Raise your web profile by following the example of your favourite authors
© Mario Alberto Magallanes Trejo
Journalist and author Martin Cloake runs a day course called ‘How to pitch and market a book’ in conjunction with journalism.co.uk, and this feature draws on one of the sessions from the course. Places are now booking for next course, which takes place on Thursday February 4th 2010 at London’s Frontline Club.
It’s almost essential for anyone in the media to have a strong web presence now, and authors are no different. The creative approach that you applied to pitching and delivering your work also needs to extend to your website, reflecting your personality, connecting with your audience and positioning you as a name to come back to on the subject about which you write.
The great thing about the web is that there is as much inspiration as you’ve got time to find, so research other websites to get some ideas and a feel for what you’re doing. Here are a few of the websites I particularly like, with some comments on each.
George Pelecanos - a personal, grainy touch amid slick design and execution
If you’re as successful and talented as crime writer George Pelecanos, your publisher will set your website up. This is a sophisticated but easy to navigate site, displaying the full range of George’s work. What’s particularly nice is the retention of a personal, grainy touch amid the slick design and execution, in the shape of a blog-style piece with accompanying YouTube embeds showing George having a whale of a time onstage with The Pogues at London’s Boogaloo club. There’s some serious design and support here, but also plenty of inspiration.
Martyn Waites - a polished design with some personal warmth
It’s probably becoming obvious that I’m a real crime fiction addict, and I like the hard-hitting homegrown style of Geordie author Martyn Waites. Again, this site combines a polished design with some personal warmth, and it all goes together to give a strong impression of Martyn’s work and the thought behind it.
Cathi Unsworth - a web space that reflects Cathi’s approach and personality
The hugely-talented Cathi Unsworth, subject of a book review and lengthy interview on this site recently, has used the free Weebly site builder to put together a high impact web space that really reflects Cathi’s distinctive approach and personality.
Cathi’s writing is infused with a real feeling for London’s underbelly, outlaw music and outsiders, and the site showcases Cathi’s growing number of radio, tv and public event appearances at which she shares those passions with her audience. This is a great example of what can be done with a just a little application and technical knowhow - as ever, the quality of the content is the key.
Ian McEwan - nothing flash, but packed with heavyweight content
I’ve been a fan of Ian McEwan’s work ever since reading The Cement Garden in the early 1980s, and he is a huge literary presence who could do perfectly well without any more publicity or marketing. His website, though, looks a bit dated, and the navigation is pretty clunky - although the Encyclopedia Britannica named it a ‘Best web site of 2009′, apparently.
What is interesting about this site is the way it connects with McEwan’s audience - nothing flash, all stripped down but packed with heavyweight content. What’s here does its job well, and showcases the breadth of McEwan’s work.
Dorothy Koomson - a site that really looks to build a community
Dorothy is a former sub-editing colleague from the world of women’s weeklies, and her website, again professionally designed, draws heavily on the look and techniques of that world. Dorothy’s novels are big sellers, but the site really looks to build a community, drawing readers in with a forum, regular columns and features, all held together by Dorothy’s chatty, empathetic, everyday style.
Why these websites work
What’s key to the success of all of these websites is the quality of the content. Understanding how to present work, and some knowledge of design, is certainly helpful, but it is words that count, and aspiring writers should have no trouble producing enough good ones to make their website truly compelling.
For more on Martin Cloake, please visit www.martincloake.com
Related posts:
- Sales of popular fiction may benefit literary authors - Thanks to the global economy, agents and publishers are seeking...
- Join the Society of Authors for benefits and prestige - The Society of Authors has been looking after the interests...
- Book review: The Eloquence of Desire by Amanda Sington-Williams - Beginning in the aftermath of a scandal that sees Dorothy...
- Gwen Davies of Alcemi Books describes the working relationship between editors and authors - In the fourth of our interviews with publishing houses, we...
- Sci-fi writer Ian Watson’s website reminds us that it’s content, not webdesign, that stands the test of time - Ian Watson writes sci-fi, fantasy and horror novels. There's something...
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment