works.

The website “Happy-Go-Lucky,” the author’s most recent creation, is the focus of the landing page. The main feature of the website is undoubtedly the books, which highlight the owner’s experience. A calendar of events appears on the right side of the author’s homepage so that those who follow him can decide as soon as feasible and with knowledge whether or not to attend his in-person meetings. Moreover, a contact box at the bottom of the main page lets you sign up for the author’s newsletters and get fast information on his writing, tour schedule, and pretty much everything related to his life’s work.

Takeaway

What’s interesting about this website is that the author has used a passage from his most recent book, “Happy-Go-Lucky,” on the homepage to make visitors read it and feel intrigued to buy his book. Moreover, the style, font, and black-and-white theme of the site give a unique appearance, which also tells visitors about the genre in which the writer mostly writes.

• Neil Gaiman

The website of this author is another example of how the artistic identities and personalities of fiction writers are reflected on their websites, which helps in building a brand. Neil Gaiman’s writing is full of action, mysterious wisdom, and subtle comedy. Everything that is said is captured on the author’s website.

The source artfully combines the writer’s notebook so that his fans can more easily stay up to date on his creative adventures, goals, ambitions, and actions. Also, scrolling through the site is simple and convenient. However, the foundation of the site’s attractiveness is the well-balanced arrangement of colors, gentle textures, and a readable font. The white background of Neil Gaiman’s website counteracts the impression of a Gothic feel created by the dark hues, adding even more harmony and consistency.

Takeaway

This author’s website designers have used his writing style and genre themes to produce this site for him. The website, as discussed above, contains all elements of creativity, from choosing a dark background to using a gothic font style. Basically, everything revolves around the genre of the author; he is most passionate about writing.

• Helen Hoang

The website of Helen Hoang shows how writers can market not only one but several of their works. Hoang’s series draws the attention of readers right away because of its placement above the fold and eye-catching cover art. You can click to discover more about any of these novels or scroll down to discover the author’s biography. Additionally, a website listing all the locations where her books may be bought and a page devoted to the several translations of her books can be found on the site.

Takeaway

The website provides several options for viewers to find out more about her work and make a purchase. Also, there is a dedicated page featuring her books with translations, making it easy for readers to buy. Moreover, the color scheme was inspired by The Kiss Quotient, her first best-selling book.

• Jennifer Egan

Let’s talk about how Jennifer Egan’s website is unique. It provides visitors with an entirely immersive experience. The headline of her most recent book, Manhattan Beach, appears to visitors on the homepage. Viewers are drawn to scroll down the page by the vertical lines, and the parallax scrolling effect makes them feel as though they are deep in the water.

Moreover, chunks of text from the book appear as readers scroll further. After finishing a passage, readers can click to view the following in the series. Also, there are pictures to keep the site more engaging.

Takeaway

The website is amongst the best web designs for authors, as it not only gives a good impression of the author but also allows the viewers to explore easily. As soon as you open the site, you will be welcomed with Jennifer’s recently published book, “The Candy House,” with a catchy background. Moreover, all of the other pages are given in the top right corner of the screen, where you can check out her other books, events, about us, and contact section.

Final Thoughts

Writing is difficult. It does not, however, mean that you cannot enjoy the procedure. So is building a website. If you choose to create your own website, you probably will, at some point, feel overburdened. Even if you don’t know how to build a website, there are plenty of modern methods for you to build a website on your own, so don’t let it discourage you.

Today, having an author website is not just a nice-to-have one; it’s a must. It gives you complete control over your brand, a channel to communicate with people directly, and a platform to present your work in the best possible light. Numerous accomplished writers have already realized the value of a well-designed website, and they use it to increase their exposure, distribute unique content, and build devoted fan bases. It is, therefore, time to invest in your own digital recognition if you are serious about expanding your readership and developing a reputable online profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Build A Website For An Author?

Choosing a domain name that captures your author brand is the first step in creating an author website. For website design, you can utilize tools like Squarespace or WordPress. You can also hire a professional web designer who can understand your vision and build a website that makes your presence strong on the internet. 

How to Find the Author of a Website?

Most websites provide the creator’s information on their “About” or “Contact” pages, where you can locate the author. If the domain owner is not directly mentioned, you can also use web resources like WHOIS to find them.

How to Make a Book Online?

You can set up a specific part of your author website for your books if you want to make them available online. Using an e-commerce plugin, you may sell your books directly or by including links to online stores like Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Amazon.com.

Why Is It Important to Verify a Website’s Author?

Verifying a website’s author can help in confirming the accuracy of its material. Knowing the person behind a website gives authors confidence that they are utilizing reliable sources, particularly when seeking assistance with publication or marketing.