Being the expert that I am (hey, I can hear you snickering. Yes, you…cut it out) here's what I appreciate in a professional author's website:
1. Simplicity. I want my eye to be easily drawn to the important elements like, oh I don't know, your name, your nav bar, your contact information. I hate it when I look at a website and I have to do a military-grade sonar scan to find out who the hell you are. I want to be drawn through your site, hand-held. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy, like you care. I know you don't but give me my fantasies, dammit.
2. User-friendly Menu. This is a pet peeve and I know many of you out there in Internet Land will disagree, but unless you are Zappos merchandising 200 international brands of shoes, you don't need 15 menu items on your nav bar. Okay, I know you copied it from the NYT best-selling author-whom-you-adore's website, but it sucks and is lame there, too. For example, do I really need ABOUT, BIO and FAQ options? Aren't they kinda the same thing? And I know it's cute and kitchy to tell me your favorite dessert is chocolate-dipped bananas and you have an unhealthy addiction to The Real Housewives of Laguna Beach, but is your professional writer's website really the place for that? (see #4)
I would also like to take this moment to point out that the White House's website, the website for the most popular man in the friggin world right now, has 6 - yes just 6 - menu items.
3. Fonts. Now, I'm going to take a step back as a writer, blogger, and Internet surfer and return to the days when I used to work for a graphic layout artist who had, I shit you not, over 200,000 fonts in his library. Fonts were his passion (weird, right? *big grin* Pete, I love you!) and he said something to me once that totally stuck. "Gretch, if you can't fucking read it, you can't fucking sell it." Fonts can be pretty and fun and expressionist and individualistic and completely unique in every way, but if I can't read what's on your site, it's a total waste. Nuff said.
4. Blog vs. Website. So while I'm all for professionalism on the website, I'm also all for a casual, smoke 'em if you got 'em attitude on the blog. I want that. I expect that. Here's where I want to know that your favorite movie is Ghostbusters, that you and your best friend choreographed the big dance sequence from Dirty Dancing when you were 12, and that you still have a crush on Brutus the Barber Beefcake. Here's where you can let loose about your husband's snoring or your dog's flatulence. HERE'S WHERE I CARE! Because, you see, I've made that choice. I've looked at your website and decided "I like the cut of her jib" and then I've clicked on your blog link, affixed goggles and arm floaties and plunged right in to your deep end. (Ew?)*clears throat* Okay. I let that get away from me a bit. Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts on the matter!
Well, I agree with you on most of this. Most definitely. I like author websites that have a clean design with easy navigation. And not a whole lot of navigation options. I think it should be professional, but should also manage to portray you as a writer well. Like, on your site, you have photos of Ireland. That works well. On Ally Carter's site, she has lots of pinks, and that portrays her well.
ReplyDeleteBut I also don't mind a couple of personal tidbits listed on an "About" page or a soundtrack for the book included somewhere. Just as long as it doesn't have its own page dedicated to it, and it isn't going overboard.
I agree with most of this as well, especially the clean fonts and easy nav. I hate when the fonts are tiny and multicolored and I have to work to find something.
ReplyDeleteOne question, when did you set up your website? After being repped by Ginger, or did you do it before on a "hopeful" note to grab that professional image. I've been thinking about it.
Sharla, I set up the website after I had representation, but I wasn't specifically waiting for it. I was just hit upside the head with the idea that I needed to start presenting/marketing myself as a professional writer. I had a previous website at that address - my old opera singer website.
ReplyDeleteJen, I agree with you about some of the other trappings, especially when you're a YA writer. My personal preference is to see it on the blog, but I'll appreciate any web content as long as it is professionally presented.
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