Pre-Published Author Website Tips
Even if you haven't yet published your first book, an author website is an important piece of your platform to have as early as possible. Launching even just a simple, one-page website with a little bit of information and a way to stay in touch with you as early as possible is one of the smartest moves you can make as a pre-published author. It can help you start to build genuine connections with your future readers, and creates the very foundation from which you can grow when your publishing journey officially takes off. Here are some tips for how to approach building your Bookshelf website even if you're not yet published.
Use a Website Template
The Bookshelf provides several website template options built specifically for pre-published authors, such as "Under Wraps" and "Between the Shelves." Starting your build by using one of these as the foundation can help to give you clear guidance on what elements are most important to include at this stage of your website, such as:
- Your author name
- Some genre or book information
- Expectations about when your book might be available
- A newsletter signup form
That last item, a newsletter signup form, is one of the central keys to include on your author website no matter what stage of publishing you're in.
Start Building Your Newsletter
Your email newsletter is one of the most powerful tools you have as an author, but you don't need to wait until you have your first book available to start building it.
Even with zero books published, a newsletter lets readers:
- Follow your writing journey
- Get updates on your upcoming book
- Feel invested in your progress (thus becoming more likely to click "Buy")
Your website is the natural home for your newsletter sign-up. It's the first place people will think to visit when they decide they want to be kept in-the-loop on when your book comes out. By putting a simple newsletter sign-up form on your website, and linking it to your preferred email platform, you can start growing your reader list.
The Bookshelf's website template options for pre-published authors not only feature sections where you can share more about you and your book, but sections with pre-built newsletter sign-up forms. That way, all you have to do is link your email provider to your account, and anyone who submits your form will automatically be added to your newsletter list.
Connect All Your Online Spaces
If you're already working on building your social media presence ahead of launching your first book, whether it's on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or others, all roads should always lead back to your author website. Anyone who engages with you on social media should be given the option to learn more about you, so providing the link to your website can further help them:
- Find all your social accounts in one place (for even more engagement)
- Sign up for your newsletter list
- Stay connected even when social media algorithms change
Inside The Bookshelf's Page Builder, it's easy to add social media buttons that are pre-designed to designate exactly where a click will take visitors. You can add them to your Bookshelf account under the Discoverability tab, then customize them to fit your brand by using the "Style" tool for a consistent, universal design.
Start Simple, With Growth in Mind
One of the biggest advantages of starting early is the flexibility you'll have to easily mold your site into anything it needs to be as your author business progresses. With The Bookshelf, you can:
- Start with a simple, clean site that accomplishes the few tasks you need it to right now
- Easily add, remove, or adjust pages, sections, and content as your plans and progress evolve
- Experiment with an array of different site designs while your current version is live, making the next iteration ready to launch whenever you are
Remember, you don't need complexity or even intricately fancy design at this early stage. It's just fine to keep things simple, clean, and user-friendly. When you launch, you can always update your content and design to match your growth.
