A curated list of Medium blog articles on writing drops in my email inbox each morning. I did something a while ago to set my preferences on the site to make this happen. I can’t remember what I did, but if you are a writer, you need to do this too. As it does for me, it will help to keep you learning and informed about the craft you are passionate about and the one that feeds or will feed your family.
This morning, as I opened Medium Daily Digest, my eyes took a B-line to Jim Woods’ article “Do You Need a Website?” I was immediately drawn to his article because while I’m a writer, I also do some agenting. And so, I get queries from aspiring authors almost daily who do not have websites. When I see submission forms come across my email with the website field left blank, for me, that is an automatic pass. I’ll tell you why.
Not having a website when an author is seeking representation to get their book published in any genre indicates a few things:
The author is unaware of the value of their message.
The author lacks basic knowledge on how to capture and promote their message in this digital age.
The author is uninformed about how book-selling and connecting with readers work.
The author is unaware or unwilling to submit to the idea that it is important to be accessible to their audience.
All four of these statements stand true even if the author plans to publish independently.
Being accessible rolls into having a platform, which is basically about your ready buyers, your captive audience. Book publishing is all about reaching readers. You are not publishing for you; you are publishing for them.
The author’s lack of knowledge or execution communicates to potential partners and investors—i.e. agents and publishers—there will be a greater risk and learning curve they will need to evaluate or overcome with the author when it comes to sales and marketing, which are both increasingly dependent on the author’s efforts.
You don't need a website if you are only writing in a journal every day or if you plan to publish a family keepsake. Both are noble and viable goals. Some writers produce and publish beautiful memoirs and cookbooks just to pass among their family and close friends. They capture a family legacy. If these are examples of where you see your writing being the most impactful, those are rightfully your personal zones.
You Can’t Hide and Successfully Publish
When you reach out and say, "I want to be a published author," it means you want your message to be seen and heard far and wide. In our current age, a website is part of the exposure and expansion of you and your message. The definition of the word publish connotes a public heralding or announcing of a message. You cannot give in to fear of being seen if you want to be published. It is a public work. The results of your efforts will be publicized to the widest audience possible. Being seen is the core of publishing.
If you want to stay hidden, publishing is not for you. If you are wrestling with wanting to hide, yet you have a passion for writing books people can read and be entertained and enlightened, educated and inspired, and transformed and motivated, you have some internal work to do. But as you do that work, buy your domain name, please. And yes, make it your own name to start. Make yourself easy to find. And sometimes you must do it scared.
Write. Get a Website. Write Some More.
Maybe you are not afraid at all. Maybe you are uninformed and need to be educated on what you need to do. So I'll get you started with some basics:
Write the book and while you are writing...
Learn all you can about the industry you are seeking to enter
Buy your domain name
Learn how to put up a simple and attractive website (yes, I did my own website too), or
Hire someone to design your website if you have the means—someone who is good and experienced with designing speaker or author websites
Create a lead magnet and build your email list
Connect with your readers through emails and social media engagement
Oh, and did I say, write the book?
As the writer of the article that inspired this mild rant says, if nothing more, your website is a central connecting point for all you do as a writer and author. It is the place where you can gather your captive community of readers and share the books and the messages on your heart.
What is holding you back from launching an author website?