How do you set up an author website?
- Domain + hosting: $100-$300/year.
- Platforms: Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Substack.
- 5-7 essential pages.
- Mobile-responsive design (50%+ of traffic).
- SSL certificate required (most hosts include free).
You set up an author website by buying a domain ($12-$20/year) and hosting, choosing a platform (Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, or Substack), and building 5-7 essential pages: home, books, about, newsletter signup, contact, blog (optional), and press kit. Total annual cost: $100-$300. Most authors launch their website within one or two weekends.
Chapter i·Why it matters
An author website is the only piece of internet you own. Social platforms come and go; subscriber email and website traffic compound for years. Authors without websites lose readers between platforms; authors with even simple websites build searchable, owned brand equity over decades.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A domain (yourname.com or yourpenname.com).
- A platform: Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Substack.
- 5-7 essential pages: home, books, about, signup, contact, press kit.
- Mobile-responsive design (50%+ of traffic).
- SSL certificate (most hosts include free).
- An email capture form on every page.
Chapter iii·Example
A working YA author sets up her website on Squarespace in 14 hours over two weekends: domain ($15/year), hosting ($192/year), 6 pages, newsletter signup integrated with ConvertKit. Three years later she has 12,400 newsletter subscribers driven from website traffic — owned channel, no platform dependency.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom holds website content and updates alongside your book projects.
See the Market studio