Elevating Your Author Website: A Few Shining Examples to Learn From
Top 5 Writer Sites That Aren't Lousy
Embark on a journey with us as we explore some remarkable author websites that won't leave you squinting in disappointment. These sites have managed to captivate readers and offer valuable insights into successful Web design. Whether you're setting up a website for the first time or giving your existing one a much-needed makeover, these examples are bound to inspire you.
We're not promising perfection, though. Some of these sites still have areas that need improvement, but they serve as stepping stones to help you overcome common design mistakes and create an engaging online presence for your books. Let's dive in and learn from the best.
Striking Author Websites That Leave a Lasting Impression
We present to you a collection of author websites that stand out from the crowd. These sites demonstrate how to tackle common design issues and create a website that caters to your readers' needs. The sites are listed in no particular order.
Robert Kroese
What Sets It Apart: Many author sites suffer from using excessively dark backgrounds with light text, making them hard to read. However, Robert Kroese's site demonstrates how you can intelligently combine dark design elements to make an impact while preserving readability.
James Sperl
What's Noteworthy: This site offers an excellent example of how to make typography work for you. It boasts beautiful font choices and easy-to-read content areas, which are crucial for a captivating reading experience.
Elisa Lorello
What Makes It Stand Out: Elisa Lorello's site showcases the beauty of simplicity in Web design. It's a great example of how you can create visual interest using just the basics like author and book images. Although we'd recommend expanding the site's biography section for a more personal touch.
Christine & Ethan Rose
What's Unique: This site is a demonstration of a design-intensive approach that works. By understanding your audience and their preferences, you can craft a website that resonates with them. Christine & Ethan Rose's site showcases the importance of designing a site that appeals to your readers, adding character that matches the tone and style of your books.
Elita Daniels
What Makes It Shine: Elita Daniels' website is another shining example of simplicity done right. It's not over the top but still manages to be visually appealing without distracting from the main content: your books. After discussing the site's design issues with Paul Daniels, the tech whiz behind the site, they made adjustments to the fonts, improving the site's readability. Now, the site is absolutely formidable, a paragon of what an author site should be.
While these sites serve as a source of inspiration, it's essential to remember that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to designing an author website. Customize your site to suit your needs, audience preferences, and brand identity. Study these examples, identify what resonates with you, and incorporate those elements into your website.
Stay tuned for our next post where we'll delve deeper into author site design, offering tips and resources to help you build an engaging, functional, and reader-friendly website, even if you're not a tech genius. Happy designing!
- The content on Robert Kroese's author website is intelligently combined with dark design elements, making an impact while preserving readability.
- To improve readability, author Elita Daniels made adjustments to the fonts on their website, inspired by discussions with tech expert Paul Daniels.
