best websites for writers 2022

Top 10 Websites For Writers 2022

There are dozens of websites for writers out there, many of which pertain to specific genres, publishing and marketing advice, jobs and submission opportunities, courses, etc… Here’s my list of favorite general writing and creativity websites that offer tips and tools, advice, prompts, creative inspiration, and writing communities to connect with. Most are free to join, and some ask for a small contribution to help keep their sites going.

1. Creativity-portal.com . For over 20 years, Chris Dunmire has been providing inspiring articles, ideas, prompts, and exercises to bulk up your creative muscles. The site covers a wide range of topics on a multitude of creative outlets and makes for a great browse if you’re having a little trouble getting started or just need a shot of inspiration. There is a $5/year subscription fee.

2. Nanowrimo.org . As you might know, NaNoWriMo started out as National Novel Writing Month, where you are challenged to write the first draft of a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. Since its inception, it has grown into a multi-faceted organization providing year-round challenges, advice, inspiration, pep talks, and local groups to connect with. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of, and a great help to get you moving towards finishing (or writing) that book.

3. Writetodone.com . A comprehensive collection of articles, tools, tips, and resources for both fiction and non-fiction writers. From headline generators and blogging advice to master classes by David Mamet and James Patterson, it covers all the bases. One of my favorites for their lists of resources.

4. Themarginalian.org . (Previously known as Brain Pickings) Maria Popova has collected over 15 years of interviews and writing by some of the best literary giants of our time. Book reviews, poetry, current topics, and newsletter subscriptions to keep you up to date on all that is going on in the literary world.

5. Thewritelife.com . A huge assortment of information for everything writing-related, from freelancing, productivity, publishing, blogging, and finding inspiration and publishing opportunities.

6. Almostanauthor.com . Another general resource guide, especially good for those just starting out. From writing the first draft to publishing options, chat rooms, resources, and links to many other writing-related websites.

7. How to Be An Artist . Jerry Saltz’s 33 Rules on How To Be An Artist on vulture.com. This isn’t a website, but a fantastic list and insight by New York art critic Jerry Saltz. Words of wisdom on how to live a more creative life.

8. Writing.com . A community of thousands of writers sharing and offering advice. You can upload your work for reviews, or just enjoy reading what everyone else is writing about. A very supportive and thriving environment with a great library of resources.

9. 99u.adobe.com . This is an excellent site for anyone in a creative field, especially those freelancing from home. From managing anxiety and isolation, developing creative routines, and dealing with self-doubt, I highly recommend checking this site out. Articles, interviews, videos, and tools to help you be your best.

10. Writermag.com . Inspiration, articles, publishing opportunities and contests, tips and advice for all writers, as well as links to other resources. A great spot for general information, copyright laws, submission guidelines, and answers to many questions for those just starting out.

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Filed under Art , attitude , Creativity , focus , freelancer , inspiration , poetry , writer , Writing , writinglife

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15 responses to “ Top 10 Websites For Writers 2022 ”

Yaaay! Fantastic list. I’m so interested in NaNoWriMo.

Thanks Christine! NaNoWriMo is a fantastic community to be a part of, and the challenges push you to accomplish things you’d never imagine you could do. So glad you stopped by!

Eeeeee! I think I’m going to do it! Thanks for the inspiration ❤

Awesome! I’ll be rooting for you!

Thank you so much for sharing this. Great post!

My dad was born in Rhodesia The Nobel Prize in Literature 2007 was awarded to Doris Lessing “Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe http://www.craigsquotes.wordpress.com Do it NOW” “mr doo-little”

Love that Goethe quote as well… I guess the moral of the story is that the time is always right to just start now. Whatever it is…just start (which is so often the hardest part).

Reblogged this on The Writing Journey .

Thanks so much Craig!

Oh wow, that introductory pic-slash-quote was amazing. I really needed to hear that, because we do indeed have this tendency to wait for the right moment to start writing.

And awesome list you’ve come up with too. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Stuart!

I agree re: the importance of the Lessing quote. I’ve recently been using a similar mantra to quell my own anxious thoughts and imposter syndrome: “Enjoy the good moment before it leaves and comes back again.”

Adam I like that mantra too. The time is always right, and I like that you know that the good moment always comes back again. Thank you for sharing that!

To make living itself an art, that is the goal. - Henry Miller

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Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers 2022

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Each year, Writer’s Digest compiles the 101 Best Websites for Writers. See the complete 2022 list here.

Over the past several weeks, we’ve shared our 101 Best Writing Websites for 2021. Originally featured in our May/June 2021 issue, these websites will help inspire, educate, and connect you to other writers as you start or continue on your writing journey.

Writer’s Digest Best Creativity Websites 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Live Streams, Podcasts, and YouTube Channels 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Writing Advice Websites for Writers 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Everything Agent Websites for Writers 2022

Writer’s Digest Best General Resources Websites for Writers 2022

Writer’s Digest’s Best Genre/Niche Websites 2022

Writer’s Digest’s Best Publishing News and Resource Websites 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Job and Market Websites 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Writing Community Websites 2022

Writer’s Digest Best Self-Publishing Websites 2022

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Last updated on Oct 25, 2022

13 Author Websites That Get It Right

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Dario Villirilli

Editor-in-Chief of the Reedsy blog, Dario is a graduate of Mälardalen University. As a freelance writer, he has written for many esteemed outlets aimed at writers. A traveler at heart, he can be found roaming the world and working from his laptop.

Most professional authors will have their own website, both as a way to market themselves and connect with their readership . It's the one corner of the internet that the author fully controls — without interference from publishers or social media rules.

In this short guide, we'll show you some examples of effective author websites before giving you a step-by-step process for building your own. By the end, you'll be ready to take on the world (wide web).

Here are 13 examples of excellent author websites: 

1. Austin Kleon

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

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

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Takeaway: Keep your website up-to-date

Knock, knock. Who’s there? You should be. Unless you’ve got a ghostwriter on your team or you can uncannily churn out quality books constantly, you probably won’t always have new bookish updates. However, when people visit your site, you don’t want it to seem like it’s been idly collecting dust for years between publication dates. You want it to seem as though someone is home.

Austin Kleon’s website achieves this with fresh blog posts displayed front and center. Straight away, you know that he’s active behind the keyboard. Not only does it feel like he’s talking directly to you, but it also incentivizes you to come back, which can be handy for your next book launch. Studies confirm this: businesses that run blogs have 55% more website visitors than those that don’t.

Something as simple as an up-to-date Twitter feed or a list of upcoming events can keep your website fresh and show that you’re committed to interacting with your readers. If you're able to blog regularly, all the better! If your blog gets popular enough, it could become the foundation for your next book. 

How to Build an Amazing Author Blog

10 lessons to help you start your blog and boost your book sales.

2. Rupi Kaur

You’d expect nothing less than a well-designed website from the queen of Instapoetry herself, Rupi Kaur . Her elegant homepage immediately exudes “Rupi Kaur” and the message she wants her readers to receive. It’s on brand — aesthetically pleasing, with short guiding phrases, and creative with form — and much like her poetry, it sticks to the essentials to deliver a core message in just a few words.

But make no mistake; this is no minimalist, bare-bones version of a website. With customized stickers, an integrated webshop for merchandise, and links to both an Amazon Prime special and a world tour, it’s clear that Kaur has invested some time and dollars on making this a comfortable browsing experience for her readers.

Takeaway: Invest in branding and user experience

Granted, not every author can inject cash into a website like social media sensation Rupi Kaur. However, her online presence features several practices that are good takeaways for any author website. Kaur, for instance, doesn’t send her subscribers “newsletters” like Kleon does. Instead, she sends “love notes”. Readers can also follow the journey of her third book, Home Body , as it travels across the US, “sisterhood of the traveling pants” style. These touches make her website feel authentic and true to her brand. 

Paying a bit extra to get a custom-made website that fits your needs perfectly and appeals to your readers can improve user experience significantly, making it not only pleasing to the eye, but also easy to navigate.

Tell us about your book and we'll match you with a website style!

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You can make your website stand out from the crowd by adding dynamic and interactive elements, and self-published author LJ Ross is no stranger to this strategy. Just like in her bestselling mystery series DCI Ryan, LJ Ross’s website takes inspiration from the atmospheric landscape of Lindisfarne (also known as Holy Island), located on the northeast coast of England. 

This eye-catching website is brought to life with some well-chosen dynamic elements: a bird flying across the landing page, mist rolling in as you hover your cursor, and a hamburger menu that folds out to direct you where you need to go, to name a few. 

LJ Ross also gets a bonus point for subverting the expectations for what a crime and mystery author’s website should look like, with a sunny background picture and a lighter color scale throughout the site. 

Takeaway: Bring your site to life

If your site is a pretty-but-static thing, you may be missing an opportunity. With some simple dynamic elements that draw the eyes, you can elevate your website and give visitors a reason to extend their session on your site. And the longer they stay, the more likely they are to engage with what your website offers. 

Start by capturing people’s attention with cool visuals, highlighting what you want visitors to see first (in this case: Ross’s different books series and a link to an audio drama production on Audible), and then invite them to engage by linking to your social media.

4. Miquel Reina

Another author who incorporates some movement into their author website to really bring it to life is Miquel Reina . This can be a risky maneuver — more often than not, flashy gifs and scrolling text scream “tacky.” But when it pays off, it creates a beautiful effect that will impress and entrance readers who stumble upon your page.

Upon first glance at the homepage of Miquel Reina's author website, nothing appears out of the ordinary... until the first image begins to change. As you can see, each translation ( and gorgeous new visual ) of Reina's book  Lights on the Sea morphs into the next, providing a beautifully comprehensive sense of his accomplishments.

If you’re not a web designer , this tactic could easily go awry, but Reina ensures that all his images are carefully sized and timed to create a calibrated effect. The transitions are calmly paced to give you enough time with each cover , but not so slow that you risk missing the effect entirely. He also wisely avoids cluttering the rest of his homepage with additional text and images, so the viewer focuses solely on the slow-moving book covers.

Takeaway: Keep it simple (but sophisticated)

Again, it's easy to go overboard with this tactic; you don't want your author website to look like a carnival. To keep things interesting yet professional, bring your site to life with just one or two smoothly transitioning GIFs.

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

💡Pro tip: Keep site speed in mind! On the technical side, a simple setup will help your site load faster. Heavy images will slow a site down and frustrate visitors. They came to find out about your book, not wait around watching their fingernails grow.

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5. David Sedaris

Authors sometimes make the mistake of thinking that people visit their websites just to read their bio. Are you, the author, important? Sure, but your books are way more important. Let people know they’re on an author’s website by making your product the star of the show, as David Sedaris does. A minimalist setup makes it impossible not to notice the main event: Sedaris’ newest book.

Takeaway: Put your book front and center

If a reader visits your site and doesn’t immediately realize that you’re an author with a book to sell, you’re probably doing something wrong. Placing your book front and center announces that, whatever else you may be offering through your site, you’re first and foremost an author who wants to share their stories with the world. 

Also important are the buttons that urge people to buy your book and steer folks to their retailer of choice. For the perfect user experience, it’s vital to generate retailer links to your books and make sure people can easily add them to their basket.

6. Brit Bennett

Another author who has embraced the idea of putting their book front and center is Brit Bennett . Her hugely successful novel  The Vanishing Half is clearly the star of the show as you enter her landing page, and unlike David Sedaris’ lengthy book description, Bennett focuses on some strong endorsements in the form of quotes to sell her book — and clearly has no trouble doing so.

Takeaway: Include testimonials and reviews

There’s nothing quite as effective as word-of-mouth marketing when it comes to book sales. With a well-chosen quote from the right person, you may see your book sales soar, so it would be wasteful not to use the prime real estate of your website to let others highlight your writing prowess through testimonials and reviews. 

💡Pro tip: Testimonials and reviews are a great way to market your work and authorship so make sure to leave some space for that on your website.

For more marketing insights, check out our course on the fundamentals of book marketing:

Book Marketing 101

Learn seven tried-and-true strategies for boosting book sales.

7. Lesley M. M. Blume

When you first land on Lesley M.M. Blume’s website , you are met with an old, faded picture of an atomic bomb, held up by tape and a short journalistic description This documentary approach quickly envelopes readers into the topic material that Blume — an award-winning journalist — has written about in her latest book, Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed it to the World . 

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

Takeaway: Give readers a visual taste of your book

As an author, your medium of choice is often the written word, but your website is an excellent opportunity to expand on the imagery you’re trying to capture and make your messaging more vivid. By focusing on the visual aspects of your website rather than the textual, you allow readers to get an idea of what your book is all about straight off the bat — and you can present it in a way that is quicker and easier to consume than a full synopsis. 

Is your book a fluffy romcom, or is it hard facts? Offer a glimpse of what readers can expect of your writing, and don’t fall for the temptation to clutter your website with too much text; instead, use the power of images to elevate your message.

8. Maggie Stiefvater

Your author website should always include a good reason or two for visitors to offer up their email addresses. When you navigate your way to Maggie Stiefvater’s website , you’re immediately presented with the opportunity to sign up for her newsletter. But the opt-in choices on her email list are plenty. For instance, you can sign up for an 8-hour seminar to improve your writing craft, led by Stiefvater herself! 

In marketing, this is known as lead magnets 一 offering something of genuine value in return for an email address — a marketing strategy we highly encourage authors to use..

Takeaway: Use a lead magnet

In publishing, a lead magnet usually means offering free content in exchange for an email address, such as downloadable PDF prints, exclusive interviews, or bonus chapters of your upcoming release. This helps you build your mailing list so that when you publish another book, you already have a group of people to advertise it to. 

💡Pro tip: A free sample does more than just incentivize people to offer their contact info. If you’ve read our Reedsy Learning course on how to run a price promotion , you’ll know that offering a free book is also a great way to hook readers and create a loyal fanbase for future publications. A free preview can work similarly, giving readers a commitment-free chance to get drawn into your book, leaving them more likely to pay to read the rest.

9. Megan McDonald and Peter H. Reynolds (Judy Moody)

Using images is perhaps even more essential when you’re writing a children’s book. The illustrative style on the Judy Moody website gets the brand across almost immediately: fun children’s books! And if there were ever any doubts, it cements the message that the best author websites are extensions of the author’s novels and wider brand. 

The creators of the website know the Judy Moody audience, with nudges and winks in the direction of teachers and parents, as well as younger readers with playful phrasing such as “Way-Not-Boring Stuff,” which links to several fun lead magnets, in the shape of games and downloadable PDFs, perfect for kids’ birthday parties. 

Takeaway: Speak to your target audience

When designing your own website, some of the questions you should ask yourself, like Judy Moody’s publicist clearly has, are all about personal branding: 

• Are you branding yourself or a series? 
• What’s the voice and tone of your book?
• Who is your target audience; and 
• Would your site resonate with them? 

Judy Moody's authors have chosen to highlight the eponymous character of the series rather than themselvces, but whichever way you lean, there should always be a recognizable red thread that runs between your books and your website. Keep the voice and tone of your website distinctive and consistent, so people immediately recognize the relation to your work. 

🎨 If you’re thinking about how you can develop your own author brand, check out this article about how Lara Coates enlisted a Reedsy designer to help establish hers.

10. Fonda Lee

One way to ensure that you’re speaking to your target audience is to match your website to the genre you’re writing in. Fonda Lee leaves no room for doubt with her Y2K style logo and dark color pallet. But just in case you missed it, she makes sure to signpost herself as a “science fiction and fantasy author,” and uses a gallery of pictures to highlight her catalog of published works. 

Takeaway: Signpost your genre

While many visitors to your website may already know what genre you’re working in, it’s always a good idea to make sure you match your website to the content you’re publishing. This goes hand in hand with author branding, but the visual elements of your website can also add another dimension to the worlds you’re building in your books. 

11. Neon Yang

Whether you’re a maximalist or a minimalist when it comes to design, the use of bold or contrasting colors is another way to make your website pop and highlight something particularly important you want to draw attention to. And you don’t have to have a name like Neon Yang in order to do so. But choose your colors wisely, and stick to one or two for the best effect.

Takeaway: Be selective in your use of colors

The psychology of color can have a big impact on how people perceive something, but don’t make the mistake of trying to catch ‘em all; using all of the colors of the rainbow together at once is unlikely to have the desired effect of drawing the eye to one thing. Instead, too many colors can be distracting and more confusing than helpful, making the message you want to communicate murky and sometimes even hard to read. 

When using bold colors, one or two is enough to draw visitors’ focus toward the most important things. Neon Yang fittingly uses neon lime green to contrast against a darker background, which effectively highlights key information, fits their unique brand, and adds a tongue-in-cheek touch to the whole website.

💡Pro tip: When using accent colors, choose them carefully, and avoid writing huge chunks of texts in colors that are hard to read to make your website more accessible to all visitors.

12. Brené Brown

Speaking of accessibility, no matter how beautiful and well-crafted your homepage is, or how nicely your logo fits on the corner of that picture you’ve chosen, here’s your official reminder to make your website compatible with all types of devices. Brené Brown has made sure her website will meet everyone’s needs, regardless of their browsing weapon of choice.

Takeaway: Optimize for mobile navigation

Nothing is as frustrating as a clunky website that you can’t read, especially when you’re on the go. Today mobile traffic accounts for almost 60% of all web traffic , so your website should be made to fit all devices to make it as easy as possible for visitors to explore.

13. Angie Thomas

Finally, one of the biggest reasons people visit author websites is to get a better sense of who the person behind the words on the page is, so don’t be afraid to show your face. Angie Thomas goes straight for the kill with a beautiful, professional headshot that is both inviting and confident. This, paired with some hand-picked words to the left, is a strong introduction to Thomas both as a person and as an author. 

Takeaway: Show your face

Whether you want your brand to focus on you as an author or on your books, it’s a good rule of thumb to use your website to introduce yourself to the world. Unless, of course you’re a ghostwriter or writing under a pen name and prefer to work in anonymity . But even then, your website should include an avatar at the very least.

You don’t have to place your author photo front and center, but your site should contain some indication that your work was written by an actual human and not an AI. Your ‘About’ section is a good place to start, but sprinkling a few photos that show who you are throughout your different sections is a good way to make your readers feel connected to you. 

In the next part of this guide, we'll show you how to create your very own website using some of the most popular tools in the internet.

11 responses

Brent Jones says:

02/06/2017 – 12:29

Well, never did I ever think I'd appear on the same list of authors as JK Rowling for something. Wow! You guys over at Reedsy made my day. Thanks!

Kristen Steele says:

21/06/2017 – 15:29

Great examples! Branding is a powerful element, but works best if all of your books follow a specific theme.

arushi says:

30/08/2018 – 05:47

Nice Article www.booksoul.in

Zain Khan says:

06/12/2018 – 09:28

Thanks for the awesome blog post. keep it up. Recycling Media

Michael Barrett says:

05/03/2019 – 15:00

mbbarrett.com

christopher sparacino says:

08/05/2019 – 12:28

I wrote a book i'm trying to get out there, feel free to read it! it's free, about 70 pages... http://bit.ly/evolveordiebook enjoy

Oohgirlbybk says:

Good info! Thank you! My website is live, but I will be contacting my web designer :)

Sayli@digitalmarketing says:

22/05/2019 – 10:25

This the list every digital marketer and web designer should have! Thanks for this amazing list!

Paul Nieto says:

23/05/2019 – 17:00

Thank you for the ideas and examples. I signed up for the checklist also.

amber says:

05/09/2019 – 09:50

wow, what a great example. branding is the most powerful tool. I am also an author

David Evans says:

17/11/2019 – 10:05

The Lesley M. M. Blume site and the Austin Kleon site are pretty good , i often find that alot of sites go for design over typography which mostly doesnt work , your right about having blog posts front and centre , problem is most authors ive encountered never want that ( customer is always right etc ) .. which is a shame

Comments are currently closed.

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33 Best Author Websites Examples (2024 Update)

February 2024.

I am going to show you EXACTLY how to create your own best author website.

We will address for you the “Dos” and “Don’ts” of creating an author website.

Examples of effective and ineffective author websites will be shared and how to improve the ineffective components as well. 

In the end, you will know for certain that you can create an effective author website that will enhance your image and branding!

The Purpose of this Article

In this article, we will see some nicely done author websites. These websites can provide inspiration and guidelines to make the best author websites.

By the way, to learn how to create, manage and market your author website, you have to read more articles on our blog .

Characteristic of best author websites

These are the things your author site must have no matter what genre or type of writer you are.

Your Website’s Landing Page Should :

• Include a list of your published work (books, novels, eBooks, articles etc)
• Promptly shows upcoming and new releases
• Have a separate page about yourself
• Provide a way to contact you or hire you.
• Include links to your social media accounts.
• Easy to navigate
• A blog to showcase your personality and/or writing process
• Has a unique, clean and eye-catching design
• Must run perfectly on Mobile and PC

We analyzed 500+ authors’ sites!

We have analyzed more than 500 author websites on the net to write this article.

We update this post in the future by adding new author sites to this list. We may remove some of them though. There’s no guarantee!

But did you really analyze 500+ sites?!

Yes, we did. Here’s the proof!

Let’s start with the list of best author websites

Simple and minimal examples of authors websites, lindatharpink.com.

Linda Tharp

Children's Books

Shadows Into Light, Karla

What they did well:

• She utilizes an attractive background.
• The minimalist design keeps the user focused on the imagery and tab options.
• Website upload speed is quick, allowing for ease of use. (the image speed is different)
• Author name is the central focus of the page driving her brand.
• Her bio adds to the focus of her branding.
• The focus lies on the author and not the books.
• Upcoming works are included leaving the reader in anticipation of the next book.
• Blog section is included allowing for media integration.
• Social media is included at the bottom of the website.
• Along with social media is a contact me section located in the same area.

What to consider changing:

• The format is best for authors: more than one book published and established fans.
• Books published are limited in their appearance on the site.
• If a new author, not having books advertised can be hurtful to your branding.
• There’s no link to buy books on Amazon or other book stores.
• Blog isn’t up-to-date.

shelsilverstein.com

Shel Silverstein

Children's Books and Poetry

Bookman Old Style, sans-serif

• The design according to book types plays in favor of the author’s theme.
• Library editions and hardcovers available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart.
• Image gallery on about page enhances the appearance.
• Logo could be at the center of the header on the desktop version.
• No contact form nor social media links on the site. (The author died many years ago though.)
• CTA buttons should be in red as this draws the focus.
• Book reviews can be added to the books pages.

annvoskamp.com

Ann Voskamp

Parenting & Families and Religion & Spirituality

Cinzel, Merriweather, Montserrat

• Theme of the author is conveyed.
• Background provides a feeling of this being an author’s website.
• Promotes current work and upcoming books.
• Interactive tabs for short reading material/blog posts to pull in new audiences.
• Seamless and fluid transitions from one section of the website to the next.
• Author bio could include a bit more information about the genre of writing.
• Images start to blend together, it could use fragmentation for easier reading and interpretation.

william-golding.co.uk

William Golding

Literature & Fiction

Merriweather, Flareserif 821

• Minimalist website at its best.
• Interpretation of author is easy with less to navigate.
• Menu tab allows for seamless navigation.
• Limited menu options allows for quick decisions on where to next travel to.
• News and articles section can be easier to navigate as it is based on date of news.
• Social media links need to be more noticeable, the gold blends in with the white.

rolfpotts.com

Playfair Display, Lato

• Minimalistic design of the website filled with informative blogs make this website a perfect Author website.
• The About Me and Bio link is present on the Homepage of this website which helps readers to have a full understanding of the author.
• Direct purchasing links are present on each section of the book plus the audiobook format is present along with translated versions and international orders.
• The speed of the slider on the home page is not smooth and the quality of images aren’t captivating to make viewers enamored.
• The footer doesn’t have navigation links to Homepage, Contact, Books.

jackkerouac.com

Jack Kerouac

Biographies & Memoirs, Fiction, and Poetry

Futura, ITC Clearface

• Website domain name is the same as the name of author and the overall style is smooth, pleasant.
• The site has browser push notifications plus a newsletter signup option.
• More navigation links can be added to the footer.
• The homepage doesn’t have any information related to the books.

Jamesclear.com

James Clear

Continuous Improvement, Decision-Making, and Habits

Europa, Minion Pro

• Bewitching website with fluid UI design filled with attractive colours and font style.
• Numerous articles are present on the website , divided into respective categories which are really helpful for readers to feed minds with proper information.
• Testimonials are uploaded for books and those can be purchased directly from different platforms in numerous languages.
• Smart email marketing strategy by sending a free chapter of the book to visitor’s email address.
• Contact page is not present which is a must for an author website.

sallythorneauthor.com

Sally Thorne

Playfair Display, Avenir, Lato

• The website domain is on the same name of Author, Sally Throne.
• Colour scheme and loading speed are well maintained.
• Books can be purchased from different platforms including Amazon and reviews are also given on the website.
• The Blog Section isn’t present on the website . Footer does not contain the navigation menus.
• Homepage is very short and it doesn’t have any info about the author, Sally Throne.
• The newsletter sign-up form can be added to the footer.

jenniferlarmentrout.com

When you talk about contemporary romance and adult fantasy, you cannot miss out on mentioning Jennifer L.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Young Adult

Raleway, Suranna

• The books section is very simple yet attractive. It gives you an easy browning experience.
• A good range of “where to buy” platforms are incorporated with the description of each book.
• The homepage says nothing about the author herself. It may leave a not-so-good impression on the potential buyers.
• The website should include an active contact page to reach out to the author.

veronicarothbooks.com

Veronica Roth

Science Fiction & Fantasy and Young Adult

Montserrat, Roboto Condensed

• A website for a book should always have the latest release on the homepage like this website.
• The homepage shows the author signing a book copy at an event which feels so wonderful.
• The books could be displayed in a more appealing manner.
• The biography of the author should be a little more detailed.

jasonwritesbooks.com

Jason Reynolds

Fiction and Poetry

Futura PT, Minion Pro

• The contemporary design of the website is very eye-catching and interesting.
• The initials of the author’s name look very classy on the main page.
• The best websites for authors like this should avoid lengthy descriptions.
• Social media links should be more noticeable with bigger fonts or icons.

oceanvuong.com

Ocean Vuong

Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

Georgia, Palatino

• The sections for novels and poems are displayed individually, making it one of the best book website samples.
• There is a reading tour for the book time is a mother, which all author websites should have.
• The homepage is only limited to the information of one book, which is not taken as a good impression for websites for authors.
• The lack of literature gives the initial impression that this might not be an author’s website.

timothykeller.com

Timothy Keller

Christian and Religion & Spirituality

Proxima Nova, Adobe Garamond

• The loading speed and the layout are well maintained.
• Books are placed individually instead of creating categories which is a less-seen thing among other websites for authors.
• There is no navigation menu at the footer, and the social media links are also missing.
• There should be a newsletter sign-up option at the end of the website.
• A contact page is necessary for all author websites.

angeladuckworth.com

Angela Duckworth

Decision-Making and Self Help

• The author’s interpretation is placed with the video on its left, making it a great book website sample.
• The homepage layout is very basic and needs a lot of work.
• The purchase option of the books is missing on the homepage.

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Modern, graceful and iconic author website examples, miriammonfredo.com.

The first look on Miriam Monfredo’s website shows a picture of a dark forest with mist surrounding the area. This gives a sense of mystery to the reader and tells the writing style of the author. The first image on the landing page is the most important. It can be a slider but most often we see a still image. Marketing experts’ advice for authors is to set the mood of the website according to their writing style.

Miriam Grace Monfredo

History and Mystery & Thrillers

Barlow, Open Sans

• Miriam provided an excellent background in hero which sets the mood and tone for mystery as her focus is on historical mysteries.
• The layout is easy to follow and flows from the reader’s perspective.
• The tag line for Miriam within the hero is excellent and provides a succinct summary of her work.
• Miriam draws the reader’s attention to the books by utilizing images
• Economy of language is utilized well here.
• There’s a specific page for each book with reviews and links to buy the book on Amazon and Smashwords.
• 3-D book design enhances website appearance, drawing attention to her books.
• There could be a greater focus on the books that Miriam has produced as its location is distant from the focal point of the website.
• Website upload speeds can be improved with limited images and features. Miriam’s books could also be larger in their image and her about me section should follow.
• The focus needs to be on promoting a book or books in general.
• Miriam should promote an upcoming book if she has one in the works because this will build anticipation for her fans and audience.
• She must keep the blog up-to-date.

seussville.com

• The background design is visually appealing and speaks to the brand.
• Navigation Links draw the user to the characters, books, and experiences tabs.
• The news & events add more extensions to interact with the author’s works.
• The shop option allows for further advertising and exposure of the author.
• Parents and Educators have a special link just for them.
• The design is cluttered, this works for this author as it is characteristic of them.
• The books and author are not the focus and the focus is entirely on the brand.

peterrabbit.com

Beatrix Potter

• The flow of design is key and this site has a natural flow from start to end
• The minimalist design in the beginning sets the tone for a children’s book
• Four navigation links makes choosing simple and direct
• Highlights special events/topics such as nature events linking kids to nature.
• Highlights upcoming book as well as film giving fans excitement for what’s to come.
• Social media is linked at the end of the site with contact information as well.
• Bring the focus of upcoming works to the beginning as this is an established author.
• The crafts are a fun concept but should be placed after upcoming work.
• Meet the characters could also be placed higher up to draw in more fans.

loislowry.com

Children's Books, Literature & Fiction, and Young Adult

Playfair Display, Open Sans

• Beautiful design in the beginning which draws you in with slides of new events.
• Highlights upcoming works and also includes netflix adaptations of books.
• Navigation links are in a proper sequence of importance with contact being last.
• The books section uses the covers in a collage formatting to draw in readers.
• Biography section is detailed and styled well conveying a sense of familial ties.
• Welcome section is very plain and uninviting even though she is inviting us in.
• Welcome section could be improved with warmer text.

raybradbury.com

Ray Bradbury

Horror, Literature & Fiction, and Science Fiction & Fantasy

• Including a banner helps to promote the author and works.
• Sectioning of the website allows for the transition from one part to the next.
• Theme of the author is conveyed throughout using the orange writing and images.
• Scrolling banner is often confusing and takes up far too much space.
• Scrolling banner content should be conveying the author or the product.
• There is randomness to the sequence on the website content on the homepage.
• The navigation bar needs to decrease options.

ransomriggs.com

Ransom Riggs

Arts & Photography, Mystery & Thrillers, and Young Adult

Europa, FilosofiaOT

• Background is beautiful and leads to the author’s adventure and explorer genre.
• Navigation bar is specific in where the user will be taken and less options is better.
• Footer contains social media links.
• Slow upload speeds for both computers and mobile devices.
• The home page lacks advertisements of upcoming books and past works.
• Very minimalist and lacks conveying this as author’s website instead of personal blog.

taylorjenkinsreid.com

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Tungsten Comp A, Georgia, Gotham SSm A

• Advertising of upcoming books is phenomenal and eye-catching.
• Author’s name is the first segment of wording to be seen by the viewer.
• Navigation bar is easy to use, simplistic but efficiently directs the user.
• Shopping access for the books is easily seen below the upcoming book’s intro.
• Social media links are included at the bottom of the site and accessible.
• About the author is short, succinct, and complete.
• Negative space is used perfectly to bring focus to the key elements of the site.
• Excessive book advertising by including the “Also from Taylor” section on homepage.
• No blog post is on the website and no links available to a blog site either.

ynharari.com

Yuval Noah Harari

History and Nonfiction

• Very inclusive of the various aspects of Yuval Noah Harari.
• Rolling banner allows for continual advertising of Yuval and his events and books.
• Social Media is easily accessible next to the navigation bar.
• Upload speeds are quick for desktop and mobile versions.
• Events are provided in chronological upcoming order.
• The homepage is cluttered and starts to blend together not in a cohesive manner.
• Initial impression is not that this is an author’s website due to the lack of literature.
• Books are not presented in any particular order.
• No upcoming books are being advertised, only events are current.

stephenking.com

Stephen King

Horror, Literature & Fiction, and Mystery & Thrillers

Source Sans Pro, Spectral

• Scrolling banner advertises upcoming works and other events.
• Navigation bar provides key choices to navigate to.
• Background is changeable in the bottom right corner from light to dark to set the mood.
• Mood of the webpage is consistent with Stephen King’s persona and works.
• Upload speeds on both mobile and desktop are very fast allowing for ease of use.
• The background of the site is relatively simple and could have more to draw in a reader.

maggiestiefvater.com

Maggie Stiefvater

Exlibris, Mackinac, Avenir

• Blog section is added in the website which contains some phenomenal content to feed the brain and get pleasure.
• Direct link for purchasing Novels is available which is an admirable functionality to save time for readers.
• The layout of the website is great and all of the books are classified into different genres.
• The News section isn’t up to date and readers really want to listen, grasp their favorite Author’s newest updates.
• T he loading speed of the website isn’t fast enough which can be more fluid and responsive.
• More testimonials or reviews can be uploaded as readers can have a look at those reviews and finalize if they want to purchase the Novel or not.

Brenebrown.com

Brené Brown

Health, Mind & Body, and Nonfiction

Helvetica Neue, Georgia

• The loading speed is really negligible though so many books, podcasts, and blogs are running on the website.
• Visitors can purchase their favorite books easily by using the drop downs in the hero.
• Some brilliant videos are also present on the website including TED TALK and many other inspirational programs.
• Novels aren’t divided into respective genres which is a downside for visitors coming to take a look at numerous books/novels.
• Blogs aren’t regularly updated.
• There’s no contact form on the site.

msrachelhollis.com

Rachel Hollis

Chick Lit, Cookbooks, and Self Help

DIN Condensed, Essonnes, PT Sans Narrow

• This author website has a proper format in respect of colour and section-wise breakdown of topics in each page layout.
• Rachel has uploaded lots of blog posts on different niches which are great to read.
• Sticky social media links on all pages of the site helps followers to get engaged with Author.
• Top Menu Bar can be well-formatted , make brighter and font size should be increased.
• The promotion of books isn’t admirable with respect to other author’s sites.

chrismcdougall.com

Christopher McDougall

Roboto Slab, Roboto Condensed

• There is a picture of the author that makes it more interesting as compared to other authors’ websites.
• About section of the website does all the justice to the writer.
• It could be made the best author website design with a books relevant theme.
• There is a lot of blank space on the home page that could be otherwise utilized beautifully.

awtozer.org

Christian and Religion

• The quotation of the author on the main page makes it a captivating website for a book.
• The color scheme of the website is very soothing to the eyes.
• There’s a large picture of the author in the hero section on the home page.
• The email newsletter is not visible in the footer and it pops up by clicking on subscribe link which isn’t good for conversion rate.
• The contact details and social media handles are missing.

markwaid.com

The website can be counted as one of the best author websites 2022 for comic fans.

Comics & Graphic Novels

Oswald, Raleway

• This author’s website has a huge variety of content which is always updated from time to time.
• The most important pages of the site are visible in the hero on the home page.
• The footer has no newsletter forms, quick links, or social media buttons.
• The layout is very common among author website examples.

becomingmichelleobama.com

Michelle Obama

Biographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction, and Social Sciences

GT Eesti, Earth Rich

• The word “Becoming” is so beautifully incorporated throughout the website.
• The most unique thing about this website is it includes an audio clip which is found very rarely on authors’ websites.
• The website is more focused on the books than the author.
• She could consider shortening the paragraphs on the main page of the website.

helenhoang.com

Helen Hoang

Chick Lit and Romance

Montserrat, Lora

• The Author’s signature added more value to the page.
• The boxed layout made this website different from other authors’ websites.
• The site includes links to all translations of the books.
• There are no blog posts or any links to the blog site available on the website.
• A contact form works better than sharing email addresses.

Beautiful Dark Authors Websites for Inspiration

Radical.net.

David Platt

Montserrat, Roboto Mono

• Video banner draws the audience in with an easy to access video.
• The navigation bar stands out using the white text against a dark background
• Consistent color patterns created continuity on the site.
• Mobile and PC upload speeds remained consistent and high.
• The focus of the website is evident, it is a site for christian fellowship not just books.
• Accessibility and navigation on the site is easy to follow and natural for the user.
• Books could be advertised more if that is the focus, but here it is not.
• The theme of this does not appeal as an author site.
• Imagery is portraying an experience, in this case a christian experience.
• The focus of the site is not on literature or the author.

annefrank.org

Biographies & Memoirs

Graphik, Merriweather

• Simplicity in design is used well as the images are the navigation bar.
• As a Holocaust icon , having a change language option is crucial.
• Color use keeps with the theme of history and feeling of the holocaust.
• Limited information is provided on the website’s homepage.
• As a minimalist style , it is missing substance to draw in new audiences.
• For an author’s website it does not advertise any text such as her famous diary.

robert-galbraith.com

Robert Galbraith

Crime, Suspense, and Thriller

Merriweather

• Homepage is well-made in a very creative manner and while using this website viewers will feel like they are flying in the sky due to the smoother experience.
• Newsletter section is present at the bottom with social media links too .
• Website domain is created according to his name , where he has described different characters too which make his website unique from other author websites.
• The news section is not up to date.
• Placement of purchasing links for books is troublesome.
• The contact page is absent.

hawking.org.uk

Stephen Hawking

Nonfiction and Science

Bebas Neue, InterFace

• The animation of the book covers makes this website one of the best author website designs.
• The website is very easy to use and has no unnecessary options.
• The background of the site is relatively very dark and gloomy.
• The menu options should be made brighter, and the font size of the text should be increased a little.

After Thoughts

These were some great looking best author websites which can provide inspiration for your future websites. Check out our more helpful guides to learn how to make your author website from scratch or about important ingredients to rank it on top of Google. Furthermore, you can contact us, our skillful team can help you design and market a perfect author website for you.

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You have chosen some beautiful author websites! As I looked through many of them, it’s interesting to note the difference in style. Your website style will depend on what type of books you are selling and who your audience is that you are marketing to.

I also found some new authors I want to check out! Thanks for sharing this.

The kevin hearne site is close to being perfect except for a couple of issues like the logo top being cut off on opera browser , great image though and a nice example of design apart from that

Love the tigner site too , nice to see people having well designed sites and no the usual garbage , nice list

Excellent looking sites and reflect on the quality of the author and writing skills. Besides a beautiful site, good reviews are essential and a critique of the author would be good to post on the first page. TeamGolfwell does free book or author reviews > https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html

Your activity and inspirational work are good. Authors have to see this article only once to increase their knowledge of writing skills.

Hi How can we improve this site and what would be the cost. Thank you. Mary

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• 19 Author Website Tips To Earn Money - Situdio - […] this is not a hard and fast rule to be always simple, it depends what type of author you…
• Website For Authors: The ultimate guide for 2022 - Situdio - […] not an easy task at all. Because it depends on the genre of the books. The best thing you…
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Home » Designing Websites » The 15 Best Writer Websites: Inspire Your Portfolio

The 15 Best Writer Websites: Inspire Your Portfolio

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Written and researched by:

We’ve researched the 15 best writer websites to gather some inspiration to help you put together a writer portfolio. We’ve looked at a mix of writers from different industries, and cherry-picked our top choices that you can reference when making your very own portfolio .

The 15 best writer websites in this article were made with builders like Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress, and even third-party graphic designers. No matter how you choose to build your website, you’ll be able to take your ideas with you.

Whether you’re starting a freelance writer website or selling your book, your website is an extension of your brand – and a way to share your individual story.

So grab a coffee and let’s take a peek at some of the best writer websites!

1 Meria Ogawa

Website made with Wix

The humble contact page is usually left as an afterthought, with a typical title like “ Contact Me .” Notice how Meria Ogawa has shifted the focus to “ Better Together .” This “Contact” page is inviting and warm, and Meria doesn’t just assume the customer is going to get in contact right away.

Gently nudging your potential writing clients to contact you is more effective than trying to urge them too much. Her copy is almost an offering – “If you want” begins each of her contact details.

So, don’t leave your “Contact” page to the side without trying to put your spin on it like Meria has.

Website made with Shopify

Mimochai is an independent studio that creates art and stories, crafting kids’ books that weave in mindfulness. Mimochai’s Shopify-made website features its artistic creations and leads us nicely into its shop.

The soothing website imagery is all done in the same style as its book covers and merchandise – almost leading potential customers along for the adventure as though inside one of Mimochai’s books.

If your book or writing field has lovely imagery within it, it might be worth incorporating into the design of your website. There’s something almost 3D about Mimochai’s visuals – it takes us back to being a kid and reading a pop-up book.

We asked the two-person Mimochai team for their thoughts on creating their website with Shopify, and here’s what they had to say:

Advice from the Users

[shopify] offers a good balance between functionality and design. in the time we’ve been on shopify, it has added the features that were initially missing, and many of these improvements are included at no extra cost..

Mimochai Team

They talk about Shopify’s improvements, and express their excitement at its email services improving too.

3 Zadie Smith

Website made with Squarespace

The website for novelist, essayist, and writer Zadie Smith is clean and highlights the book Intimations in bold red. It grabs our attention and draws us to the book cover straight away.

Notice that she doesn’t clutter the page, from her menu to the words beneath – her book of essays has room to breathe. One effective method is to use words sparingly!

Take care to choose words that give readers a flavor for your writing – without creating huge paragraphs that take away from your work.

4 Rupi Kaur

Website made with a web designer ( Laurie Codes )

Canadian poet Rupi Kaur’s website reflects herself as her brand – especially her artistic expression. Each page has different elements of art, poetry, and photography.

Rupi’s website is full of exciting things to read, listen to, and watch. Scrolling through each section is like a delightful explosion of paint, color, and Rupi’s drawings (and her live poetry readings!).

Her website also has an ecommerce shop, where she doesn’t just offer her poetry books. Rupi has expanded on her writing with a world tour, along with a shop for art, clothing, stationery, and more.

Hiring a web designer or web developer has its pros and cons – the cost will be higher than with a website builder, however, there may be more room for personalizing your website with one.

If you don’t have the budget though, website builders can still be highly personalized, as you will see in this article.

5 Caroline Gibson

Website made with WordPress

Caroline Gibson does more than just say hello with her website copy – she shows a flair for her craft as a copywriter. Caroline’s freelance writer website mixes her humor and her professionalism effortlessly onto the page. We love the line “like the chocolate flake in a 99 ice cream, I add more.”

Creating a portfolio or website for your writing is always about tone first and foremost. What copy do you create? What is your natural tone? And what is the tone your clients are looking for?

Once you’ve answered these questions you can build your portfolio around a balance of the three.

The website’s “About” page focuses more on what Caroline creates as a freelancer than on Caroline as an individual. This adds credibility to the website – try to ask yourself what your ideal client wants and how your service can help them.

We asked high conversions sales copywriter Alyson Lex for some thoughts on WordPress:

My WordPress website is essential to generating leads, building credibility, and closing new clients. Bar none. My clients frequently mention my website when booking calls (i.e. I love your site!)

I’m even showing up in Google for specific services despite my complete lack of SEO know-how.

It’s not beginner friendly… but if you’re a writer and you sell writing services of any kind – not having a website is absolutely hurting your income.

6 Martha Hayes

Martha Haye’s work is incredibly cohesive and is captivating to look through. Going through this website is like flicking through a magazine’s pages.

Everything feels well organized, from the website’s typewriter font to the covers. Squarespace has proven to be one of the frontrunners for visual mediums.

This website has a plain white background – but when the work is so bright and colorful, that’s great. Otherwise, a textured or bright background might take away from the work itself.

Remember to put your work center stage, and think of the website as supporting your creations.

But what if I haven’t created much work yet? No need to fret, the example below might offer an alternative idea.

7 Tyler J Koenig

“Bright” and “fun” are how we’d describe the feel of Tyler J Koenig’s website. You instantly learn who he is, and get an idea of the type of content he creates. It feels fresh and lighthearted. This Squarespace-made website gets right to the niche.

Tyler writes: “ Basketball raised me. Tech and storytelling made me. Now I’m bringing them all together.” He clearly shows us the two sides of his personality and the two parts of his career: tech and basketball.

As a content strategist and writer in the basketball sector, his “About” page is wholesome, a little nostalgic, and athletics-focused. Tyler understands the target audience well – applying the niche throughout the pictures and copy.

Tyler’s “About” page feels like part blog, part 90’s movie. Here he delves into his life, his basketball knowledge, and fond Limewire and AIM messenger memories.

His copy is genuine, fun, and conversational – he throws in the odd “kinda” and a “see ya around!” closing. It allows Tyler’s personality to shine through the page.

This makes a great alternative to showing your work – if you can bring your authentic self to your writer’s website, then like-minded clients will be interested!

Website made with Webflow

If you’re looking to create a more professional website, then you’ll need to use clear CTAs ( calls to action ). In case you’re unfamiliar with a CTA, it’s the button or design that leads your customers to buy your product or services.

Notice the Scripted agency has two blue buttons that move the client towards hiring a freelance writer. Here they’ve written “Get Started,” but you can write anything, like Say Hi, Learn More, Hire Me, I’m In, or Subscribe .

Even if you’re not setting up an agency, you can experiment with CTAs on your website. You can test out different colors and wording to see what gets you the most customer clicks over time.

The Scripted website inspires trust and credibility – it understands the customers’ pain points.

Scripted also has well-designed icons that add to the UX (user experience) and make it as easy as possible to find information. It uses the data it has, like 200k+ Content Orders, to help develop customer trust – adding data to your website can boost the value.

9 Matt Phil Carver

This WordPress website by Matt Phil Carver is another one that thrives on clean and crisp UX. We love the little avatar of Matt, which isn’t just on the homepage, but runs throughout the website – even into the blog!

Matt’s friendly and conversational tone can be felt in the content – even in the menu bar, where he’s written phrases like “What I Do” rather than “ Services” or “ Portfolio.” 

Another great thing about Matt’s website is that throughout it he mentions the lovely testimonials he’s had. If you have a lot of great reviews from clients, sprinkle one in on every page, or even create a reviews page ( or as Matt has: “What my clients say” page).

10 Haruki Murakami

Haruki Murakami’s website has a great feature in its community page. If you have fans of your work, consider putting together a place for them to share their opinions.

Create a buzz by getting them involved with what you create – it doubles up as a nice testimonial page, too!

11 Ann Handley

Ann Handley , author of Everybody Writes has a great WordPress-made website. Particularly, take a look at her “Work with Ann” page. Ann adds some information for potential clients alongside some great examples of CTAs.

Another great feature of the website is the “Newsletter” section. When putting together your portfolio, try adding a free newsletter or resource that the reader can take with them – it can add value to your website and help convert readers to your services.

12 Frankie Ratford

We might be cheating with Frankie Ratford , but we’re not sorry about it.

Technically, Frankie Ratford is a traveling Graphic Designer and Director of The Design Kids – so it’s sort of cheating to include his site in this list of writer websites. But we had to add it because it’s full of inspiring bits!

Little design features, like the way elements on the page move, are what make this website pop.

Frankie’s photo and the text elements that move behind and in front of the image are a great way to show off copy. The feel of the page you land on is warm with its bold yellow design, and the Wix-made website showcases Frankie’s awards, achievements, and work.

The website shows Frankie’s nomadic lifestyle alongside showcasing her creative projects. The main takeaway from this website is that sometimes you only need one page!

13 Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson’s website has a really neat feature for authors – a progress bar. To keep fans in the loop with what projects you’re creating, a progress bar also helps fuel the excitement!

Keeping readers up to date might be a fun addition to your writer portfolio – whether that’s a progress bar or news updates!

14 Maverick Words

The WordPress-made website Maverick Words is effective at helping customers imagine how André might solve their pain points. Every page leads the client gently to the CTAs.

This “About” page is a great way to showcase freelance writing skills because it feels like an article on the five factors that set André apart from the competition.

15 Tara Westover

Tara Westover displays her book Educated on the homepage, and the surrounding text feels super down-to-earth – along with the book cover that’s surrounded by white space.

Here, she creates a sense of intrigue. The unfamiliar reader will begin to wonder why publishing this book is the most insane idea she’s had?

Adding a little mystery to your copy is a great way to get readers to want to read your book. It also makes them want to delve into a writer’s website to discover what the result of publishing the book was.

If you’re looking to see what it’s like to build a website for writers, make sure to read our interview with Vicky Weber , a children’s author and co-founder of At Home Author, a company that provides coaching for aspiring writers.

After exploring these websites, one thing is clear – there are many ways to put together a writer website! We hope this article has given you some ideas on how to take your writer business online.

If you’re thinking I’ll never be able to put together a portfolio like this, not to worry!

Here are nine actionable tips that can help:

• Establish your ideal customer or client
• Put yourself in their shoes – what are their main pain points?
• Incorporate those pain points into the website and help them imagine how you can solve those points
• Add any visuals that go along with your writing to the website
• Bring your tone or personality into the mix
• Use icons to showcase information clearly and quickly for readers
• Use CTAs to move your customer toward contacting you or buying your services
• Create a great contact page or sales page to highlight how working together will benefit customers
• Create a community with the fans of your writing

Many of these amazing-looking freelance writer websites were made with website builders – which open up the realm of possibility for your writing business. Not every builder is made equal though, so take advantage of our research-backed article on the best website builders to make a confident choice.

We’re sure you’ll find the perfect website builder to boost your writing career! Let us know in the comments how it’s going.

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Top 29 Websites for Aspiring Writers

• on May 17, 2022
• in Writing Tips
• Last update: November 14th, 2024

According to Benjamin Franklin, you should “either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” But for many of us, that is easier said than done. Thankfully, technology has helped us in this aspect. These days, you can find lots of blogs and websites that are tailor-made for helping writers.

In this article, we will tell you about the best websites for writers to use throughout their writing journey. So make sure to keep a pen and paper ready (or an old-timey typewriter, we won’t judge) to prepare yourself for your next writing masterpiece.

Top 20 Writing Guides That You Need to Check Out

Practice makes perfect, even in creative disciplines like writing. And the best way to improve your craft is to learn from the experts and join the writing community. To help you do all that, we have compiled a list of the top 20 websites that can help you improve your craft.

1. Kotobee Blog

No matter which stage you’re at in your writing, Kotobee Blog has you covered. You’ll find all sorts of tips and advice on various stages of the writing process, from drafting and editing to publishing and marketing. Alongside the blog, you can also find a 7–day ebook creation course and an ebook authoring software , all free of charge.

In addition to writing tips, you can stay updated on the latest writing events, such as conferences, literary festivals, and retreats, so you never miss any.

Beemgee is a story development and storytelling blog that can help all types of writers out there. You can also find a Beemgee story development tool that can help you work on your new fantasy novel. With this tool, you can write novels, screenplays, narrative video games, and drama scripts.

You will also find that there is a wide range of topics, from Chinese literature to James Bond-themed plots. You can use Beemgee before, after, or during your first draft, as reading their content will help you along the way.

Reedsy has a large collection of valuable resources for writers at every stage of the writing process. In addition to storytelling advice, this handy website offers insights into the publishing industry as well as weekly writing competitions with prizes.

If you’re ready to publish your book, you can also find a large market of professional book editors, designers, and marketers on the Reedsy Marketplace.

4. The Write Life

If you’re a first-time author or a freelance writer, then you will find that The Write Life offers a wealth of insights for you. The articles on this blog cover many aspects of book writing and landing freelance gigs. Moreover, the blog’s comment section offers a platform for the writing community to interact, share feedback, and engage in discussions on related topics, making it a great place to seek inspiration and connect with like-minded individuals.

5. Writer’s Digest

Who is the best person to give writing tips? Someone in the writing industry, of course. This is why you should definitely check out the Writer’s Digest. This blog will help you discover or rediscover your creative potential through plenty of insightful posts. These articles can help you overcome any complicated issues you come across as you write.

Moreover, The Writer’s Digest hosts competitions and provides in-depth information on different writing events they host. You can even find blog posts that are featured by editors and writers alike. If you are looking for a support group in the writing community, then you should give the Writer’s Digest a try.

6. NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is a writing challenge in which authors aim to write a 50,000–word novel every November. On this website, you’ll find many helpful tools, including blog articles, printable worksheets, and advice on time management. All of these valuable resources can help you cross the 50,000–word finish line by the end of November.

7. The Write Practice

The Write Practice is an extensive writing resource that offers all forms of helpful information for writers. This writing blog covers writing posts on a wide range of topics, including writing exercises and writing prompts that can help inspire you. With the Write Practice bookmarked on your browser, you will never feel helpless when it comes to writing.

Furthermore, The Write Practice offers free tips through their blog posts, which will help you evolve your writing style and restructure your writing process. It also offers writing programs and contests.

8. Terribleminds

Chuck Wendig, the author of the TerribleMinds blog, has a unique taste that screams dark humor. Wendig is brutal in his writing and adds a touch of humor to his writing advice for aspiring writers.

Terribleminds offers a wide range of topics that are extracted from Wending’s personal work and the writing of other writers to help you out. Since Wendig is a published author, you will find that he has the best insight into any writing obstacle you might face.

9. Write to Done

There are many different aspects that writers need to be aware of in order to build a successful career path in writing. The Write to Done blog has that knowledge already prepared for you. This blog gives tips and advice on nonfiction writing, as well.

Write to Done will also help you master several writing techniques and habits that you need to fulfill your writing dreams. Make sure not to miss out on all the tips that this website has to offer, along with some motivational posts that will help you during tough writing times.

10. Fiction University

If you’ve ever been frustrated by cookie-cutter writing advice, then give Fiction University a try. Janice Hardy, award-winning author and creator of this website, offers a treasure trove of advice that’s meant to inspire you rather than instruct you. You’ll also find a lot of articles about other authors’ writing journeys and how they overcame the challenges on their path to getting published.

In addition to the blog, you can also find and purchase Hardy’s books on writing, such as Understanding Show, Don’t Tell (And Really Getting It), and Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure .

11. Well-Storied

Kristen Kieffer is the author and genius behind Well-Storied. She is also a well-known author and writing coach who gives advice to all aspiring authors who need help. This writing blog offers great writing tips, as Kieffer has dedicated her time to helping writers unleash their true abilities.

When visiting this blog, you will be able to access her free courses, listen to her podcast, and join her community chats. You will also find that Well-Storied has a wide range of topics to help you improve your writing style. Thanks to her great tips and advice, you will find yourself turning to her blog every once in a while!

12. DIY MFA

DIY MFA, as the name suggests, offers a free alternative to getting a formal Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. By making use of this website, you’re only missing out on earning a degree, not on the educational value.

DIY MFA introduces three key concepts on which all of the articles and podcast episodes are built: writing with focus, reading with purpose, and building your community. If you’re serious about writing and getting published, then keep this website in your bookmarks folder.

13. Kristen Lamb

Chosen as one of the “Best Websites for Writers” by both The Write Life and Writer’s Digest , Kristen Lamb’s website is the go-to for authors looking for consultations or on-demand classes. Lamb is a bestselling author who has written non-fiction books on writing for social media and blogs. She has also written a fiction novel titled The Devil’s Dance .

Besides the writing classes and videos, this website also offers guidance to writers through comprehensive blog articles about improving their craft. You will find that these posts are funny and easy to read, which is great for writers who need quick tips or reminders.

14. Writers Helping Writers

As a one-stop resource for writers, Writers Helping Writers has a little bit of everything. You’ll find helpful articles, a bookstore to purchase the founding authors’ books on writing, and even writing software. In addition, the authors behind the website, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, host webinars and workshops that you can attend. Once you browse through this website, you’ll likely come back for more.

15. Helping Writers Become Authors

Need quick guides for certain aspects of writing a story? Helping Writers Become Authors has you covered. With K. M. Weiland’s expertise in storytelling, you’ll find many tips and advice that will take your writing from good to great. You can also purchase any of Weiland’s books from the website, including her novels.

If you’re interested, Weiland discusses the story structure of many famous movies and novels on the website as well. These can help you connect storytelling concepts with real-world examples and learn from the experts.

16. Grammar Girl

Many of us make grammar mistakes in our writing without always noticing them. If you find yourself in this situation, then check out Grammar Girl. In this podcast, author Mignon Fogarty goes over common grammar mistakes as well as concepts writers should know about. She’s also written a few books on the subject, which you can find links to on the website.

17. Purdue OWL

When formatting your book for publishing, you need to make sure you adhere to your chosen style guide. With Purdue OWL, this task is much simpler to complete. On this website, you’ll have access to tutorials and guides on different style manuals, such as APA and the Chicago Manual of Style. What’s more, these guides are not limited to fiction writing. In fact, Purdue OWL targets all writers looking for advice on the technical aspects of writing.

18. Writers Write

Since its launch, Writers Write has been providing all kinds of helpful content for authors. From blog articles and book reviews to writing courses, this website offers a great number of resources for every struggling author.

As you browse the website, you’ll come across writing prompts, quotes, inspiration, and more. Besides the posts geared towards fiction, you’ll also receive expert tips on building an online author brand as well as business writing.

19. Story A Day

Similarly to NaNoWriMo, Story A Day encourages writers to participate in a month-long writing challenge that happens every May and September. However, this challenge in particular focuses on finishing one short story a day. For additional support throughout the challenge, you can join their online community or sign up to receive weekly prompts via newsletter.

Outside of May and September, Story A Day also offers many articles, courses, webinars, and workshops on writing.

20. Warrior Writers

Warrior Writers is a community that consists of military veterans, service members, and artists who dedicate themselves to their craft. Some of the programs they offer encourage you to turn your pain into captivating narratives. After all, writers put the ache in heartache, right?

If you feel burnt out or unmotivated, then you might like the inspirational stories found on this website. Reading them can definitely lift your spirits.

Top 9 Websites for Publishing Advice and Insights

Starting the process of publishing your book can be overwhelming, but it gets easier once you take the first step. To help authors like you, many people have created websites and blogs that offer priceless insights into the publishing industry.

Here is a list containing 9 of the best websites you can visit for publishing advice:

1. Writer Beware

Unfortunately, navigating the world of publishing can be difficult and confusing for new writers. In fact, many of them actually get scammed by fake or vanity publishers . Because of this, Writer Beware curates a list of known publishing scams that authors must avoid at all costs. What makes this website so valuable is that their lists cover scams from all around the world.

On browsing the website yourself, you’ll also find the latest news in book publishing as well as articles on other types of scams in publishing.

2. Poets & Writers

Aimed at serious writers, Poets & Writers is a large database that allows you to easily find writing contests, magazines, and publishing outlets. In addition, you can also browse a wide selection of writing groups and communities or search for master’s degrees or job opportunities related to writing.

3. The Creative Penn

If you are planning to turn your writing into a full-time job, then you should have a look at  Hosted by bestselling author Joanna Penn, this blog offers a wealth of practical and insightful advice, ranging from genre-specific guidance to publishing strategies.

The main aim of this blog is to educate writers on how to improve their writing. For this reason, Penn has several self-help books for the writing community that are available for purchase. You can also access her podcasts, courses, writing tools, and anything else you need to help your writing process move forward; and the best part is that it’s free of charge!

4. Jane Friedman

From online classes and newsletters to blog posts and resources for writers, this website has a lot of valuable content for you to enjoy. Behind it all is the published author Jane Friedman, who has written many books that guide authors through writing and getting published.

Friedman has been in the heart of the publishing industry for over 25 years, with expertise in coaching authors and publishers about digital media strategy. You can also explore more of her insights on these topics by subscribing to her newsletter, Electric Speed .

5. Publishers Marketplace

For the most up-to-date news and information in the publishing industry, look no further than Publishers Marketplace. This website packs all the essential information you need as a writer, editor, or publisher. This means that you can look at analyses and reports on industry trends and even track individual book sales or reviews.

6. Winning Writers

Winning Writers is a great website to visit if you’re looking for writing contests to join. Besides their free contest database, they also host their own competitions. One of them is the North Street Book Prize, which is awarded to self-published authors and offers $10,000 along with professional book marketing services.

Contests aside, Winning Writers have a dedicated team if you want a professional critique of your book. Moreover, the website has a resources section you can check out, such as a list of book recommendations.

7. SelfPublishing

In addition to tips on self-publishing, this website also offers writing advice Whether you are a writer who wants to publish your book or a novice who needs help with their first draft, SelfPublishing is the right blog for you.

This blog will give you advice on many important parts of writing, like creating characters. Additionally, the blog offers guidebooks and writing tools that will help you on your path to self-publishing.

8. The Book Designer

The Book Designer will help you with writing creative disclaimers and using social media in an efficient and effective manner. As mentioned in their tagline, this website offers practical tips on how to craft beautifully designed books and choose the right platforms for your book.

9. Chill Subs

Looking for the perfect publisher to sign with? Check Chill Subs for a list of the best and most reputable ones. Using this website, you can also format your manuscripts, track your submissions, and track your acceptance rates. Regardless of your experience as an author, this website cuts down the amount of effort required to track your publishing activities.

Final Thoughts

Writing doesn’t have to be a lonely journey; there is an entire community that can help you out whenever you need it. These blogs and websites will develop your skills and show you how to work on your writing style. When you visit these platforms, you will also find exercises, prompts, and many more tools to help you out!

Do you know of any other websites that you found valuable for writing? Share your recommendations with us in the comments.

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Bellinda Porterman

Thanks for the compilation! I totally agree, and I’d also throw in a few more awesome tools for automation and information storage: – If you’re all about structuring your character info and diving deep into plotting, Notion https://www.notion.so/ is a game-changer. The customization options are almost limitless, making it a real powerhouse. – And don’t forget about this name generator https://instausername.com/fake-name-generator for first and last names, and other character data. They’re a lifesaver when it comes to creating characters. You can filter by country, gender, or age, making brainstorming a breeze. – Oh, and speaking of character development, there’s another fantastic tool https://bookraid.com/ai/book-character-generator for generating character biographies. You can tweak the settings for gender, genre, and comments, which makes it super convenient. It’s a real time-saver!

Hi Bellinda!

Thank you for the awesome input! 💡

Notion is indeed a powerhouse for structuring characters and plotting, and that name generator and character biography tool sound like fantastic resources. Collaboration like this makes our writing community stronger. Feel free to share more gems if you come across them!

Happy writing! 🚀📝

Chevey Edwards

Wow! Thank you very much! Your comment was like adding ice cream to my slice of cake! It was helpfully helpful!!!!

Thanks for your thoughtful comment! We’re glad you found this article helpful. 🙂

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