Discover How to Make an Author Website in 2025

Why Every Writer Needs an Author Website in 2025?

Let’s face it—if you’re a writer in 2025 and you still don’t have your own website, you’re missing out on opportunities. Whether you’re considered traditionally published, hybrid, or an indie author, today, knowing how to make an author website is a critical skill.

Author websites are more than just digital business cards. They’re the online equivalent of a handshake, a sales pitch, and a behind-the-scenes tour—rolled into one. When readers Google your name, your website should be the first thing they see, not your old Facebook page or a random Goodreads review.

For self-published author websites, the stakes couldn’t be higher. You aren’t just selling a book—but rather, you’re building a brand. Your website is your brand store, your media center, and your direct connection to your loyal fans. It allows you to control the narrative—not just of your stories, but of how you’re presented to the world.

If you dread the idea of setting up a site, there is no need to panic. Learning how to make an author website has never been easier than it is now. You won’t need to write a single line of code or hire a designer; you just need to be pointed in the right direction and have a good platform.

That’s where choosing the best website builder for authors makes all the difference. Whether you prefer drag-and-drop simplicity or want full customization, the tools available now are affordable, user-friendly, and designed with creators in mind. In short, if you want to grow your audience, build trust, and actually sell books, author websites aren’t optional. They are essential.

How to Make an Author Website Step-by-Step?

Now let’s figure out how to make an author website. Let’s walk through the process step-by-step.

Step 1: Set Your Goals

Before thinking of colors, fonts, or fancy bells and whistles, take a step back and breathe. Start with one question: What is the reasoning for creating this site?

Are you creating the site to market your first novel? Perhaps to build an email list? Maybe you are selling signed books or exclusive stories? For many self-published author websites, the goal is all of the above. When you’re clear on your purpose, it becomes much easier to make design and content decisions later on.

Step 2: Pick a Memorable Domain Name

Your domain is like your online home address. So, it should be clean, easy to remember, and your author name, if possible. Avoid being too clever or obscure. Probably, you want fans to be able to type it easily and find you quickly.

Step 3: Choose the Best Website Builder for Authors

Here’s where things can feel tricky, but don’t panic. You don’t have to be a web designer or know what HTML stands for. There are tons of tools made specifically for creatives. The best website builder for authors depends on your needs.

• WordPress offers a lot of flexibility and is great for blogging.
• Squarespace offers modern templates and e-commerce features.
• Wix is sponsored drag-and-drop style and very simple for beginners.
  

Whichever platform you choose, make sure it reaches your goals, and you’ll not have to hire a full-time developer to fix or manage it.

Step 4: Start Building

After you have completed your platform, begin to input content. Don’t be concerned with the “absolute perfection” on day one. A plain, clear, and simple author website will always beat an overly designed and cluttered author website.

Remember, how to make an author website isn’t about creating a masterpiece overnight. It is about creating a digital home that will grow as you grow, along with your writing career.

Create an Author Website That Reflects Your Brand

Using the tools you selected, it is now time to create an author website that truly represents you. This is not merely a placeholder online; this will digitally be the most “home” for your story. Your webspace should have personality, clarity, and purpose, just like your writing.

Design Principles for a Simple Author Website

An author website doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the less complicated, the better. Your readers aren’t looking for all the special effects. They’re looking for something special. Your readers require clean, simple, unobstructed, well-organized, easy-to-read navigation.

Focus on these areas:

• Use appropriate fonts and colors that do not strain the eyes.
• Keep everything on the neutral or calm color side.
• Ensure that your site loads quickly.
• Mind visuals, images (book covers, author headshots, or behind-the-scenes photographs).

When your goal is to create an author website, consider limiting distractions. Ensure the homepage highlights your latest work, any upcoming events, and blog posts that you are posting. Think of the homepage as the cover of a book; it needs to prompt readers’ imagination once they arrive on your page.

Essential Pages to Include When You Build an Author Website

Curious how to build an author website that covers all the aspects? There are the basic pages for your website:

• Homepage—an overview of you and your writing.
• About the Author—information about who you are and what you write.
• Books/Shop—your published works, links to retailers, or where to buy your book directly.
• Blog or News—writing updates, writing advice, or behind-the-scenes content.
• Contact Page—will often be a form or email so fans and media (especially) can get in contact with you.
• Media Kit/Press (optional)—Best suited to already established authors with a PR agenda.

These pages guide readers into your universe. The even better news is that you do not need to overthink it. A simple author website that covers all the boxes will already see you ahead of the vast majority of authors already on the web.

Choose the Right Author Website Builder

The tool you choose is important. A reliable author website builder will save you time, minimize tech headaches, and allow you to expand when your writing career expands. Look for drag-and-drop editors, customizable templates, and integrations for newsletters or payment processors.

In other words, create an author website that is simply user-friendly to both you and your readers. And keep in mind: it’s not so much about perfection; it’s all about connection.

Create Author Website Content That Attracts Readers

Now your site is live. What is next? If your goal is to have people keep coming back, content is your secret weapon.

Blog Topics That Are Effective for Authors

You don’t have to blog once a week or write long papers. However, sharing behind-the-scenes ideas and tastes of your writing life can add real connection. People aren’t just buying your books; they’re buying you.

Here are some tried and true content ideas:

• Updating your readers. Tell your readers about your newest updates for the upcoming release.
• Book previews. Share a short scene or chapter from the book.
• Behind the scenes. Tell about your inspiration, your writing routine, or a funny story about the messiest first draft you’ve ever written.
• Fan features. Share readers’ reviews, readers’ fan art, or post a Q & A with a reader.
• Lists and recommendations. Post book lists, writing tools, or your favorite playlists that you love that your audience might too.

The wonderful thing about blogging on your author website? It provides your readers with a reason to return and share your website with their friends, and it can be super helpful for your SEO.

Use Visuals and Multimedia

Today’s online world is visual-first. Those blocks of text are out, and snackable, eye-grabbing content is cool again.

You can add to your posts with:

• Images of your workspace or book cover mock-ups.
• Quote graphics (a tool like Canva makes these easy).
• Short videos: book trailers, reels for IG, or just something casual.
• Audio: snippets of you reading your stuff or interviews you’ve done.

All of these extras don’t just beautify your site; they make it stick. They keep readers around longer and make your brand more memorable.

Write for Your Ideal Reader

Lastly, always remember your reader. Who are they? What are they looking for once they land on your website? Whether you write romance, sci-fi, horror, or nonfiction—craft your tone, visuals, and topics to match the potential reader’s expectations.

When you create an author website, don’t just think like a writer. Think like your readers. What would they like to see?

How to Build an Author Website That Sells?

You’ve got a solid site. Great design, strong content, growing traffic. But here’s the million-dollar question: how do you actually make money from your author website? Whether you’re a full-time indie or just dipping your toes into publishing, your site can be more than a digital portfolio. It can be a sales machine—when built with the right features.

Integrate E-Commerce Tools

One of the smartest things you can do is enable direct sales. Why send readers to a third-party retailer when you can sell to readers directly from your website and make more of the profit?

Now, at a minimum, you will need:

• A simple store page that contains your book thumbnails, descriptions, and buy buttons.
• A payment gateway (payment processor) like PayPal, Stripe, or your site builder’s native checkout.
• Distribution tools (like BookFunnel or SendOwl) for delivering digital files.

If you’ve been wondering how to build an author website that pays for itself, e-commerce is your answer.

Offer More Than Just Books

You’re more than just a writer. You’re a creator. Your audience wants more of you.

Use your website to sell:

• Signed or limited copies.
• Merch (mugs, bookmarks, T-shirts).
• Writing critiques or coaching packages.
• Personalized stories or poems.
• Access to membership-based (like Patreon) content.

These offerings transform your website into a creative storefront— a place to not only buy books but also a place to support you as a creator.

Guide Visitors With CTAs

Don’t just sit back and hope that people will buy; encourage it. Place effective calls to action (CTAs) on every page.

• “Buy Now” on all of your book pages.
• “Join the Newsletter” at the end of all blog posts.
• “Read a Free Chapter” on the homepage.

Every section of your author website should gently push them toward something of value, whether that’s a purchase, a subscription, or simply a click.

Learning how to make an author website that sells means your thinking goes beyond just design. It means creating a systematic process that will work for you while you are offline as an author.

Using Scrile Connect to Build Your Author Website

If you’re serious about writing as a business—not just a passion project—you’ll need a platform that works as hard as you do. And that’s where Scrile Connect comes in. It’s a monetization powerhouse that is built specifically for creators, including authors like you.

What Is Scrile Connect?

Scrile Connect is a fully hosted platform designed for content creators to launch their own branded websites with built-in tools for:

• Selling digital content (like books and merch).
• Creating paid subscriptions.
• Interacting directly with fans.
• Sharing text posts, updates, and exclusive content.
  

It’s perfect for authors who want to go beyond a basic brochure site. Think of it as an all-in-one author platform where you don’t need five different tools to do five different things. Scrile brings them all together under one clean interface.

Why Scrile Connect Is Ideal for Authors?

If you’re wondering whether Scrile Connect is a good fit for your author site, here’s what sets it apart from your typical author website builder:

• Sell your books directly, with zero commissions to third-party platforms.
• Offer custom stories or fan-requested work.
• Share serialized writing and updates, so your readership is dependent on your next piece.
• Monetize your audience as a single purchase or as ongoing subscriptions.
• Get started very quickly—no coding/technical setup, just plug-and-play.

Try Scrile Connect now and take full control of your author platform.

FAQ

How do I create my own author website?

It has never been easier to launch your own author website. The first step is to choose your domain name, preferably your actual name or pen name, so that readers can find you easily. The next step is to choose a website builder—again, something that meets your needs. WordPress and Wix are the most common website builders, but if you want something geared towards authors that has built-in tools to sell books, build a readership, or promote news and updates, it’s best to go with a customizable platform.

How much does it cost to create an author website?

The author website cost could be about free or several thousands of dollars; there are many variables, and it all depends on how hands-on you want to be with the design process.

At its most basic, all you need is to purchase a domain name; this typically ranges from $10 to $20 per year or at a minimum of $20. If you are using a DIY website builder, such as Wix, Weebly, or Squarespace, then your hosting fees or other features will typically run $12-30 each month. Hiring a design service will typically cost you $1,000-$5,000, depending on complexity.

What should be in an author’s website?

An effective author website will include all of the basic parts needed along with stylish information that reflects you. You would want to have a nice and clean homepage that illustrates who you are and the types of books you write. You’ll want to have an “About the Author” page, including your bio and a nice photo of yourself, a great way for readers to build a connection to you.

Your books page is the primary core of your site. It should contain eye-catching book covers, the blurbs for the books, release dates, reviews, and links to buy the books, even if you link to Amazon or sell the book directly.

Additionally, you should include a contact page, a newsletter signup to start building an email list, and a blog or updates page if you want to include snippets of news or behind-the-scenes writing. Lastly, simple and clear navigation will provide all the necessities that a stable user experience requires.

Final Thoughts: How to Make an Author Website in 2025?

To sum up, in today’s world, knowing how to make an author website isn’t a nice-to-have skill—it’s essential. Your website is your home base. This is where your readers will find you and connect with you. All the choices you’ll make to create an author website should resonate with your voice and help grow your community.

Whether you are going to use a traditional author website builder like WordPress or a complete website-as-a-service tool like Scrile Connect, you have more options to build your brand how you want.

If you’re looking for a no-fuss, feature-rich solution tailored to authors and content creators, Scrile Connect is ready when you are. Whether you’re writing fantasy, nonfiction, or spicy serials, it’s the best way to take control of your creative business and start earning on your own terms.

Contact us to learn more about our ready-made solution for building successful custom author websites.