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Once on the web, always on the web. Used to be true about putting things in writing, too - before shredders.

Beliefs, political and otherwise, seem to change with the way life is treating you. SO I would have to agree, be careful - the whims of youth are often the regrets of maturity.

I know first hand. I should have NEVER dated that pro footbal player.

Foaming at the mouth is always a dangerous thing, because it looks like you're trolling for someone to bite, and may not be too discerning about your victim. Ranters make me nervous.

On the other hand, people who believe the opposite of me without the angst don't pose any problems. We'll probably get along just fine.

I doubt Mel Gibson (an extreme example, but a good one) would have an easy time finding an agent these days. The Dixie Chicks and Ted Nugent both cut way into their fan base with political ranting. If you are just starting out, I doubt you could get away with it at all. Whatever you think, 50% of the country disagrees with you. Add in the fact that you are unlikely to change anyone's opinion and it doesn't seem worth it.

I believe political or religious or any other type of ranting on a writer's blog speaks to their professionalism...or lack there of. If a writer feels the need to post their tirades, they should do it on a separate site.

"they might not like the fact that you’re ranting."

This is it.

I've avoided publishing professionals for this. I believe people deserve respect by virtue of being born human. An author or aspiring author deserves, additionally, professional courtesy. So, if they're ranting like this in general disrespect of other humans' opinions and culture, it makes me believe I will receive little respect either. I don't want to be published bad enough to put up with being treated like crap. And I don't have to. Most people are nice enough.

Heck, I've gone to certain author's websites and found them to be narccissistic (sp?) and self-congratulatory to the point where I've never had a desire to read any of their subsequent books.

So, yeah, I'd probably do the same if they were into political rants on the left OR right. Who wants THAT voice in your head while you're trying to enjoy a book? There's plenty of other authors to read.

There is a writer whom I respect a lot - gives great advice to aspiring writers, seems to be a very good person in general and is a talented writer. However, lately via some posts on her blog, I've discovered that we could not be more opposite as far as our political leanings. And I admit that it has affected how I feel about her. Part of this is because her beliefs are very extreme to one side of the political spectrum, and I don't react well to anyone who can't manage to at least try to understand that there's a middle ground. But I confess that I'm less likely to go to her website any more. I just don't need the increase in blood pressure.

I can name 2 blogging agents who posted their political leanings in the last election cycle and I was dumbfounded at what I perceived as a lack of judgment and intelligence in their logic and reasoning.

So I would never trust them to represent me professionally and won't submit to them.

Is this good or bad?

If it's merely a difference in beliefs, that should not preclude a business arrangement, which is the basis of author-writer contract. If one side of the duo rants, life is too harrying already to be bothered with it. Unless, as in the Mel Gibson suggestion, there's a great deal of money involved. Then the agent or her organization would have to decide how much they would swallow for how many dollars. And I don't doubt Mel can be as sweet as his name if he wishes.

Expressing one's opinion is simply not the same as ranting. My composition students are taught analytical skills, not just given topics to argue, for I want them to think, not just open their mouths and argue a thesis.

I assume my agent and publisher will need to agree, at least in general, with the leanings of my works, but outside the literature itself, my views don't really pertain. Because my blog is viewed by vast groups of people, I need to remember it's not a place to air dirty laundry, insult or disrespect others, use profanity, or be unprofessional.

Interesting post. I agree with Eleven Eleven.

I come across hate on a lot of blogs.

"I hate this. I hate that."

It's hard to read, and it closes the author off from a lot of people. Yes, give your opinions - but don't rant about them. Rant easily turns into hate, and hatred runs deep.

I've been reading your blog for a while now but this is my first comment/question. I completely understand the aversion to political "ranting," and share it. How about writers who have spent part of their careers as advocates writing about hot-button issues? A google search would quickly pull up plenty of political writing, but does it make a difference if it is professionally written, well-researched, and pursuasive without being "ranting"? I suppose each agent/editor/reader draws her/his own line but I do hope a distinction is made between uninformed political spewing and more thoughtful writing.

I would take this even further and mention the need to avoid political ranting on Facebook or strong stands on one side or the other of the political spectrum in any public forum. There are a couple of authors I've read for years who made some terribly opinionated comments over the past year and I find myself bypassing their books in the stores, now. It's almost a subliminal thing, because I didn't realize until I quit reading them exactly WHY I no longer felt interested.

We all have opinions, but there is a time and a place for everything.

On the flip side, I generally notice when an agent or editor expresses a tendency towards the left or right and it does affect whether or not I would want to submit work to them.

As an editor, I try not to let it affect what I accept. I've run into authors we've published who went on political facebook rants. Since a short story is not a commitment, I simply 'hid' them and moved on.

I think it's fine for authors, editors and agents to have solid and firm opinions, as long as they're willing to live with the consequences. If you're not willing to live with the consequences, then why bother speaking out at all.

Just do it well.

Ranting and going off into ridiculous tirades is bad on all levels, including politics. When you're posting or writing anything on the web you have to be responsible.

But I do tend to think it would be rather difficult for an agent/author relationship to work well if they are on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

That one's beliefs could turn an agent off makes sense, given how often you mention needing to be passionate about a project in order to take it on and try to sell it. I can't see that type of passion manifesting if the agent really disagrees with the author's viewpoints, especially if they're tied into the project and not just on a website. Of course, reading the website could also color the agent's opinion of the project, even if the project doesn't reflect the author's viewpoints on whatever issue is at stake. This happens to readers all the time; look at all the people who boycott Orson Scott Card because of his views on certain issues, even if those views aren't addressed in ENDER'S GAME. Agents can't be expected to be any different from readers in that respect.

It also demonstrates how the author is likely to conduct him/herself. Would any agent want to take on a belligerent client (especially if that client isn't an established money-maker)?

A lot of people forget that "anonymity" on the Internet extends only as far as the next mouse click. If you've said it, someone can find it.

When I was about seven, and complaining because some girls at school had written a nasty note about me, my mother told me to remember that feeling as I grew up, and also to remember that I never had to put anything in writing, but once I did it was permanent and I could never take it back. Maybe not so true when it comes to schoolgirls' notes, but scarily prophetic in terms of Internet speech.

Hm, wish I could find the article from a few months ago about openly gay editors who edit the work of openly anti-gay political figures. It was an interesting quandary.

I agree with others that the line is generally drawn between rant vs. intelligent discussion. Spouting opinions into the air is different from giving a thorough defense of a situation you are passionate about. But authors, agents, and editors who do so have to be willing to take the consequences, which could be losing readers or writers.

I've yet to come across this exact situation, but I have certainly turned down manuscripts because of their political content. Some were clearly Not Right For Me (manifesto on the secret feminist conspiracy to castrate all men? nothx) but others are more subtle. There was one where I felt some of the secondary characters were racist stereotypes. Stereotypes, of course, are a marker of bad writing anyway, so the racist part just made it worse. But with that work, it wasn't until I talked with the author and they said they didn't see a problem with it and didn't want to change it that I decided we were clearly not a good match.

That is why I would be hesitant to take on anyone whose beliefs run strongly counter to the beliefs I hold dearest in my core. Likely that author's beliefs would eventually leak into one of their manuscripts and I might find myself in the position of trying to sell a book that I think doesn't belong on bookshelves.

Beliefs I feel that strongly about are few, though, and in the example above, the unwillingness to edit went hand-in-hand with racism so I didn't need to choose between professional and personal. But I would have chosen personal. I guess that's what any manuscript comes down to. "Other agents might want it, but I don't."

I have a feeling I'd like that old boss of yours Jessica.

I have a feeling I'd like that old boss of yours Jessica.

An agent/client relationship has to be first and foremost a "relationship". Which means ideally the two of you are people who would get along well in real life.

For example, if I am a gay agent, and I see that you openly support politicians who are proponents of legislation that I feel is designed to infringe upon my civil rights as a gay human being (ie, DADT, California's Prop 8) , it's a foregone conclusion that I won't want to be your agent.

Everything you write on your blog is something that an agent can and will look at to determine whether or not he or she will be a good fit with you.

And most agents will do this before they ever make that phone call to you.

I am *not advocating* lying about who you are, what you believe in or censoring yourself online. But this is something to consider as you go forward in the querying process.

I would assume being a d-bag in either direction wouldn't generally work in an aspiring author's favor *shifty eyes*.

Amy B -

As an agent, editor or writer, you have the choice as to whether or not to work with someone whose political/religious/personal beliefs are very different than yours or are indeed offensive to you.

But there are a lot of publishing professionals who don't have this luxury. I know several very liberal/left-leaning publicists who were forced to work with notorious right-wing writers because they had no choice. They were total professionals about the whole thing but that did not mean they had to like it. I once had to work on Catholic book by a writer who complained to the head of the publishing company about having a "dyke" publicist. Note: I never mentioned my sexuality to this writer. He made assumptions based upon my dress and hairstyle. I was harassed by this man throughout the entirely of the time I worked on his book, yet I managed to keep my mouth shut and behave like a professional during the publicity campaign. I simply had no choice.

But several years later, I turned down a job at a publishing company where I knew that one of the authors whose campaigns I would be working on was a well-known right-wing television hate-monger. When HR asked why i was turning down the position, I told them the truth.

(Sorry for all the typos in the previous comment!)

Honestly, I think if an agent/writer's site is professional, I shouldn't know their political beliefs. It has no bearing on the business unless you're publishing politically-based writing.

Excellent post. I agree that if it is a well-written and rational argument or statement, then it is acceptable. After all, we have every right to practice freedom of press and speech. I have not hidden my personal or political opinions in my blog and tweets, but I do try to avoid actual rants. I am, however, full of opinions, and I do believe in using the skills I have to promote ideas and causes I believe and support. I have wondered, as an aspiring kidlit/YA writer, if that would be a problem during the submission and querying process. However, I really would not want to work with someone who considered it a problem, so the filter-effect is probably a good thing :)
@clindsay: I admire your strength and conviction in standing up for your beliefs. And your patience for knowing when to choose professionalism over personal issues, though I think harassment of any kind is reason enough not to work with someone. It seems that is the key for balance- knowing when to speak up and when to stay silent :)

I have had the benefit of working with people (truly) representing every demographic from yellow dog democrat to republican, from athiest to Wiccan to conservative Christian, from every ethnicity, income level, age and orientation. Working relationships thrive on unique skillsets and personalities, which I why I value a complimentary personality over my own. Experience and belief informs perspective, and I know my own perfectly well.

Having said that, I do not write in an argument-based niche, so the moment personality, personal belief, negative opinions (via rant as opposed to misinterpretation), and tubthumps begin to overshadow the writing itself those differences, thereby inhibiting the actual goal of creating a successful novel and career, then it is no longer a productive partnership. Professionalism is the operative word. What or who is doing the talking...the writing, the writer, the agent? I suspect it is somewhat different with editors and agents, but I think the premise remains the same.

"Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I experienced just the opposite situation after submitting a contest entry to an agent who was running an online contest. The first prize was representation with her agency.

I came across her ultra-right-wing, racist rantings on her private blog during the last presidential election. There was no way I could work with that kind of person, so I withdrew my entry.

I fall in with the "it's how you present your ideas" feeling here. As Colleen points out, some of our beliefs are fundamental outgrowths of who we are and what we hold most dear. To pretend that doesn't matter or exist is silly. My mother, later in life, has married a man with totally different political beliefs than "the family" has always had. But he's so good as discussing his ideas that I love talking with him. During the last divisive Presidential campaign, I would ask him to explain the other camp's thinking. We have a terrific relationship that I truly enjoy.

Ms Trite says, he who speaks the loudest has a deaf audience.

He who whispers is heard by all.

She who is silent...someone put ducktape over her mouth.

I know...it's duct tape.

duh !

Well, I'm sorry if this is inflammatory, it's not meant to be. But the lack of ethical oversight into the entire publishing industry bothers me.

Refusing to work with someone based on their political views - isn't that illegal?

I realize it happens all the time, but people hide it. For a professional to come right out and way they won't work with someone who leans one way or another is discriminatory. Isn't it?

(Jessica - I'm not pointing fingers at you. I hear this all the time on the web, so I'm glad we can discuss it.)

If it's not, it should be. This goes both ways. For someone to complain about working with a 'dyke' editor is called harrassment, and is completely inappropriate. If the 'boss' complied with that request, the editor could have an actionable suit.

It seems to me the publishing industry can actively discriminate against anyone on the basis of gender, race, sexuality, religious affiliation and political views, amoung other distinctions, with absolutely no fear of consequences.

Isn't that wrong?

I figure it this way: You can't isolate separate identities anymore. Anything you do will affect your overall "brand."

I don't think it does anyone any good to hide things or to be cowardly in anything you do. (For goodness sakes don't be bland!)

Perhaps if you were writing fiction that had a strong political bias, it might be reasonable for that to be a part of your overall web persona. But you have to think hard on anything you do online.

Bad editing strikes again.

"...which I why I value a complimentary personality over a likeminded one."

Mira:

(and anyone else who questions the legality of working with someone because of political beliefs)

let me point you toward Lewis Maltby's book Can They Do That? I think this will answer a lot of the questions you pose. http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781591842828,00.html?Can_They_Do_That?_Lewis_Maltby

Also keep in mind that, as others have said, an agent is taking you on to help build your career and create "you" the brand. If the agent feels that you are potentially compromising your brand the decision isn't necessarily a political one.

As for your statement, "It seems to me the publishing industry can actively discriminate against anyone on the basis of gender, race, sexuality, religious affiliation and political views, amoung other distinctions, with absolutely no fear of consequences."

I don't agree. I think accusing the publishing industry of racism, etc is incredibly different from "rantings" which is what this post is about.

--jhf

Jessica,

Thank you for the link! I'll check that book out, because I do wonder about the difference between an employee and a client, in terms of the legalities.

And I do think the spirit of your post is much more about how 'ranting' on the web can push people away - both prospective publishers or readers. However, you mentioned an editor who refused to consider a project because it doesn't align with his political beliefs. That's more to the point of my concern. Something that has bothered me for awhile, and the time just felt right to bring it up.

But first, I really hope you didn't feel I was accusing YOU of discrimination. That was not something I was saying in any way, shape or form.

My statement was more generic. I was also not saying the Industry IS disciminating, I was expressing a concern that it CAN. Or individuals within it can, specifically against writers. Employees have their protections, although they may not always feel safe enough to pursue them. But let's say, for example, an editor decides only to publish men - could they do that? Seems to me the subjectivity of the industry can allow for that type of discrimination to hide. In addition - and this is the part that really bothers me - there are no sanctions in place, and little recourse. The code of ethics for agents doesn't include discrimination, and I don't even see a code of ethics for publishers.

I hope this isn't coming across as hostile, because I absolutely don't feel that way. I'm just opening the door for a conversation about this. I also acknowledge that it's a bit of a can of worms, because of the subjectivity of the industry, but I think it's still a topic worth exploring.

Thanks for the opportunity to do that.

Oh, I want to add one thing.

The impact the Publishing Industry has on the world is HUGE. It's a small industry, so that fact can be hidden, but what books are published, and what books are not published, has a powerful influence over the world. In addition, the publishing industry feeds other industries, like movies and television, which have an even more powerful impact.

Ethical concerns regarding the publishing industry are a really big deal. Even though, it may seem, at first glance, that they aren't - They are.

I love a web design that's beautiful and mysterious. However, content is what will keep me coming back--blog posts, articles on writing, their story about how they started writing, got published, etc. And I love when they include a photo album--I guess it's because I'm a visual person.

Most importantly to me, is what isn't there. I hate a busy site.

Personality. I want to get to know more about them as a person, and what works for them both when they write and in life. But not too much personal info or -- and this is where writers sometimes get it wrong -- anything too boring.

Design always matters. We need white space in between text, we need short paragraphs that are easy to read online, we need a photo of you so we can picture the person we're reading about. I associate good design with professionalism.

I love blogs. The authors I return to regularly are the ones with a distinct online personality that I can connect with. I read mostly YA. YA authors are pretty good at this.

This is such a great new feature of the reading world where you're not just reading books but you get the stories behind the books and you get to follow authors on their journey toward the next book you will fall in love with. As a kid I would have loved to track the daily goings on of R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike. I would have loved to get my hands on countdown widgets, book contests, and playlists the author listened to while writing their book.

On the flip side, one thing that will turn me off is if they have a blog and website and it's all about selling, in content and design. Constant ads for their events and books and nothing else. Chances are I'm already sold on the book if I'm coming to an author's blog, so this is not the content I'm looking for. When I say I want personal information, I'm not talking about details of their personal lives, I'm talking about connecting with me on a personal level. What inspires the author? What books/music/websites are the into? What has the writing journey been like for them?

I also love the authors who are involved in community projects and get their readers involved too.

This is a tall order for authors. I think if they can't deliver with an honest voice, consistant updating, a non-salesman platform, then they should not blog. Design is the same way. The book's website should do the selling, the blog should connect with readers. Those readers are already buying the books. I like when the design ties into the author's personality/subject matter but doesn't beat me over the head with book tie ins.

Instead of describing what I like to see in an author's online presence, I'll just say that I think Maureen Johnson and Laurie Halse Anderson do it perfectly. They have two very different styles but both of them are engaging and open. They have a good mix of talking about their books and many other topics.

Years ago when in one night I devoured a book of short stories written by a very...very...famous writer the last few pages were devoted to explaining the impetus of each story. I will not name the author because frankly, I do not like the author's wedsite, to commercial. But because of the author's history I stay connected.

Anyway, what I love is learning the 'backstory' to stories and people's lives. It makes me feel as if I am inside their lives, just a little, and privy to how the miracle of writing moves us.

So...websiter, blogger, agents and sellers of books...let us know the depth of your personal process. I'll pick-up, purchase and read a book and even if I don't like the book, will finish it, if I have that connection to the writer.

This blog for instance, presents a wealth of information and personal agenda, by all. It informs me, and supports what I do even though no one knows who I am.

AH...the mystery of a writer's mind.

On your website 'Show' me with words, present the right visual and I lay down my green and is'nt that what this is all about.

"What about an author’s Internet presence grabs your attention and impresses you...?"

Love it when they tweet not only about their books, but about a myriad of other things. Also, when they tweet back to you. In other words, I like people who are down to earth, not too impressed with themselves, and enjoy communicating with other writers. No one likes an author (or anyone) who is all about, "Me, me, me!"

And, my background is marketing and design, so I'm very much influenced by the design of the website, book covers, etc.

On Twitter and Facebook, it's important for authors to do more than merely self-promote. It's not that the promotion is inappropriate, but if that's all an author does with social media, she comes across as tin-eared and self-important.

Authors who do a great job with social media include (just rattling off a few here) Hank Phillippi Ryan, Bill Cameron, Duayne Swierczynski, Jeff Somers, Courtney Summers, and Patrick Lee.

Hmmm, very interesting questions you've posed Jessica.

If I've read through an entire book and loved it then I will search out the author's website, or social networking profile. Most of the authors I "follow" or respond to via Facebook or Twitter are those whose work inspired me in some way.

Writing a great book isn't just about the words and the way in which they are arranged. They are about creating something meaningful. Those authors who I've felt were successful in that are the ones who also take the time to communicate with their readers.

So, in my opinion, an author's website should reflect their style of writing and their creative personality. For instance, if an author writes primarily fantasy then I would expect to see a corresponding design element. Perhaps an elegant looking font and posts that are a combination of the author's insights and interesting tidbits.

Social media presence is a tightrope. I want a professional looking website that gives me information and resources (the same goes for agents, by the way). For a blog I want a personality but not too much personality. For twitter, I actually want more relevant information than a blog, or at least an interaction that's entertaining.

I follow George Martin's livejournal, but enjoy only 50% of it. I don't mind the football posts. I love the HBO related stuff. But when he starts making excuses for delays in his next book or complaining about how people are mean to him on the internet, I lose interest both in the journal and his pending work.

I used to follow Tad Williams' forum, but his infrequent posting meant it was just a bunch of fans and the topics got repetitive.

I tried following Tad's wife on twitter, but the deluge of tweets that followed made me unfollow just so I could keep up with the other people I follow.

I follow Lois McMaster Bujold on Facebook, but her main posts are on MySpace and who the hell still uses MySpace? And she's an infrequent poster too.

I always forget Diana Gaboldon has a blog because it used to be on compuserve and I think it might have moved to blogger but I don't remember because it was on compuserve so I never bothered looking.

Agents seem to have mastered social media much more than the authors I enjoy reading. Now if agents could just figure out how to make a good website. (I like Book Ends. If you could teach some of your colleagues how to do it, I would appreciate it.)

I like fun and informative. I keep up with maybe a dozen or so blogs. Agents, authors, random funny stuff...

If I read an agents blog it's because I think I'd want the agent to rep me. I'm nosy. I want to know what they're reading, what they're liking from the slush pile. And please, please, please, indulge me with industry info. It makes me feel smart.

I read an author's blog if I really like their books. I want inside scoop on charaters I like. I want snippets of real live, but don't ruin the fantasy. I've since been turned off an entire books series because of an author's blog. The character's voice was never so annoying until I read it over and over again in an author's blog, every freaking boring detail in huge sprawling paragraphs... So, yeah, I don't like that.

I must say that I think this has been one of the best and most useful discussions to come out of this website so far.

I think it is CRITICAL for a writer to maintain a constant web presence and must continually seek to engage the public. Unless you are an A-lister, the publisher will do anything meaningful for you. You have to do it all yourself

Having said that, I must be the first to admit, I have not been keeping up my end. I have an author's website where I run stuff about my novel. In the last six months I've started getting articles in a local glossy magazine and that has driven some traffic to my site.

But I do not have a blog and I should. There is another author who writes on the same topic that I'm becoming friendly with. He keeps a constant flow of stuff on his site. and I get the feeling he's getting traffic and selling books that way.

My publisher seems to consider my book a dead property, yet won't do anything to sell off the several thousand hardbacks of mine it's keeping boxed up in a warehouse.

I guess I need to start a blog addressing all the incidental things that make up my day to day stoopid life.

I am a collossal ego maniac, but beyond a certain point I don't like writing about myself and though my life has been quite colorful and adventurous, I have no intention of writng a memoir.

Guess I need to change my 'umble Hattitude

When stalking agents, I loved seeing (via twitter) that they had a lot more to their job than just staring at my query and imagining me suffering while I waited for a reply. Agents became people...forgiveable.

For authors, I always go to the website. I remember being blown away a few years ago by Julie Garwood's. It just made her more of a rock star to me, but I would have read every word anyway.

If an author has a lack-luster website, she loses a little respect, honestly.

Editors are mostly mysterious creatures that hide from us. I'm glad I now have someone with a deer-tag....

I'm up for just about anything, but what doesn't work for me is when the author continues talking about the subject of their latest book, ad infinitum, in every post, tweet and status update. Especially after I've read the book. I want to feel some evolution to their thinking or it all begins to feel like one long advertisement.

I don't read many author blogs (I do like Jennifer Weiner's fairly infrequent blog), but I will click on an author's website to learn about them after reading a book I liked. The trend now seems to be minimalism--just a very short bio that tells you nothing about the author, info about signings and so on. I like to know where the author grew up, why they wrote the novel, etc. ....I liked Kathryn Stockett's website (author of THE HELP) because it gave me insight into why she wrote the novel and how she researched the period details etc etc.

There's only one time I've ever looked up an author's website. I'll look up wiki pages before that. On that particular site, I loved the interviews because the author has a really great sense of humor and cracks me up.

The websites I like the most are entertaining. I like J.K. Rowling's website the best of all I've seen so far.

It's an extension of her books. There are secret messages, hidden rooms, games to play. (Yes, I am an adult. You might be wondering at this point.) AND - if you win a game, you get to see a copy of a first draft of a page (enlightening. She writes terrible first drafts. That made me feel MUCH better.)

Anyway, the point is, the website is fun, and an extension of her books. There's some personal information, but most of what she posts is further information about the universe she created.

This is marketing at it's best.

Social networking is such a tricky thing. It seems like a tool that can easily backfire, and I wonder if it's effective. Is there any hard data?

Seems like it would be a good idea to collect some statistics on whether social networking works or not. Sometimes something that looks like it would work - common sense stuff - turns out to be off track. Thinks are weird that way.

So, before authors pour a bunch of time and energy into something that's not writing, it would be good to get some hard data on whether it really works - whether it really results in increased book sales.

Lol. Can you tell I just took a class on conducting research? :)

Anyway, I imagine that's part of your intention with this post, Jessica - to explore the issue. Which I think is really cool.

Everything in moderation. I think a balance of personality, writing advice, market information, and so forth is what I'm attracted to. Too much of one thing gets old quickly. I like a simple blog design. The content is what should do the talking.

Marissa

Oh. I thought of a design study.

Okay, you would need a bunch of data from the publisher.

Randomly select a group from a group of authors that social network. Measure their sales at a point prior to social networking and a point post social networking.

Then control with a bunch of authors who don't social network, and measure their sales at the same two points in time.

Do some statistical mumbo jumo, and compare the two groups.

Presto. Data. That would be interesting.

Something I saw recently and thought "Hey, that's a good idea." Chloe Neil (I might have spelled this incorrectly) has a widget on her webpage that shows the title of her current WIP and the percentage done. i.e. Book 4 of the XXX series, 600 pages of 60k, 1% complete. It seemed like a really easy way to let your readers cheer you on - plus the always needed push to keep writing, just so you won't embarrass yourself when the line isn't moving.

Oh - and I love stumbling upon excerpts, or unpub'd short stories, etc - even if they aren't the normal genre of the author.

content, content, content.

as for what type of content, i enjoy reading about their lives (not just their writing life), their interests, the things in life that are important to them.

if i enjoy a book enough to seek out the writer online i'm looking to see what kind of person he or she is.

there's a fine line for me between an author's web site as a sales tool and an information point. i don't want a hard sell and i really don't want much of a sales job on the site at all. if i read about you and come to like you as a person, i'm much more likely to buy your books now and in the future.

...

The authors whose blogs I follow post frequently on a variety of topics. The topics may or may not be related to what they write, but their personality and voice shine through. They mention when their new books are out, but that's not all they talk about.

The content varies. Some of them post more about the writing process or news in the writing world, others post more about their own lives or thoughts unrelated to writing. Some of them cultivate/encourage a sense of community among their commenters, others don't. Some of them interact more with their commenters than others. There's leeway.

For me, design is far less important than content. I dislike white text on a black background, but I do my blog reading through an RSS feed anyway, so it doesn''t matter much.

I thought maybe I'd share a couple of names of authors who I think do the "package" very well. Their blogs/sites promote their book but also make that "connection" piece that is so important.

Courtney Summers (someone mentioned her above, I LOVE her site and blog)
Cindy Pon
Jackson Pearce
John Scalzi
Katie Alender
Sarah Rees Brennan
Saundra Mitchell
Kiersten White

The above are all good blogs, but as far as design goes, I think that Cindy Pon, Maureen Johnson, and Scott Westerfeld do design the best. They are both professional and interesting. Not too commercial but relate to the kind of person they are and the kind of writing they do.

I'm also a fan of Cassandra Clare's website about her new Infernal Devices series. It is very commercial though, but interesting and pretty with lots of extras. I do not read her blog, however, so I can't say if it is a good representation.

I don't think we can talk about online personalities though without mentioning John Green, whose blog isn't great because it is not often updated, his website has only been recently overhauled and made to look pretty nice, but he connects to his readers in a way that I don't think any other author has been able to duplicate. He's kind of an author rock star!

If I'm at a website I'm looking for information: forthcoming or past titles, a summary of the plot(s) and maybe an excerpt (I love excerpts!), signing dates and locations, contact info (including agent and publisher(s)), and/or links to blog, twitter, FaceBook, or anywhere else the writer has an online presence.

Design matters only in that I want to be able to find that information easily (meaning not dig through 10 pages looking for the title of a book). If the design is appropriate for the books/genre/whatever that is great, like icing on a cupcake! The design should NEVER EVER EVER prohibit me from finding content because then I won't go back to that website and most likely won't be encouraged to purchase/read that author's books.

If I'm on Twitter or FaceBook, I'm looking for personality, short announcements, and maybe a bit of personal interaction. I'm looking to get to know the person who wrote the book. Not in a creepy stalker OMG-I-know-all-the-names-of-your-children-and-pets, but in a hey-this-author-is-cool-like-her-books and look-she-recommends-this-other-author-I'll-check-him-out-too way.

Content is everything. Design is a bonus. Be clear, concise, and polite. Be yourself.

Great questions, Jessica.

I agree with what many have already commented, particularly Alexis - I want to see online personality. This isn't just true for authors and whether I'll become a reader/fan, but for literary agencies, lit agents on Twitter, etc.

Laurie Halse Anderson does a great blog (one comment referenced her) and I like that she opens up occasional blogs or tweets to take Q&A from readers and writers alike. Her book "Speak" was one of the few I couldn't put down and I read all in one sitting. It's also nice to know more about the library and community activities she's doing too. It gives the audience, whether writers or readers, a chance to see what she's all about. Plus, we see who she is. She isn't the mystical Oz, she's a real human being who had to rewrite Speak 7 times before it got published. That's inspiring.

Sometimes, the online presence helps with familiarity. On a long flight years ago, I picked up one of those airline/sky magazines; there was an interview in there w/Jodi Picoult. I hadn't heard of her, but the Q&A w/her intrigued me. I went home and bought one of her books and instantly became a fan.

As far as sites, nothing too busy or that takes too long to load. 90 seconds of waiting for some graphic to look fancy isn't getting the audience the content it needs...it's just stalling time.

Great and thought provoking post, Jessica :)

Elaine

Of course design matters. The simpler the better - but that may be just me.
I want to know where a story idea came from, I want to know their writing habits. You don't have to blog everyday to have a successful blog.

Give me something NO ONE else has.
Agents and pros- I want to read advice or info that I, as an unpublished author, doesn't know.
Other authors- share about you and I'd like to just meet up, chat, and network with others sharing in the same struggles!

Design doesn't matter to me one bit. I usually get my updates through a feed, so I can't tell what the site actually looks like. Content is king!

There are two authors that have blogs that I love. Seanan McGuire and Neil Gaiman. It's good mix of book stuff, personal, and humor. I wish my blog was something like those.

The author's website's a bit like the back of the book for me. If I'm intrigued I'll delve deeper. If I'm confused I'll probably move on. I like to be able to find the writing, so too much jazzy artwork puts me off. Then I want an idea of the author's plots and style so I can see if I'm interested.

Personally, I like to be able to relative to the writer as much as possible. If she or he can share his story, his inspirations for the novel he/she is writing or has written, it makes it easier to connect. I always enjoy personal stories, pet peeves, query faux-pas or anecdotes!

Then of course, there's always design.

I recently blogged about website/blog design from a writer's perspective, in which I share my 12 years of designing experience and offer tips on how to get a good looking web presence for cheap. If you're interested:
http://blog.franciscossette.com/2010/06/tweet-your-way-to-publication-and.html

Thanks for another interesting entry :)

Design does matter- easy to read text, please. The colors might be gorgeous on a template but if I have to work to read the words then I won't read as long. It seems a simple enough thing but a lot of people don't seem to think about it.

Pretty or fun pictures are nice too but not too many, they distract from the text after a couple. I seem to be partial to landscape images.

What I do want to see- the author's personality coming through. What I don't want to see: religion or politics.

Just like when I pick up a book, when I go to a blog or website I am seeking to be entertained and to read about the writing not to find out potentially way more than I'd ever want to know about the writer's personal views on those things.

I'd like to know a little about the author's personal life if they care to share it but it's not mandatory.

I'm also put off by author (or even agency) sites that have nothing but cover after cover of books by their friends, clients and colleagues and promote them one after another- I kind of glaze over after the third cover image or so. There is such a thing as too much there too.

Ditto with too many contests. I don't want to scan through a ton of what is really advertising to get to the info I'm seeking.

Thanks for asking!

~bru

The number one thing that draws me to a new author is if s/he is real and authentic. It's not unlike what draws a reader to a character in a book.

Something about them has to resonate with me, either a universal or shared desire, a vulnerability that speaks to our common humanity, or a voice and likability that hooks me.

As a personal preference, a person who seems gracious and kind and compassionate will generally get my attention, but if it's a professional polish with no "realness," then it doesn't.

It's true that I connect with more authors via Facebook, but I still buy the most books from blogs.

Design is not that important to me, as I read everything in Google Reader. FEED is top-of-the-list important. I simply don't follow anyone who does not offer a full feed. It's not just the inconvenience. Most partial-feed authors do not title their post and draw me in with that first (and only) sentence to get me to click through. With full feeds, I scan the entire post, and the author has more time to hook me and convince me to click through. And even if I don't click through, I've read what they said.

I'm going anon on this so no one comes after me :)

Generally, I like reading personl comments by authors, about their personal lives, on social networks.

But they have to be interesting, too. I don't want to read about a visit to Aunt Nan's (I swear I recently saw this) or a trip to Superfresh to buy maxwell house. I want to read about a hot date, or the new pet monkey, or what new and exciting rare blend of coffee the author is drinking...in other words: embellish. Make it interesting.

I also hate reading political comments, one way or the other. I don't care about their politics.

And what really gets me is when an author starts harping about their health issues. Seriously. There is this one woman author on facebook this week who sounds like she's falling apart at the seams. I want to write: Just jump off cliff already. And then they get into the religious stuff, sending her prayers and hugs. It gets tired. We all have our problems.

I know this a rant, but the boring social network posts turn people off more than help promote books or authors. Think carefully. I spend a few minutes each day "hiding" certain people on facebook because they are just too damn dull to read.

I really dislike the Facebook trend of people suggesting I "like" their fan page. It strikes me as pushy.

I dislike name collectors as well. That's not good marketing, it's playing high school with who is the most popular and those numbers don't always translate to readers.

A friend of mine said that internet marketing for books has gotten to be like walking past a tree of cicadas, there's buzzing coming from so many places, it's hard for one to stand out.

That doesn't mean I'm going to stop buzzing, or even buzz louder, because that's just annoying. It means I should change the cadence of my buzzing or paint my wings a different color. *g*

Here's an exciting little secret I wouldn't be posting if I wasn't anonymous. I'm not actually looking for books to read. I have books waiting to be read piled in every room in my house. I'm swamped! And the majority of those are long out of print. I absolutely am not linking to authors through social media in the hopes they have written something else to put on my to-read list.

I am, in fact, linking to authors because I think I can learn something from them to apply to my own writing. It doesn't matter whether I've read their stuff or not. I might never, and I won't miss it. But a blog called "Five Weak Words to Watch Out For" is always going to catch my interest. It's thoroughly selfish. I'm doing nothing for the author except slightly boosting her numbers. The chances that I'll get to know her enough to buy her book are very, very small--and frankly, as I "connect with" more and more authors, they're getting smaller.

There are three other reasons I follow or friend an author.

-I already read their stuff, and like it. I'm an existing fan.
-We are at similar points in our writing careers, and I consider them peers.
-They are just stinking hilarious. (See: @maureenjohnson. I have not read her books.)

I wonder whether I'm the only one who doesn't give a damn about the books. I wonder whether anyone is going to go anonymous and agree.

I do not twitter or facebook. These things waste my time.
I follow agent blogs so that I learn.
When I love an author or am curious, I google them or their book. I look for a blog or website that can tell me fun things like how it was to make the movie, pictures, and great excerpts. Also what's in the drawer.
The excerpts help me decide to buy their next, last, current book(s).
I have no interest in pal-ing with authors. None. Don't care. I have my own pals.
As a writer, I think, simplicity is best. It's professional. Some of my favorite authors do not social network. We are lucky if they have a website.
Some of the most obnoxious writer friends I have are forever and a day selling, selling, selling. You want to bash them over the head but of course you don't ever say a word because they are so sure this is the right thing to do and it would hurt their feelings. But it is very awkward when you have to "unsubscribe" from a chatty selling friend author.

I like a sense that the author is real, and reachable, if need be. Nothing worse than wanting to reach out to an author and finding no way to connect except an impersonal web form.

Promotions *about* the book.

All day I see promotions on twitter, facebook, etc., like "My newest book is out May 25! So excited." or "Enter to win the contest! You could win book XY."

Neither of those gave me any urge to read the book. Made me happy for the author, yes, but I don't really bother with contests, and often even the long post about the contest does very little to sell the book.

I'm a big fan of promotions with just enough from the book to suck me in... "Angela, corpse by day, vampire by night--either way, it's bloody. Win book!" much more effective to me.

@ Saranna

Love the cicada image! ROFL!!!

I mostly read author blogs for insights into publishing, but I also enjoy blog and Facebook posts about things that interest and inspire them as creative people. I tend to follow writers who share common interests more closely, and there are people I follow who don't write about the business at all. I think that's less important in a blog, which can really be about anything.

And I don't care for blogs that are all about self-promotion. I can only take so much of that as a reader.

I see the Web site as more of a fancy business card and expect writer sites to look and inform according to the genre or type of work.

I am really put off by meanness and unprofessionalism. Snarky and sarcastic is fine (and usually funny), but the Internet has a certain gang mentality lurking under the surface that is easily stirred into action, whether intentionally or not.

I think Web site design is important. A busy or illegible site is a complete turn-off, whether it's a writer's or an agency's site. Moreso for an agency.

So many comments I agree with:
Design - very important to grab interest & for ease of reading & navigation. (I prefer to read blogs on site to be surrounded by 'atmosphere'/their world)
Content- absolutely vital. Keep me coming back to read you. If I do it's likely that I will support you by spreading the word of your book/promos/etc
Writing insight - I'm a writer too so I visit sites at the beginning to look for insights into your process to see if it will inform mine.
Be genuine & interesting - hard to do but tell me what's occupying your mind. Don't dwell on religion, marketing, politics or bad health (not exclusively anyway). I want to get to know the brain that creates the stories I'm reading.

And have to agree on the 'not (initially) looking for books' comment:

My TBR pile is beyond teetering BUT I will often read updates, articles etc of an author's website over a short period of time and build appreciation for them & their stories. Encourage me to think about your world, ideas etc and there's a good chance I'll get hooked. (Note: I love author interviews by multiple people who ask very different sorts of questions - this really helps flesh out an author from bio to 'being') Eg. I started reading Stacia Kane's blog after seeing a writing-issue headline on a story problem I was tackling, kept reading THEN started buying her books. I now want to support her writing more than other authors whose books I've read for years (because those authors are only names with a summary bio to me and not someone I feel I kinda know). Ms. Kane feels real and accessible and is encouraging to writers, readers and thinkers. The quality of her blog content is excellent. I'm happy to help promote her and eager to read what she has to say, whether on her own blog or elsewhere. I'll also now buy her books just because they're by her. I can learn a lot from her but it's also an enjoyable learning.
A different Eg. Seanan McGuire - I read one of her books. Liked it. Looked up her website to see if she had anything to say about her book and it's a treasure trove of writing insight, amazing creativity, inspiration and off-the-wall humor. To me it gave her book another very real dimension. I also appreciate her book more AND I want to read more of the stuff that comes out of this person's head.

Having a consistent online presence is key even if it isn't happening on your own site all the time. Tweeting/Facebooking in your unique voice helps a lot too. (I really feel for every author who not only has to do all this but has a day-job too - yikes!) And if you can write another book while you're doing all this, you have my respect, support and my suspicions that you're not entirely human... just like I like 'em. :)

I want to throw another question out there, sort of the chicken and the egg scenario. There has been contradicting advice on agents' blogs these days about what should come first: the book deal or the website? A web presence before being published, or create a website after you've sold? Any takers on this debate?

I seek out a writer's website for information about their upcoming books, tour dates, signings, etc. I do that for authors I'm already a big fan of. I waited for YEARS for Patricia Cornwell to get her website going--it was ALWAYS under construction--and that was so long I never went back. (Is it up now?)

I seek out a writer's blog because, as a writer, I want to make the connection with someone who's already published -- hey, it gives me hope. But I also want to see their real personality there, and I want them to have something real to say. I don't want to read about what coffee they're drinking, exotic or not. But what it's like to get the galleys back or how lunch with the publisher went will draw me in every time.

Either way, the author gets credibility in my mind if he/she has a well-organized and well-designed site. If it looks amateurish, I will turn up my nose, so to speak, and not return.

Naturally, this is the writer in me. How many writers responded to this question? How many "just" readers? That would say a lot right there.

The basics: a nice, possibly themed (but tasteful), web page with lists of publications. Descriptions and excerpts are nice, too, and I'm always happy to see if/when the next book is due. Those, plus bits like a bio, are must-haves.

A few authors have had especially nice web options--Jeff Somers had an online game; John Flanagan has music, downloads, and maps. These make the site fun and worth spending time on.

Then there are a few more who have related content. Gail Carson Levine blogs on writing; Paige Shelton does farmer's markets. One of my favorites is Gary Corby's; he combines fun, writing, and tidbits about ancient Greece (which is where his book is set). When these are interesting and have good content, I'll keep up with them and, if I haven't already read the book, will make sure to track it down.

I want to see an author's website that's really professionally made. Dan Brown's for instance. However, his website lack something personal about him. Something that I could relate to...perhaps his funny or clumsy side...Stephanie Meyers' site is simple but the personal touch is there...Well, you can't have everything in one package though.

I don't have an author blog or an author website; I have a Rik blog and a Rik website. My books get promoted on both, but the bulk of stuff (especially on the website) is about me having fun with my poetry and my constructed world - my novel is just a tiny part of a much bigger place which I intend to spend the rest of my life exploring (spare time permitting, of course). If others find my website interesting, that makes me happy - but not quite as happy as building and rebuilding the website makes me.

I do not twitter (much). I loathe Twitter with a vengeance.

I think a blog shold have helpful posts about writing.

With an author's website, it should be an excellent source of information about the author's books and future work.

Either way, both resources should draw people in.

DUO -
http://duosays.blogspot.com

Navigation ease. I want what I WANT, not the other stuff. If I am looking for information about the books, authors or events--then I want to be able to GO THERE and see, but I will only do any of those things one time and I don't want them shoved in my face after that (sidebar is okay). I will come BACK if there is a blog that has changing information that either 1) helps me as a writer or 2) entertains me. (home run if it does both)

Turn-offs--blogs that are only about the book or selling the book. Blogs that are too clinical (meaning lack humor and stick to content related to the book). I don't mind the TMI/personal life at all, but probably an author wants to see if that fits their genre.

Jodi Picoult has a great website. No blog, which is fine by me, but great content. A page dedicated to all her books, with links to book club discussion questions and excerpts. FAQs and links to interviews.

Jamie Ford is a new writer with a great website. Good design and good content. He has an easy-to-find page with instructions on getting autographed copies of his book. Any writer so willing to please his fans is alright in my book.

Jodi Picoult has a great website. No blog, which is fine by me, but great content. A page dedicated to all her books, with links to book club discussion questions and excerpts. FAQs and links to interviews.

Jamie Ford is a new writer with a great website. Good design and good content. He has an easy-to-find page with instructions on getting autographed copies of his book. Any writer so willing to please his fans is alright in my book.

I will point out the obvious that social media can backfire as well. It's hard sometimes to differentiate your "persona" from you who really are and when creating a brand of yourself, it's essential to be that persona.

There are agents I don't submit to because of their social media. They're not your classic mean or cruel people. But they are themselves and not their personas and our personalities are the exact opposite of each other. After watching for a long time to see if it was just coincidental, I came to the decision that I didn't like them as a person, why would I want to work with them professionally? I found them vapid, snarky, and catty. It felt like I was in a high school rom-com or something. So they got crossed off my list of who I submit to.

Just blogged about the basics of website design for writers! How to make things pretty AND professional, and the best free software to do the job. Gin not included :)

http://blog.franciscossette.com/2010/06/website-design-part-2.html

I look forward to reading the previous post on social networking. I use Facebook and blog and want to be sure not to do damage to myself as a writer. If you have time, you're invited to drop by and take a look. Two blogs: Levonne's Pretty Pics and A Camp Host Housewife's Meanderings.

The post about your internet and your career was good. Thank you for that. It is important to remember that public writing is just that - public. Free for future publishers and agents to read. I am hoping to engage an agent to help me develop my current project - my blogs containing my art photographs and stories about my current long-term RV adventure - into a sellable product. Would you stop by and look at my work and let me know if you are in the least bit interested? Thank you.

Approachability. As a mother of teens, I see how much it means to them to get a response on twitter or facebook from an author they've just read or one they love. But, I am also selfish. As an unpubbed writer, I'm trying to learn from them as well. Just getting the exposure and making connections are key for me right now. Those websites that provide information are the ones I follow rather than the ones just for fans.

Content I like to see:
- an easy way of navigating the page
- a logically-organized list of published works
- a bio or "about me" section
- some way to contact the author (a dedicated email, a forum, comment section on a blog, etc)
- some way to see the real person behind the writer: a blog (eg. http://blue-succubus.livejournal.com), Twitter (eg. Caitlin Kittredge - @caitkitt), newsletter/journal (eg http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/mJournal.htm), or basic events listing (eg. http://www.charlaineharris.com/calendar.html)

I don't care for games, sneaky hidden things, book trailers, and all that, but as long as they don't obscure what I'm looking for, I'm okay with them.

As for design, I think a generally bold but simple design with colours/patterns that work with your genre makes the most sense, but again it won't make or break it for me. Eg - from my links above, Kelley Armstrong has a lovely site, and I don't really like the look of Charlaine Harris' site at all.

I have mixed feelings about personal information on the author. On the one hand, the author's context is interesting, by which I mostly mean location and date of writing. But too much can be damaging. I happened to find out that an author whose writing I'd enjoyed in the past had committed a serious crime, and I can't read him any more: his person has intruded between me and his books.

I have only gone to a few author's websites, and only then because I was sufficiently inspired to do so after reading one of their books. My two favorites are Elizabeth Gilbert and Emily Giffin.

I think that both these authors get it right--websites are well-designed and visually appealing, and there is enough information to make it worth logging on.

I found Elizabeth Gilbert's "Thoughts on Writing" to be really inspiring, and I found Emily Giffin's bio and etcetera sections very funny, light, and perfectly-done. In my opinion, both of these authors nailed it! I dare you not to laugh (yes, out loud) and feel inspired!

Thanks for this, Ellery.

And you make a good point about the look of an author's site. Establishing a mood that accurately reflects the author's work makes all the difference in someone stopping by and staying or just driving on.

Best of luck to you, and congratulations!

Erika Marks

There is so much advice about researching agents before querying, but so few people say "research web design before building a website." So many aspiring authors say they don't know enough about the internet or websites and rather than learning, they find a tool that is easy or turn to a "friend." (So rarely is that friend qualified to create something professional for you.)

Web presence is part of the business of writing, and a part that an author can focus on even before publication. Build that brand. Google yourself and find out your competition. Go to Go Daddy and search various iterations of [yourpublishedname].com to see what's available and then buy it even if you're not ready to create a website.

Blogs are not a website. They're a blog. Know the difference. Websites are a place for you to sell yourself professionally, not personally. Know the difference. You are advertising your brand, you not the real you. Know the difference.

The one point I will disagree with is not including anything personal on your website. I think not too much personal information should be shared (common taboo subjects like religion, politics, etc. are easy to avoid), but giving a few nuggets establishes a sense of relationship even if one doesn't exist. It's easier for someone to say they like book X more than it is to say they like author Y. If they feel they know Y, even somewhat, it engenders a sense of loyalty that turns a fan into an evangelist.

Joe
JosephLSelby.com

One small thing that is often overlooked when blogging or having web sites is to have them property "Meta Tagged". Meta tags are the keywords that you or your IT person program into your web pages. These are the key words that search engines use. It doesn't help if your site doesn't come up in common keyword searches. Try it. If it doesn't come up then you need to work on your meta tag key words.
Blogs have a feature to add tags - take the time to use them. It's the difference between being discovered in an online search or staying in obscurity.

Great Post!!

Duh...

wEB sITES
fACEBOOK
mEGA tAGS
bLOGS

uGH !

Hey...I just discovered my keyboard has a caps-thingy.

Who needs a pro...I got you guys.

Sorry about that double post.



This is just a bit too simplistic. It's not as easy as "Just make a webpage or a facebook page and they will come in droves ready to buy your book."

Though the quality and the professionalism of the layout is important that is not going to make much of a difference if you don't do the basics.


There is a lot of work to building up a following, most authors who have been writing and blogging online for a long time will tell you that having an "online presence" takes a great deal of work and it won't add much to the sales if that work isn't done.

For example, there's a difference between having followers and having readers who are willing to buy your book.

Many readers are also writers and
to find readers who will take an interest in your work, you actually have to take an interest in other writer's web-pages. The groundwork for developing a fan base means putting in the time to do some reading and taking an interest in other people's work.

Connections are made one by one, not in droves and readers who will buy a book don't just fall from the sky.

By commenting and actually caring about what other writers and other people are doing, this establishes the online web presence that is genuine, so others will actually care about what you are writing and trying to sell.

It simply will not work (unless you are Stephen King) if you do not do some of this groundwork.

People don't just randomly fall into your webpages...they have to be led there.

AND it is kind of a karma thing...you get what you give.

Also, it is quite easy to make a very professional looking page using the many blog templates available for the lay web-designer.


Several server hosts offer the option for blog publishing for free. When you are a starving artist type, just beginning as an author who can't afford to pay someone to design a website for you...a blog does just fine as long as you keep it professional looking and are clear up front what the purpose of your blog is. For example if you write non-fiction, post non-fiction pieces. If you write about gardening, post gardening pieces. Kind of a duh, really. Some people blog for family reasons or as a diary type of entry which may be why there is the view that blogs aren't as good as web-pages. However, I disagree as I've seen several blogs which are just a professional looking as a webpage.


It ain't all that difficult.


Thanks for this post.
Interesting to consider.

Melanie L. Moro-Huber
6:54 PM, June 04, 20

@Melanie: I don't think Ellery was saying all it takes is a website. It just helps.

I've been designing websites for the past 12 years. I was twelve when I started to mess with Photoshop and HTML editors. Today, I'm 23 and I still do graphic and web designs in-between semesters. I also do professional photo shoots, and have a professional website and portfolio to reflect this.

You can tell within 5 seconds if a website was botched or was made by an amateur. Think about it: a website/blog is your online business card. You spend HOURS working on queries, synopses, then perfecting your manuscript drafts over and over. Overall, you'll probably have spent months on your novel. You make sure everything you send to an agent looks as professional as possible. The same care should be given to your online presence.

A good website will run you 500$ for something basic. Up to 1500-2000$ for a more elaborated site. I spent over 150 hours building my site, and I'm sure it'll pay off, because it has for my clients. Consider getting a bludomain template flash site (100-300$) if you want style for cheap. It's flash based, easy to use and edit... it's meant for photographers, but it could easily be used by writers.

I'd like to add that getting forums (boards) for your site is also a STELLAR way of getting traffic to your site and form cohesion between the fans. Even more so than commenting on blogs. Boards like Invision IP and phpBB are absolutely free. Forums are also amazing to lure more people to a community. If they stumble on a site which has forums that are active, they might read and lurk around, then be convinced to buy the book. At first, it'll be your job to keep the forum active, eventually, it'll be self-supporting.

I am convinced a strong online presence is not only great but necessary nowadays. Looks play a huge role, whether you admit it or not. As a photographer, I can tell you that :)

You should also consider getting your own .com address so you can get a professional e-mail address.

www.yourname.com allows you to have your own address, such as [email protected]. Godaddy has that for you for 50$/year and allows for an unlimited amount of addresses, including your domain. Agent will prefer receiving mails from [email protected] than [email protected]

Catch my drift? ;)

Thanks for the post, Ellery!

@Francis,

I hear you. And I don't disagree in the least. Just saying there was more to it is all. AND There are things that can be done to spruce up a blog too, like using customize templates with little to no html no-how.

Good input you offer. However, realistically speaking not many new writers have 10 dollars laying around much less 50 or 500 to invest in a website.

Content, above all else, indicates quality. If the writing is solid no matter what the venue, that's the meat and taters. A good web-page and professional contact info is also important but you can take a cow and dress it up for church, when it starts singing with the choir people are gonna notice that's a cow up yonder a-mooing...

Praise is praise non-the-less, and I ain't got a thing against cows so let the cows have their day.


Horrible, horrible. That just kept getting worse and worse.
Well my sense of humor and bovine reference is showing some southern silliness there.

Sorry.

With continuous growth in mobile browsing, I would be averse to directing a new site builder to a Flash-based resource. I think they'll put a lot of effort into something that won't give them full coverage of a market that they could have otherwise been available to.

If you want a website and not a blog (rule number one, if you have a blog you have to blog), but you can't afford a designer and can't do it yourself, I always point people to webs.com. Some of it obviously plays to a younger audience, but some of it is very classy and can make for a good website.

As for forums, having run a robust forum of my own, unless you have an audience to populate it, forums are a huge headache (I'd also recommend SMF over PHPbb because of spam issues). An empty forum is depressing, makes a poor impression on newcomers, and still requires management from spammers. Once you have an audience to interact with, then forums can be worthwhile. But if all you're doing is building a web presence, Twitter, Facebook, and participating in blogs is a far better use of your time.

I went to http://www.elleryadamsmysteries.com/

At the bottom are a row of links. The first two - Home and Books - don't work.

Remember, if you pay someone to make a website, don't just take their word that it's finished. Go through and click all the links, sign up for a newsletter, send yourself a comment, etc.

Flash is definitely going out, bludomain will be converting their templates to HTML5 when that happens, so it is not a lost investment.

I disagree on the forums. I've been a moderator on a site that has over 1.2 million members (www.dslreports.com) for five years now, it is widely popular. I've frequented much smaller forums where they were less than 20 members, and it was just as much fun. It's your responsibility at first to make threads and keep the forums active, just like it is yours to keep your blog updated with frequent entries. I've also ran a 2000 members forum for a game called EVE Online. Long story short, my experience with forums is really vast, and I am confident they make a difference. The best suite is definitely vBulletin (without a doubt). phpBB are just as safe as SMF if you apply the patches. I fail to see what kind of huge headache they are... once they're installed they're super easy to use, all you have to do is apply patches on in a while.

Melanie, I understand not every writer has money to spare, but saying most don't have any is not true. I am a full time university student and found the money to invest in my writing, by buying books or other supporting material. There comes a time when you'll have to sacrifice something, or make compromises in your finances. Dreams don't happen out of thin air, you need to work for them. If it means I don't get to eat takeout for 3 months or I don't get to drink wine for a while, I'm fine with it.

Look is just as important as content. You should give both as much attention as you can. I'll leave the farm animals metaphors to you :)

Great post. Thanks!

Find it interesting that no one has mentioned creating a blog instead of a website. WordPress is seriously easy to use, you can find professional looking templates for less than $100, customize them a touch, and you're up. And you can make a WordPress blog have the look and feel of a website with static pages.

I guess I'm late to this post. But one of the things I think is most important about social networking (for those who might be intimidated) is to have fun. I've made wonderful contacts through networks like facebook with people from all over the world. I actually met a well known European book reviewer last summer while she was traveling in the US and we had a three hour lunch. Even though authors have to promote themselves online, and at times it's hard work, it's not just about selling books. It's also about improving the quality of your life.

And the other thing to remember is that what works for one author is not necessarily going to work for another. Personally, I don't have web sites. I have blogs that give detailed info about my books so readers know what they are buying. I also have best selling books in several genres with my own name and various pen names.

If web sites work for an author, wonderful. But they don't work for me and this hasn't hurt sales of my books. If anything, sometimes I'm put off by author web sites because they sound more important than they should. I like humility; I think it sells books. A self-indulgent web site gets tired fast.

Again, take all the advice out there, absorb it, but then apply it to what works for you. Because each author has a different journey.

Excellent! I'd been wondering about a couple of those myself. Thanks. :)

Great answers!!! Thanks for taking the time to do that!!

From your comment on websites, I'm inferring the same holds true for blogs (please correct me if I'm wrong). What about social networking via sites like Facebook and Twitter? When is that important?

Can anyone tell me what a Beta Reader is?

My understanding is that a beta reader is someone who gives a first-read to a completed work (that is, completed first, second, third draft). An alpha reader, on the other hand, is someone who gets pages as they are completed, say a chapter at a time.

Actually, a "beta reader" is just someone who reads the work critically and gives his opinion. It doesn't matter whether the work is in progress or complete. The "alpha reader" is the writer himself.

The website/blog question is one whose answer seems to change from agent to agent. Some say it doesn't matter pre-publication. Others say it gives the agent something to look up when they Google you.

<-- Iz officially confuzzled.

(A beta is a willing victim who volunteers to read your finished MS and pick out the landmines in it that you thought you already cleared.)

This was really helpful. Some I didn't even think of but it's good to have an answer.

(I just wanted to add something about beta readers. The best ones are objective people, usually not friends and family unless they can be objective)

I do wonder, what do you do with countries that don't use cheques? I honestly wouldn't know what to do with an American cheque here (in Poland). I don't think I've seen a cheque since 1995 or so.

I don't know why, exactly, but these quick bits were sort of fun.

And interesting. I liked your suggestion that we format it within the e-mail. That hadn't occured to me, but it makes total sense. :)

Very interesting post today. I never thougth about the whole exchange rate situation.

je vous remercie pour ce partage d'un article de Nice.
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I love these posts - I always get so much information from them. Thanks :)

Beth, if you are in another country and have an American agent, the wonderful benefit is that he/she can wire the money directly into your bank account.

That is how my agent and I (I'm in Canada) have done it for years. No mailing, no muss, no fuss! The banks handle everything, and I just check my account online to see when it comes in!

A word of warning regarding beta readers and critters. Some are great, some less so. Even after you get feedback, your writing might still not be there.

I had an agent recently point out a flaw in my writing none of my critters had noticed. Ouch! And I landed tons of rejections on my sample pages because of something that hadn't bothered my critters but had bothered the agents.

Now I'm registered in a writer's workshop that will give me feedback by a published author in my genre. Now I can find out how to fix the fatal flaw. ;)

A beta reader is someone who doesn't work in the publishing industry. An alpha reader is an agent or publisher.