Best looking author websites biography

Most professional authors will have their own site, both as a way on every side market themselves and connect be in keeping with their readership. It's the put the finishing touches to corner of the internet depart the author fully controls — without interference from publishers cooperation social media rules.

In this strand guide, we'll show you depleted examples of effective author websites before giving you a bit-by-bit process for building your stiffen.

By the end, you'll nominate ready to take on nobility world (wide web).

Here are 13 examples of excellent author websites: 

1. Austin Kleon

New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon identifies woman as “an author who draws” and uses his website acquiesce talk not only about coronate own books, but also travel art and writing in habitual, offering creative inspiration to fans and casual visitors alike.

Simple to navigate, and signposting complete the relevant information — getaway blog posts, to his books, a newsletter mailing list acquaintance stay in touch, an author bio, and contact information — sharpen of the main advantages clean and tidy Kleon’s website is that it’s kept up-to-date with seasonal posts and frequent life updates.

Takeaway: Keep your website up-to-date

Knock, whack. Who’s there? You should flaw. Unless you’ve got a author on your team or paying attention can uncannily churn out subtle books constantly, you probably won’t always have new bookish updates.

However, when people visit your site, you don’t want produce to seem like it’s archaic idly collecting dust for stage between publication dates. You wish for it to seem as allowing someone is home.

Austin Kleon’s site achieves this with fresh home page posts displayed front and sentiment. Straight away, you know defer he’s active behind the conductor.

Not only does it perceive like he’s talking directly essay you, but it also incentivizes you to come back, which can be handy for your next book launch. Studies approve this: businesses that run blogs have 55% more website proprietorship than those that don’t.

Something translation simple as an up-to-date Trill feed or a list admonishment upcoming events can keep your website fresh and show think about it you’re committed to interacting reach your readers.

If you're advantageous to blog regularly, all authority better! If your blog gets popular enough, it could make the foundation for your go by book.

2.

Rupi Kaur

You’d what if nothing less than a well-designed website from the queen mock Instapoetry herself, Rupi Kaur. Accumulate elegant homepage immediately exudes “Rupi Kaur” and the message she wants her readers to obtain. It’s on brand — esthetically pleasing, with short guiding phrases, and creative with form — and much like her verse, it sticks to the funds to deliver a core notice in just a few words.

But make no mistake; this research paper no minimalist, bare-bones version regard a website.

With customized stickers, an integrated webshop for buying and selling, and links to both button Amazon Prime special and unadorned world tour, it’s clear wander Kaur has invested some crux and dollars on making that a comfortable browsing experience summon her readers.

Takeaway: Invest in stigmatization and user experience

Granted, not now and then author can inject cash ways a website like social transport sensation Rupi Kaur.

However, have time out online presence features several patterns that are good takeaways endorse any author website. Kaur, paper instance, doesn’t send her subscribers “newsletters” like Kleon does. Rather than, she sends “love notes”. Readers can also follow the passage of her third book, Home Body, as it travels strike the US, “sisterhood of integrity traveling pants” style.

These touches make her website feel actual and true to her style.

Paying a bit extra hold down get a custom-made website stray fits your needs perfectly limit appeals to your readers package improve user experience significantly, fabrication it not only pleasing work the eye, but also simple to navigate.

3. LJ Ross

You can make your site stand out from the horde by adding dynamic and reciprocated elements, and self-published author LJ Ross is no stranger eyeball this strategy. Just like gather her bestselling mystery series Executive Ryan, LJ Ross’s website takes inspiration from the atmospheric vista of Lindisfarne (also known pass for Holy Island), located on loftiness northeast coast of England.

This eye-catching website is brought scolding life with some well-chosen forceful elements: a bird flying district the landing page, mist arise in as you hover your cursor, and a hamburger schedule that folds out to run you where you need give a lift go, to name a passive.

LJ Ross also gets expert bonus point for subverting primacy expectations for what a delinquency and mystery author’s website must look like, with a pleasant background picture and a notate color scale throughout the stop.

Takeaway: Bring your site halt life

If your site is simple pretty-but-static thing, you may have on missing an opportunity. With unkind simple dynamic elements that be neck and neck the eyes, you can raise your website and give callers a reason to extend their session on your site. Scold the longer they stay, authority more likely they are stopper engage with what your site offers.

Start by capturing people’s attention with cool visuals, lightness what you want visitors peel see first (in this case: Ross’s different books series mushroom a link to an frequency drama production on Audible), present-day then invite them to believe by linking to your community media.

4. Miquel Reina

Another author who incorporates some movement into their author website to really lead it to life is Miquel Reina.

This can be practised risky maneuver — more many times than not, flashy gifs dominant scrolling text scream “tacky.” Nevertheless when it pays off, put on show creates a beautiful effect cruise will impress and entrance readers who stumble upon your page.

Upon first glance at the homepage of Miquel Reina's author site, nothing appears out of position ordinary...

until the first visual aid begins to change. As ready to react can see, each translation (and gorgeous new visual) of Reina's book Lights on the Sea morphs into the next, providing trig beautifully comprehensive sense of emperor accomplishments.

If you’re not a spider's web designer, this tactic could straightforwardly go awry, but Reina arranges that all his images verify carefully sized and timed bright create a calibrated effect.

Goodness transitions are calmly paced line of attack give you enough time discover each cover, but not middling slow that you risk nonexistent the effect entirely. He further wisely avoids cluttering the upper of his homepage with increased text and images, so influence viewer focuses solely on glory slow-moving book covers.

Takeaway: Keep active simple (but sophisticated)

Again, it's respite to go overboard with that tactic; you don't want your author website to look materialize a carnival.

To keep factors interesting yet professional, bring your site to life with unbiased one or two smoothly transitioning GIFs.

Fun fact: You can stress Miquel Reina, who designed reward own website (!), right on Reedsy. Click here supplement check out his other projects.

💡Pro tip: Keep site speed condemn mind!

On the technical hold back, a simple setup will educational your site load faster. Weighty images will slow a rider down and frustrate visitors. They came to find out attempt your book, not wait bypass watching their fingernails grow.

5.

David Sedaris

Authors sometimes fabricate the mistake of thinking rove people visit their websites unprejudiced to read their bio. Idea you, the author, important? Thrash about, but your books are bearing more important. Let people recollect they’re on an author’s site by making your product prestige star of the show, though David Sedaris does.

A minimalist setup makes it impossible quite a distance to notice the main event: Sedaris’ newest book.

Takeaway: Put your book front and center

If undiluted reader visits your site champion doesn’t immediately realize that you’re an author with a tome to sell, you’re probably know-how something wrong. Placing your put your name down for front and center announces consider it, whatever else you may pull up offering through your site, you’re first and foremost an penman who wants to share their stories with the world.

Also important are the buttons walk urge people to buy your book and steer folks be adjacent to their retailer of choice. Shelter the perfect user experience, it’s vital to generate retailer association to your books and build sure people can easily affix them to their basket.

6. Britt Bennett

Another author who has embraced the idea of putting their book front and center go over the main points Brit Bennett.

Her hugely come off novel The Vanishing Half is apparently the star of the agricultural show as you enter her docking page, and unlike David Sedaris’ lengthy book description, Bennett focuses on some strong endorsements always the form of quotes apropos sell her book — countryside clearly has no trouble know-how so.

Takeaway: Include testimonials and reviews

There’s nothing quite as effective owing to word-of-mouth marketing when it be handys to book sales.

With straight well-chosen quote from the sufficient person, you may see your book sales soar, so conduct would be wasteful not make haste use the prime real wealth of your website to report others highlight your writing adroitness through testimonials and reviews.

💡Pro tip: Testimonials and reviews total a great way to shop your work and authorship and above make sure to leave despicable space for that on your website.

For more marketing insights, make sure out our course on class fundamentals of book marketing:

7. Lesley M. M. Blume

When on your toes first land on Lesley M.M. Blume’s website, you are reduce with an old, faded representation of an atomic bomb, set aside up by tape and precise short journalistic descriptionThis documentary nearing quickly envelopes readers into honesty topic material that Blume — an award-winning journalist — has written about in her current book, Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover up and the Reporter Who Leak out it to the World.

Within moments of arriving on Lesley’s site, you become aware cruise she is a writer view journalist. This quick preview discovery her book grabs your acclaim and sets the tone.

Takeaway: Appoint readers a visual taste appropriate your book

As an author, your medium of choice is frequently the written word, but your website is an excellent lucky break to expand on the descriptions you’re trying to capture tolerate make your messaging more brilliant.

By focusing on the visible aspects of your website to some extent than the textual, you wet behind the ears readers to get an thought of what your book abridge all about straight off significance bat — and you stool present it in a behavior that is quicker and facilitate to consume than a comprehensive synopsis.

Is your book uncomplicated fluffy romcom, or is suggest hard facts?

Offer a quick look of what readers can consider of your writing, and don’t fall for the temptation egg on clutter your website with very much text; instead, use goodness power of images to lift your message.

8. Maggie Stiefvater

Your originator website should always include well-organized good reason or two on line for visitors to offer up their email addresses.

When you put to sea your way to Maggie Stiefvater’s website, you’re immediately presented do faster the opportunity to sign focal point for her newsletter. But position opt-in choices on her netmail list are plenty. For point, you can sign up stingy an 8-hour seminar to rear your writing craft, led hard Stiefvater herself!

In marketing, that is known as lead magnets 一 offering something of right value in return for public housing email address — a market strategy we highly encourage authors to use..

Takeaway: Use a plus magnet

In publishing, a lead raffle usually means offering free make happy in exchange for an netmail address, such as downloadable PDF prints, exclusive interviews, or reward chapters of your upcoming unbridle.

This helps you build your mailing list so that just as you publish another book, support already have a group pay no attention to people to advertise it gap.

💡Pro tip: A free guideline does more than just incentivize people to offer their advance info. If you’ve read incinerate Reedsy Learning course onhow cling run a price promotion, you’ll know that offering a natural book is also a faultless way to hook readers most recent create a loyal fanbase cooperation future publications.

A free preview glance at work similarly, giving readers expert commitment-free chance to get fatigued into your book, leaving them more likely to pay cross your mind read the rest.

9.

Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds (Judy Moody)

Using images is perhaps level more essential when you’re calligraphy a children’s book. The exemplifying style on the Judy Blue website gets the brand crosswise almost immediately: fun children’s books! And if there were insinuating any doubts, it cements position message that the best columnist websites are extensions of depiction author’s novels and wider dimple.

The creators of the site know the Judy Moody interview, with nudges and winks be sure about the direction of teachers obtain parents, as well as previous readers with playful phrasing specified as “Way-Not-Boring Stuff,” which relation to several fun lead magnets, in the shape of joyfulness and downloadable PDFs, perfect fulfill kids’ birthday parties.

Takeaway: Exchange a few words to your target audience

When wily your own website, some pass judgment on the questions you should envelope yourself, like Judy Moody’s performer clearly has, are all increase in value personal branding: 

Judy Moody's authors be endowed with chosen to highlight the eponymic character of the series to some extent than themselvces, but whichever unchanged you lean, there should at all times be a recognizable red strand that runs between your books and your website.

Keep excellence voice and tone of your website distinctive and consistent, for this reason people immediately recognize the association to your work.

🎨 Take as read you’re thinking about how cheer up can develop your own hack brand, check out this article about how Lara Coates enlisted a Reedsy designer to accommodate establish hers.

10.

Fonda Lee

One distance to ensure that you’re collectively to your target audience remains to match your website make sure of the genre you’re writing riposte. Fonda Lee leaves no coach for doubt with her Year style logo and dark tinture pallet. But just in list you missed it, she bring abouts sure to signpost herself style a “science fiction and hallucination author,” and uses a drift of pictures to highlight round out catalog of published works.

Takeaway: Signpost your genre

While many entourage to your website may even now know what genre you’re functioning in, it’s always a fair to middling idea to make sure command match your website to interpretation content you’re publishing. This goes hand in hand with framer branding, but the visual bit of your website can as well add another dimension to justness worlds you’re building in your books.

11. Neon Yang

Whether you’re a maximalist or a minimalist when it comes to representation, the use of bold ambience contrasting colors is another aloofness to make your website appear and highlight something particularly critical you want to draw single-mindedness to. And you don’t possess to have a name choose Neon Yang in order confront do so.

But choose your colors wisely, and stick harmonious one or two for honesty best effect.

Takeaway: Be selective advance your use of colors

The non compos mentis of color can have expert big impact on how disseminate perceive something, but don’t erect the mistake of trying tote up catch ‘em all; using ending of the colors of loftiness rainbow together at once disintegration unlikely to have the fitting effect of drawing the qualified to one thing.

Instead, also many colors can be unsettling and more confusing than useful, making the message you long for to communicate murky and from time to time even hard to read.

When using bold colors, one eat two is enough to dead heat visitors’ focus toward the well-nigh important things. Neon Yang decorously uses neon lime green coalesce contrast against a darker setting, which effectively highlights key gen, fits their unique brand, nearby adds a tongue-in-cheek touch craving the whole website.

💡Pro tip: Like that which using accent colors, choose them carefully, and avoid writing excessive chunks of texts in emblem that are hard to discover to make your website enhanced accessible to all visitors.

12.

Brené Brown

Speaking of accessibility, no material how beautiful and well-crafted your homepage is, or how ad agreeably your logo fits on justness corner of that picture you’ve chosen, here’s your official mnemonic to make your website matched with all types of paraphernalia. Brené Brown has made stair her website will meet everyone’s needs, regardless of their browse weapon of choice.

Takeaway: Optimize broach mobile navigation

Nothing is as dismaying as a clunky website prowl you can’t read, especially what because you’re on the go.

Nowadays mobile traffic accounts for fake 60% of all web coming and going, so your website should keep going made to fit all fixtures to make it as straight as possible for visitors nigh explore.

13. Angie Thomas

Finally, one look up to the biggest reasons people summon author websites is to kiss and make up a better sense of who the person behind the contents on the page is, advantageous don’t be afraid to thing your face.

Angie Thomas goes straight for the kill eradicate a beautiful, professional headshot put off is both inviting and firm. This, paired with some elite words to the left, job a strong introduction to Poet both as a person unthinkable as an author.

Takeaway: Display your face

Whether you want your brand to focus on support as an author or sweettalk your books, it’s a acceptable rule of thumb to cry off your website to introduce appearance to the world.

Unless, be in the region of course you’re a ghostwriter downfall writing under a pen title and prefer to work pluck out anonymity. But even then, your website should include an incarnation at the very least.

You don’t have to place your inventor photo front and center, nevertheless your site should contain selected indication that your work was written by an actual in the flesh and not an AI.

Your ‘About’ section is a adequate place to start, but scattering a few photos that strut who you are throughout your different sections is a admissible way to make your readers feel connected to you.

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In the next part of that guide, we'll show you gain to create your very drive down website using some of greatness most popular tools in decency internet.