Your website header design might seem like prime real estate for showcasing everything you have to offer, but cramming it full of navigation links is actually doing the opposite of what you want. Instead of guiding readers deeper into your world, you're overwhelming them right out the door.

Tamora Pierce published her first novel in 1983. Think about that for a moment—when many of today's debut authors were being born, Pierce was already building the foundation of a career that would span decades. What can her marathon approach teach authors just starting their sprint?

Want to see how the historical erasure that Jason Stanley writes about in “Erasing History” actually works? Meet Alice Guy-Blaché, the woman who invented narrative cinema and then was systematically written out of film history.

The words we use to describe policies, people, and practices shape how we think about them—and ultimately, how we act. No one should understand this fact more than authors.

Pierce has been publishing for over 30 years, and her author brand has evolved while staying completely true to its core. This is the challenge every author faces when building their brand: How do you create something consistent enough that readers recognize you, but flexible enough to grow with your career?

Most dystopian novels focus on the big, dramatic stuff—the oppressive government, the rebellion, the life-or-death action sequences. But what about the quieter challenge of writing believable relationships between characters who are thrown together by circumstances beyond their control?

Lauren DeStefano's Wither excels at something many authors struggle with: creating authentic bonds between strangers under the worst possible conditions.

My friend used to be the queen of writing productivity hacks. She had apps that tracked her daily word count, spreadsheets that calculated her "words per minute" efficiency, and a color-coded calendar that scheduled her creative time down to fifteen-minute increments. She treated her writing process like a machine that needed optimal tuning to run at peak performance. Then she hit a wall. Not writer's block—something deeper.

"Tempests and Slaughter" tackles slavery, abuse of power, and LGBTQ+ representation—heavy topics that could easily feel forced or preachy in the wrong hands. But Pierce has been seamlessly weaving social justice into her fantasy worlds for decades. How does she make it feel so natural?

A literary agent lands on your website, ready to be impressed by your professionalism. Instead, they're immediately put off by typography choices that scream "amateur hour." Before they've even read about your latest manuscript, they've mentally moved on to the next author.

And while reading "Tempests and Slaughter," I dove into Tamora Pierce's online presence and realized — there’s a masterclass in author branding hiding in plain sight on her site. But here's the thing—most authors are missing this goldmine of inspiration sitting right under their noses.

Lauren DeStefano's Wither proves that some of the most chilling dystopias whisper instead of scream. Her debut novel divides readers precisely because it takes the quieter approach—atmospheric dread over explosive action, psychological horror over physical danger, character development over plot momentum.

While history tends to focus on the perpetrators of Nazi medical crimes, the stories of those who demonstrated moral courage deserve equal attention—not just because they maintained their professional integrity in impossible circumstances, but because their workplace resistance actually worked. Just as authors today must decide whether to bow to censorship or defend creative freedom, these medical heroes faced a choice between career safety and professional ethics.

Gender-flipped retellings are everywhere these days. Pick up any YA fantasy section and you'll find female King Arthurs, girl pirates, and warrior princesses reimagining classic tales. But here's the thing—a lot of them feel forced, gimmicky, or like the author just did a find-and-replace on pronouns and called it a day.

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.