15 Fantastic Author Websites To Inspire You

     15 Fantastic Author Websites To Inspire You

If you’re an author — or on your way to becoming one — you’ve probably heard a lot about author websites and the importance of a stable online presence.

 

After all, you can’t assume that your presence on other platforms — Amazon, social media, other people’s blogs — is going to last.

 

And a well-designed and regularly updated website does more for your author brand than any of these.

 

But what does your author website really need to have?

 

If only you had a selection of writers websites to look through to help you decide what features you want to focus on, what first impressions you want your readers to get, and what on earth you’re going to blog about to keep your readers interested.

 

Welcome to 2quotes.net!

 

We’ve been where you are now. Read on to explore 15 fantastic author website examples.

 

 

15 Best Author Websites for 2021

 

1. Stephen Guise

 

The first thing you’ll see when you check out Stephen Guise’s website is a chance to download — for free — his “best content,” which includes a sampling of his ebook, Mini Habits; his ebook, Stress Management Redefined; a Focus Wallpaper set; and his Tuesday newsletter.

 

His site also has a blog and a page titled, “Living Smarter,” where you can sign up to receive his free content on living a less stressful and more meaningful life.

 

 

2. Marc & Angel HACK LIFE

 

 

Marc and Angel Chernoff have created a website that not only advertises their book, Getting Back to Happy, but also offers a life-changing course based on that book. They also blog on topics related to their mission of helping their readers live happier more fulfilling lives.

 

Forbes magazine has recognized this site as “one of the most popular personal development blogs.” Check it out and see a perfect example of what mission plus passion plus writing skills could do for your author website.

 

 

3. Meera Kothand

 

 

The free courses alone are worth the visit, especially if you’re still a newbie to email marketing, blogging, or product development. Meera’s “Start Here” page introduces you to someone who remembers what it’s like to be a newbie but who has learned what authors need to know to build a successful online platform.

 

Her site also introduces you to her books, which are well-designed and thoughtfully created to serve her mission of helping fellow online business owners grow and thrive.

 

 

4. Honoree Corder

 

 

Honoree Corder writes books to help her fellow creatives go from starving artists to prosperous authors with life-changing businesses. Her layout is simple, with a smiling photograph just below the header, and it gets right to the point of what she offers. A pop-up window offers a free sample of her book, You Must Write a Book.

 

 

Her site offers personalized author coaching and detailed information on her “Empire Builders Mastermind,” as well as on her books and her You Must Write a Book Live Coaching Course. If you’re an author and want to grow your business, you’ll find ideas here on how to do that.

 

 

5. Patrick King Consulting

 

 

The first thing you see on Patrick King’s site is a chance to sign up for his free cheat sheet on 7 steps to effortless and engaging conversation (even if you’re a “paralyzed social recluse”).

 

As the author of The Art of Witty Banter and Bulletproof Confidence (among many others), Patrick leads with his free content and social proof (links and testimonials) and leads you to two options: “Read the Blog” and “Get my newest book.” Try both to get the full experience and learn what you can about how to make the most of this website model.

 

 

6. Zoe Mckey

 

 

If all you really want to do is display your books and offer visitors a chance to download a freebie (in exchange for their email address), Zoe Mckey gives a good example of this on her author site. At first glance, you see a landing page offering you a “Free Unbreakable Confidence Checklist” and “Daily Makeover Cheatsheet.”

 

Scroll down to see a line-up of her books and a link to see more information on each one. Click on that link to check out her online “bookshop” for ideas on how to set up your own.

 

 

7. Barbara Markway, PhD

 

 

At the top of Dr. Markway’s site, you see a banner ad for her “Self-Confidence Workbook.” As you scroll down, you see a warm, personal message from her to her visitors, followed by information about her and her practice, followed by social proof and a chance to sign up for her newsletter.

 

Her book page displays her published content to advantage, advertising the fact that she’s sold over 100,000 copies and making it easy for visitors to buy her books on Amazon.

 

Her blog covers related content, displaying each post as an excerpt with a relevant image against a clean, white background. You don’t see any ads on this website.

 

 

8. Quiet Revolution — with Susan Cain

 

 

Susan Cain is the author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, and this site explores the revolution her work has started. It also introduces her readers to her blog and podcast, along with free resources for parents, schools, and businesses.

 

The first thing you see here is a calming image with a Q like the one you’ll see on the cover of her most well-known book. Once you scroll down, the image fades to reveal her website’s calming minimalist layout. At the top, on the right-hand side, you’ll see an invitation to join her newsletter. Below, you’ll see links to free resources, Susan’s keynote talks, and a personality test: “Are you an introvert or an extrovert?”

 

 

9. Jocelyn K. Glei

 

 

This website for the author of Unsubscribe begins with a question: “Do you want to find more creativity and meaning in your daily work?” Your answer to that question determines whether you’ll sign up for her newsletter and read on to explore her RESET course, her Hurry Slowly podcast, and her articles.

 

Glei’s mission is to help others choose a heart-centered approach to their work and to productivity. The layout is clean and minimalist with large, readable type.

 

 

10. Art of Productivity with Damon Zahariades

 

 

One of the first things you’ll see here is an ad on the right-hand side offering a free 40-page book, Catapult Your Productivity, to new subscribers, which is an immediate eye-grabber.

 

 

Among the menu headings, you’ll see “Free Gift,” “Start Here,” and “My Books” — in that order. Within seconds of clicking on “Start Here,” you see a large pop-up inviting you to subscribe in order to receive a free copy of the same book advertised on the home page.

 

This is the third time you’ll be tempted with the free offer, and since the pop-up hides the page content, there’s nothing to distract you from typing in your name and email address, if the book looks like something you’d want to read.

 

If this approach works on you, it might work on your website visitors, too.

 

 

11. Sally Ann Miller

 

 

With its calming color scheme and crisp, white background, Sally Ann Miller leads the eye of her visitor from her logo to the words “Proft from Your Passion” and a pitch for her free “Passion Challenge workbook.”

 

She makes her mission obvious: help her readers make money from home doing what they love — including this message in her brief “About” blurb and then repeating it in a large quote block.

 

 

Her “Books” page displays all her published content on Amazon and Audible, providing links to make it easy for visitors to buy them. Her “Courses” page lists her own course, Author Success Blueprint, at the top, with a link that takes you to a great example of a course sales page.

 

 

12. Annie F. Downs

 

 

With a large smiling photograph, Annie first introduces you to herself — as a best-selling author, nationally-known speaker, podcast host, and loud laughter.

 

Scrolling down, you see a line-up of her books, (all linking to her “Books” page), then the four most-recent That Sounds Fun podcast episodes, followed by a series of images from her Instagram timeline.

 

Her “About” page describes and links to each category of her content — books, public speaking, and podcast episodes — while also giving you a glimpse into her background, priorities, and personality.

 

 

13. Hal Elrod

 

 

If you want some pointers on how to design a website that will get your visitors excited about your content and message, check out Hal Elrod’s.

 

The energy on this site is contagious, and it begins with a video, the offer of free access to his “Miracle Morning Crash Course,” and his clearly-stated mission of “Waking people up to their full potential.”

 

Just below that, you’ll see an uncluttered advertisement for his life-changing book, The Miracle Morning. From there, you can scroll down to learn about the next Best Year Ever Blueprint (BYEB) experience, sign up to have Hal speak at your next event, or enjoy one of his podcast episodes.

 

 

14. Develop Good Habits with Steve (S.J.) Scott

 

 

Steve Scott is a great example of a prolific and versatile author whose blog content led to book ideas that sold well.

 

 

On this site, you’ll see a variety of blog posts related to his books on healthy habits, with large, readable type and a right-hand column that lists previous posts and advertises other content — including a free book, The Morning Routine for Peak Performance.

 

The sharing buttons on the left make it easy to share his content in a variety of ways, and while the Google Ads do take up some space, they also help the author earn some passive income.

 

 

 

15. Live Bold & Bloom with Barrie Davenport

 

 

The menu headings for Barrie Davenport’s blog focus on the topics she covers, rather than the typical page selections. Her final menu item, “Free Gifts,” is tantalizing, but it serves as more than click-bait.

 

The free ebooks offered on this page make it clear how the author wants to improve the lives of her readers. She offers “5 Free Motivating Guides” focused on personal growth, powerful habits, and loving relationships.

Thanks for reading!