Picture This: You're at a writing conference. That familiar buzz of excitement fills the hotel conference room as authors swap business cards and publishing war stories. You've just struck up a conversation with a fellow novelist, and she asks about your publishing journey. You light up—this is exactly the kind of conversation you'd hoped to have here.

The confusion between domain names, website platforms, and websites themselves is one of the biggest stumbling blocks authors face when building their online presence.

Here's the thing: you wouldn't start writing a novel without understanding the difference between a plot, a publisher, and a finished book.

Similarly, you shouldn't start building your author website without understanding these three fundamental components.

When French author Philippe Aziz sat down to write his four-volume series "Doctors of Death" in the 1970s, he faced a challenge that would daunt even the most seasoned writer: how do you document humanity's descent into medical barbarism without losing your reader—or your own sanity—in the process?

Picture this: A potential reader discovers your book through a recommendation and immediately searches for your website. They land on your homepage and within three seconds—before they've even read a single word—they've formed a negative opinion about you as an author.

The culprit? Your typography.

After my last post about escaping the publishing grind, I received messages from authors asking the same question: "Okay, Lynn, I'm convinced the hustle culture is killing my creativity. But what's the alternative? How do I build a sustainable career without falling into the productivity trap?" The answer lies in what Tricia Hersey calls "trickster energy"—and it might just be the most powerful tool in your author arsenal.

Picture this: It's 6 AM and you're reaching for your phone before your feet hit the floor. Instagram story posted? Check. Twitter engagement? Better respond to those mentions. Email newsletter draft? Still sitting in your inbox, taunting you. And you haven't even had coffee yet. You mentally run through today's writing goals while brushing your teeth, calculating whether you can squeeze in 2,000 words between your day job and that book marketing webinar you signed up for. Again. Sound familiar?

As someone who works with authors daily, I'm constantly asked: "What books should I be reading to improve my craft?"

The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all answer, because your reading list should be as unique as your writing journey.

That's why I've created this living list of book recommendations tailored to specific author needs.

You're at a family barbecue, feeling proud because you just hit "publish" on your debut novel last week. Your aunt approaches with genuine curiosity and asks about your book. Your heart swells as you start to explain your story, the characters you've grown to love, the themes you've woven throughout. Then she asks where people can buy it. "Oh," she says, her expression shifting slightly. "So you self-published? You couldn't get a real publisher?"

Picture this:

You've just received your first one-star review.

Your stomach drops as you read the harsh words criticizing everything from your plot holes to your character development.

You screenshot it and immediately send it to your critique partner, your spouse, your writing group.

You spend the next three hours crafting the perfect response in your head—one that explains your artistic choices, defends your characters, and maybe even educates this clearly misguided reader about what good literature actually looks like.

"The goal of the fascist assault on education is to produce individuals who cannot think for themselves, who cannot question, who cannot challenge authority." - Jason Stanley, Erasing History

I've sat across from dozens of authors during strategy calls, and I've heard the same hesitant tone of voice more times than I can count.

The hesitation to take up space, to be loud, to tell their story.

"Should I use WordPress? What about Wix? Or maybe I need a custom-coded site?"

Sound familiar? If you're an author trying to choose a website platform, you've probably asked yourself these questions. With so many options out there, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

But here's what I've learned from building custom author websites: Squarespace isn't just good for authors—it's perfect for them.

In "The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World," Kimmerer presents two radically different approaches to organizing our lives and communities: the market economy (which most of us know intimately) and the gift economy (which might sound foreign but is actually all around us).

I just finished Ava Reid's A Study in Drowning, and I highly recommend this book. It’s dark and moody, suspenseful and poignant. But more than that, it mirrors a profound shift we’re seeing in today’s society.

The parallels between Kimmerer's serviceberry and the author community are striking—and they point toward a more sustainable and fulfilling way of supporting creative work.

When visitors land on your website, you have mere seconds to make a lasting impression. And if you’re a picture book author, your site should feel just as imaginative and engaging as the stories you write. But here’s what I see all the time: websites built on default settings. White background. Black text. Nothing necessarily wrong with that… but for a picture book author? It’s a missed opportunity.

Your website is your digital home, and your books are the star of the show. Let’s talk about why it makes a big difference to feature your books right on your homepage—and how that simple shift can help you sell more copies, connect with readers faster, and build a stronger author brand.

There’s a reason all the biggest companies, influencers, and celebrities spend so much time, money, and effort developing their brand - they know their brand is the essence of how others will perceive them and their work. Your brand is what's going to resonate with your readers and create that connection between you and your audience

A website’s structure plays a massive role. It’s not just about having a site; it’s about how easily visitors can navigate the site, how quickly they can find information, and how engaged they become with the author’s work. Many authors assume a website with more pages is better. However, a one-page website offers numerous advantages that often get overlooked. Which option is best for you? Let’s dive in and find out!

You need a website, but there are a seemingly infinite number of website platforms where you can build your website (or hire a designer to build your website for you). Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, GoDaddy, Weebly, Nexcess…the list goes on and on. So how to choose?

So yes, the best strategy for a task as time-consuming and important as designing your professional website, is to find a designer and use their Zone of Genius to uplevel your career. After all, no matter where a reader, literary agent, or publisher first hears your name, at some point they’re going to Google you. And when they do, you’ll want to have your best foot forward.