welcome…
…to all my secrets on life as a published author
(I’m 7 traditionally published books in and I’ve learnt some stuff 😉)
I blog weekly about author websites, newsletters and life as a writer…
New posts published every Monday 😊
Want to learn more about me and my own publishing journey first?
(includes info on how I landed one of those mythical six-figure book deals!)
Read all about my own journey to publication →
Or scroll down to read all my other posts!
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Where to get help with your Squarespace author website
One of the things I love the most about Squarespace is the wealth of support there is out there on offer to people using the platform. And it’s really useful support too!
Project Spotlight: paulagreenlees.com
Oh I’m so excited to be blogging about this website! The perfect design to get us all in the mood for the summer after the long days of winter and lockdown.
3 brilliant Squarespace features you may not know about
Squarespace, let me count the ways I love thee! There are many. I’ve become a proper Squarespace nerd ever since I trained as a Squarespace designer, and what I love the most is that Squarespace are constantly evolving the platform and adding new and exciting functionality.
Is it worth hiring a web designer for your author website?
Let’s be honest. My services are not cheap. They were, when I started out, and I was building my portfolio and experience, but they have increased as my knowledge has increased, and I’m pretty happy with the level that they’re at now.
Project Spotlight: anniegarthwaite.com
It’s been a while since I shared a web design project with you and I’m thrilled to be back with a big, bold, bang with this design, for debut novelist Annie Garthwaite.
Why you don’t want a rotating banner on your author website
Over the time I’ve been working as a web designer, I’ve had lots of clients tell me that they’d like a nice big rotating banner – or header – or carousel (they have a few names!) – on the homepage of their new website.
Writing for the web
You're a writer, so writing the copy for your website should be easy, right? But sometimes it's not. After all, it's a very different skill from writing books.
Phishing scam alert
I’m sorry to have to blog about this one but thought it was worth a post as I get quite a bit of traffic on here - and the more people who are aware the better! I’ve had several clients contact me recently to say they have received an ominous message through the contact form on their website.
What to put in your author website’s footer
The footer is an important bit of ‘real estate’ on any author website, but it often gets overlooked. Which is a wasted opportunity, as this is one of the sections of your website that appears on every single page (along with your header or main navigation)!
2020: my work year in review
Phew! We made it, 2020 is nearly over. First of all please let me wish you all a very merry Christmas and hope that you all have a very well-deserved restful break over the festive season. I am exhausted, as I’m sure you are too.
Project Spotlight: katie-marsh.com
I’m very excited to share with you one of my most recent projects - a one-page website for bestselling author Katie Marsh! I don’t often get to design one-page websites so I really enjoy it when I do - it gives me the chance to trim things right back and create something simple but striking. Less is more!
How to set up your Bookshop.org author page
I am really REALLY excited to be able to shout about this because it’s such an amazingly awesome initiative and I’m kind of stunned that it hasn’t already been done before. But it hasn’t! And it’s great! Hurrah for all new bookish things.
Why I’ve put my prices up for 2021
By the end of this year, I’ll have built 24 author websites, which kind of blows my mind. It’s been amazing, and I have genuinely enjoyed every moment of it. I still feel so lucky to have found a job that I enjoy that also means I get to work with other writers.
Project Spotlight: lesleykara.com
It was such a joy to work on Lesley Kara’s website - not least because I’m a big fan (loved her mega-seller The Rumour!), we write in the same genre AND she’s a Faber Academy graduate like me. We were also on a crime writers’ panel together last year and she was just so lovely to me, so I knew I was going to enjoy working on her website!
How to make money from your author website
Did you know it was possible to make money from your author website? Other than by selling books through it? If not, read on, and allow me to enlighten you on a very easy, simple thing you can implement to help your author website pay for itself!
Project Spotlight: kellyrimmer.com
It’s been a while since I shared a design project with you! And this is one I actually completed a little earlier in the year before the summer break. It’s a website for the prolific, bestselling Australian author Kelly Rimmer, and was honestly one of the most fun projects I’ve worked on to date.
SEO for authors part six: last tips and tricks
Phew! The road has been long and winding but we are finally at the end of my series of posts all about SEO for authors! I hope you have found these posts helpful. I’m going to wrap up this week with a few last tips and tricks for you.
SEO for authors part five: tech considerations
While content really is the most important aspect when it comes to your website's SEO, there are also a few technical issues that can have an impact on it too. Let’s talk through them now...
SEO for authors part four: the importance of links
Believe it or not, the links on your website play a really important role in improving its SEO. In this post I’m going to run through the different types of links, with some best practice tips to help you make the most of them on your website.
SEO for authors part three: optimise your images
Continuing with our series of posts on SEO for authors, this week, we’ll be talking about the images on your website and how these can impact your SEO. Believe it or not, Google can also 'read' images. So they are crucially important in telling it what your website is about.
✨ 30 things I’ve learnt from 5 years being published ✨
September 6 2023 marked 5 years since my first book was released 😲
To celebrate, I shared a new post about what I’ve learnt from being published EVERY DAY throughout the month.
Enjoy!
curious about my books?
click the covers to find out more
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Essential Guide to SEO for Authors
17 page guide
The Debut Author’s Survival Guide
30 page ebook
Author Website Content Guide
14 page guide
Author Newsletters
- a Beginner’s Guide
30 minute video
Blogging for Authors
- a Beginner’s Guide
18 minute video