What to put on your
writer's website

It depends on whether you are published, or not yet published. If you are published your main audience will be your readers. If you're not published, your main audience will be agents and publishers who you're looking to attract. So your website or blog will be pitched slightly differently, depending.

If you ARE published ...

You might have:

	A printable page with all your books listed, including ISBN numbers. If readers read a book and like the author the next step is to see what else she has written. Why not make it easy on her. The reader can print this out and bring it to her local bookshop.
	A page with links to your books on Amazon or other online retailers. Why not sign up as an affiliate with these companies too - so you'll get commission on the sale as well as your royalties.
	'Contact Me' - you can have this on its own page, or on your home page to make it easy. I recommend having a contact form rather than just writing down your e-mail address as that will attract spam.
	Also on your home page, your most recent book with an image of its cover, linking directly to more information about the book.
	A webpage featuring your books.
	Awards and cometitions you've won
	Reviews you've got. you can incude these under the relevant book if you want. Just, if you have a lot of books and a lot of reviews, break it up. Either have each book on its own page, or all the reviews together, linked from the books page.
	'About Me' - a mini-bio. Readers love to know more about their favourite authors. Obviously don't put anything you don't want to tell the world.
	(Optional) A newsletter sign-up - it's a great way of keeping in touch with readers and engendering reader loyalty

If you are NOT YET published ...

	Home Page - A brief welcome to your website, and suggestions of the different things they can see on your website.
	Sample Writing. Obviously you'll be sending off your synopses and 3-chapters. This is just to show interested agents and publishers more of your style and range.
	Awards and competitions you've won - very important for not-yet published authors. It's a good idea to enter competitions - and here's where you reap the benefit of those you've won or in which you've done well.
	Contact Me - you can have this on its own page, or on your home page to make it easy. I recommend having a contact form rather than just writing down your e-mail address as that will attract spam.
	About Me - a mini-bio. Not quite a CV, not quite not. Put a little bit about yourself, and anything relevant to your writing career. Mention your professional qualifications briefly if they're not relevant, and in somewhat more detail if they are (e.g. if you're a doctor writing a medical drama). Obviously don't put anything you don't want to tell the world.