Tag: author websites

image of the word website in green with each letter in a box
Posted in Business Side of Writing, Promotion, The Nitty Gritty of Children's Writing

Websites Shouldn’t Be Static

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

If you created your author or illustrator website, and have done nothing to it since, you may have a number of problems.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE

  • Outdated software, plugins, and widgets. Some of these make your site insecure. Others are tools that make features on your site work. If these updates aren’t done at all, your site may be working incorrectly, broken, or at risk.
  • Broken links. If you post any links to other sites, publishers, etc., do they still work? Not only are broken links annoying to visitors to your site, but they also negatively impact your website’s ranking with major search engines, such as Google.
  • Unapproved comments. If you have blog posts set for people to comment, they often need approval. And it’s nice to reply to comments if you don’t have too many.
  • No recent backups. Is your site being backed up regularly? If not, you could lose what you have.

CONTENT UPDATES

  • Stale content. No changes to your content means there’s nothing to keep visitors coming back. A dated website isn’t as appealing to new visitors. In addition, new and updated content helps search engines find your site.

WHAT TO DO

Updating plugins, etc.

  • Major software updates are probably done by your host, but some need approval. Your website dashboard probably alerts you of updates needed. But if you aren’t visiting the behind-the-scenes portions on your website, how will they get done?
  • Add a plugin for automatic updating of plugins. This will manage a lot of updates for you. This is especially important for security updates. But it won’t catch all updates needed.
  • Visit your dashboard at least once a month and check for updates.

Fixing broken links

  • I use a broken link checker plugin, but it doesn’t catch them all. When checking I find some aren’t actually broken and I make the system recheck. Others may go to websites no longer in existence or pages that have moved. I do the research to see which it is. Sometimes I have to remove a dead link as the site or article no longer exists.
  • I also use a free online checker: https://www.brokenlinkcheck.com/. I have so many years of blog posts, I don’t try to fix all of the broken links at once when I use it. I decide on a number to fix, fix those, and come back another time.
  • Note: when creating links on your site or in a blog posts, they should always be set to “open in new page.” This means your website will still be open for your visitor to return to.

Approving comments – ignore if you have no blog posts or don’t accept comments

  • If a visitor has not commented before, you’ll usually need to approve them. I have my widget set to email me when I get a new comment. Someone who gets a lot of comments on each post would probably turn this option off.

Backing up your site

  • I strongly recommend an automatic backup system. But if you make a lot of changes to your website, it’s good to do an immediate backup as well.

Updating content

  • Keep your content fresh by update existing pages, and adding new blog posts,  articles, or links. For example, I have some resources on my page and recently found several articles and a word count survey to add. Not only did I add them, but I realized the appearance of the page would look better with some separators. Doing that made me aware that some listings under certain headings were alphabetized, while others were not. I reordered so they would be consistent.
  • Consider adding a new page. Have you always wanted a page about what you’re reading or favorite websites? Now might be the time to add it.
  • Think about your Books or Published Works page. Is your most recent work listed? Do you have any new awards or reviews you could add as quotes?
  • If you have an Author Visit or School Visit page, is it up to date? Are rates current? If you have info from past visits, do you have images or quotes you can share? Do you have new topics you would like to talk about?
  • What about your About You page? Is it current? Have you added a new hobby? Looking at mine I found I needed to update my social media information. When rereading, I also realized I hadn’t mention even the state where I live. I decided to add that and a picture of the view from our house.
  • If you have a lot of blog posts, consider a page with a topical or alphabetical list. This would be separate from your blogs internal categories or posts by month. I also decided to do a “flashback to the archives” collection post on a specific topic. When I shared it on social media, I got some “thank you”s from others.
  • Rereading old content in general can prompt ideas for change. Remember, you don’t have to revamp the entire website at once. Change one page now. Next month schedule yourself to look at another page for revisions.

A HELPFUL RESOURCE

Homepage Checklist for Children’s Book Authors in 2026 by Charlotte Glaze

illustration of html and a programmer
Posted in Business Side of Writing, The Nitty Gritty of Children's Writing

Choosing a Platform and Host for Your Website

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

First, you don’t have to know html to build a website. There are many website builders that create the html for you.

Second, a disclaimer. If the information below feels overwhelming, either hire someone to help you build a site and teach you how to maintain it, or hire someone who will build and maintain your site. In either of those cases, I strongly recommend WordPress.org as your platform because you’ll be able to find many others to help if your original person can no longer assist. (More on this later.)

Third, definitions. The platform is the software that runs the website—the website builder. For example, WordPress sites (the software that builds the site) do not have to be hosted on WordPress.com. The host is usually where your site live—it’s also called a CMS—content management system. They probably hold your domain name renewal as well, though someone one else can do that (a domain registrar). Hosting sites may have their own software, but it won’t be as easy to transfer to another host. Many of these will let you play around with a trial site for free.

This article, “How to Choose the Best Website Builder in 2023” is a good place to start. But you may also want to talk to friends about their experiences. I personally have used various WordPress sites on various hosts, and Weebly and Wix, each on a different site. I looked at Godaddy’s builder on a friend’s site and could not see an option to add a link to a box or image.

Let me add my comments on their feedback in the above article.

  1. WordPress.org – many people know how to use this software and it’s very flexible.
  2. Web.com – blogging functionality being limited would be a “no” for me.
  3. Wix – fairly easy to use; complicated to move your site to another software system.
  4. HubSpot – good for simple site, but does have WordPress plugin option.
  5. WooCommerce – is aimed at selling—not usually what an author or illustrator is primarily doing on their website.
  6. Gator – no free trial.
  7. Hostinger – not easy to change templates; can’t schedule blog posts.
  8. Domain.com – no free website builder; does not migrate well to another site.
  9. BigCommerce – again aimed at selling; more expensive.
  10. Shopify – a third aimed at selling; requires their own payment platform.
  11. WordPress.com – more limited than using WordPress.org elsewhere.
  12. Squarespace – a fourth aimed at selling.
  13. Weebly (now owned by Squarespace, so I found difficulty getting help) – again limited to what it offers.
  14. DreamHost – uses WordPress, but will require hosting elsewhere, so what is it they do?
  15. GoDaddy – limited set of features.

The article’s conclusion, and my own, is WordPress.org. If you just want a one or two page website where a lot doesn’t change, any of the non-commerce sites would probably be adequate.

So next up is choosing a host, which is where a monthly or annual cost is charged.

PCmag recommends Bluehost and WP Engine, “The Best Web Hosting Services for 2023.” Forbes has a list of ten, “10 Best Web Hosting Services (2025).” This site shares nine, “The Top 9 Best Web Hosting Providers.” Bluehost is mentioned in all three articles. WP engine in the first and the last. SiteGround, which I use, is mentioned in the last. (It was top-rated when I found it last year.)

I personally would compare prices and make sure they each support a WordPress website builder. Some will provide your domain for free, although there will still probably be an annual renewal fee. (Your domain is your url. Mine is susanuhlig.com.)

See what you think of the host’s website and how easy it appears to get support. Many offer searchable knowledge bases, online support, support chats, demos, a help desk, etc. If you can’t find this kind of information easily, that’s not a good sign.

Do they have any free WordPress tutorials? If so, that will be a helpful resource. My host does, and I’ve used them to lead me step-by-step through setting up a new site and migrating an existing site.

Looking at reviews, cost, and support should help you come to a decision on which host to use.

Posted in Promotion, The Nitty Gritty of Children's Writing

WEBSITE Q and A

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

(image courtesy of mantasmagorical on morguefile.com)

internet.jpgPost by Don and Sue Ford

Q: Should authors/illustrators have their own website?
A: In our opinion, yes. Once you are published it is helpful to have a site to answer questions, advertise what you do, a place for people to learn more about you, find out what else you have published, share speaker information, and more.

Q: Where do I start?
A: First, purchase a domain name; often, it is something as simple as www.yourname.com. Domain names can cost around $10 per year. See resources below.* Next you’ll need to decide where or who will host your site.

Q: Host my site. What’s that mean? And how much does it cost?
A: Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) may already provide website hosting included in your Internet access fees. Check it out. If not, you will need a hosting service. Comparisons and reviews can be found at sites such as findmyhosting.com and topten.com. Cost ranges from $1.50 a month upward depending on storage provided, data transfer limits, number of email addresses provided, and various other services. A basic plan is appropriate for your first website.

Q: Are there downsides to having my own site?
A: Yes, in the fact that it must be maintained and be kept current. Nothing worse than someone landing on a website and finding inaccurate and out-of-date information.

Q: What elements should a website have?
A: The basics for a book creator are: a book list, a bio, a picture of the author/illustrator, and contact info or a contact link.

Q: Does that all go on one page?
A: Not necessarily, unless that’s all the info you plan to share. First, you’ll have what’s called a “home page.” This is the “index page” or the page seen first. Try to find a happy balance between almost no text (i.e. “click here to enter Website” which annoys both of us) and an overwhelming amount of text. You’ll have links from your home page to other pages, plus a menu of other pages offered.

Q: Is that what is sometimes called a site map?
A: No. A site map or site index is a graphical representation of all of the pages in the website. This is usually a separate page, but is not required. Each page of your site should include a navigational area (a set of links) to help visitors find their way around your website. It can be a bar across the top, or a box on one side of the page. Often the bar across the top appears on every page, whereas the box may only have info applicable to each individual page. It is important for each page to have an obvious way to get back to the home page.

Q: What else can be on a website?
A: Your imagination is the limit. However, here is a list of possibilities:
• Your book covers
• Summary of each book
• Where to purchase the book(s)
• Testimonials to your writing or illustrating
• Book excerpts
• Upcoming projects or what’s next
• Writing or illustrating activities for kids or adults
• Links to other sites
• Articles or essays
• Speaking or school visit information
• Other services
• A blog
• Podcasts
• Your favorite books or authors or illustrators
• Pictures of your childhood, family, pets, office
• A downloadable press release
• Behind the scenes info (i.e. what inspired you to write a particular book)

Q: How many pages should I have on my website?
A: That’s a two-fold question. Your host may limit the number of pages. Otherwise, if your content is interesting, people will keep clicking to see what else they can find.

Q: Is it okay if someone can only see part of a page at a time on their screen?
A: Left and right, it’s better to fit one page. Top to bottom, sure, most browsers have a scroll bar and users are used to scrolling down for more info. You can have links with in a page to go to other sections of the same page, too.

Q: You mentioned links to other sites and now links within a page. How does that work?
A: Depends on whether you are building your website using HTML (the actual computer code for websites) or website building software. Basically, the former takes one off your site to another site. I like the open in another window option, so your site is still up. The latter is a clickable link that takes one to another page of your site or to another section on your page.

Q: Everyone seems to be blogging. How does that fit into websites?
A: It’s one way to have active content on your website. It’s also a forum to say what you want to say–though, of course, it should relate in some way to your website. Some blogs are set up so readers can sign up to receive posts automatically (recommended). Blogging works best when using special purpose blogging software provided by a web hosting service.

Q: Are there downsides to blogging?
A: Yes, of course. It requires a time commitment. Blog posts should be well written, free from grammatical and punctuation errors. Controversial posts can raise a furor of email.

Q: What’s a podcast?
A: A recording downloadable from a website for use on an MP3 player. The content of a podcast would be a complete discussion in itself. Podcasts are usually hosted on dedicated podcast hosting services that provide specialized software to support them.

Q: Okay. I want to create a website. I’ve purchased a domain name and have a hosting site. Now what?
A: Many hosting sites offer some type of user friendly software to create a website. These can include templates, formatting options for text and pictures. You may take a class or seminar on website building, where you get information and help as you build your website yourself.

Q: Speaking of pictures, what format do I use?
A: The easiest format is a jpeg (.jpg). When posting pictures, you want the images to be small (say less than 150 kbytes ) so that your website doesn’t take a long time to load. The more images per page, the longer it can take. Don’t use animated gifs (or Don will come after you). Okay, you can use one on your website, but that is it.

Q: I’m not computer savvy enough to create a website myself, so how do I get a one?
A: You can hire it done, or make friends with a nerd, who will build it for you for the fun of it. In either case, don’t forget you’ll need them to teach you how to update your website or have a maintenance plan as part of your agreement.

Q: I want to post original art, but don’t want anyone to be able to copy my images. How do I protect these pictures?
A: First, of all, posting small pictures (limited number of pixels) means these images won’t enlarge well. If someone copies one and tries to make it bigger, the resultant picture will be grainy and obviously not their original work. Some artists save a version of their work with a copyright notice or “for viewing only” or their name in “watermark style” lettering across the image itself.

Q: What can you tell me about fonts and colors?
A: You want your website to be readable and attractive. Fonts should be easy to read. No flashing text. Colors shouldn’t hinder readability. Look at websites you like and see what they’ve done. Compare them to websites you don’t like. This applies not only to fonts, colors, but formatting, etc.

Q: What else can you tell me about website formatting?
A: Your webpage formatting may change when viewed in different internet browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Chrome, Opera, etc.) If possible, view your website in more than one to see any problems.

Q: Will I make money selling books on my website?
A: Probably not much. Don’t forget you’ll have shipping for getting the books, and have to pay sales tax. If mailing books to customers, not only do you have postage, but you must pay for shipping containers. Reselling books is a lot of work that includes quite a bit of recordkeeping. Plus not all publishers allow their authors/illustrators to resell books–check your contract.

Q: Wow, there is so much to learn. It’s overwhelming. Maybe I should just forget it.
A: It can be overwhelming. But start with the basics and keep your website as simple as possible at first. As you get more experienced, you can add more to your website. See our list of resources below.

*Domain Registration Services aka Domain Registars

Internet Resources about Websites – updated February 2026
6 Elements of A Successful Author Website
The Best Domain Registrars Of 2026 
The Complete Guide to Creating an Author Website
Should Writers Have a Website?
Unpublished Writers and Websites: Should You Have One and What Should It Say?

P.S. I had an article on website design in Writer’s Guide to 2012, which is no longer available.