What an Author Needs to Get Started

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It’s often difficult for authors to figure out where to start building their social media and internet presence. There is so much out there. It can be overwhelming. Here are the key things I think new authors need to have to get started.

Heather’s List

  • Professional Headshot – Selfies aren’t the quality you want for print and digital - This is one of the first investments I made in my writing career.

  • Your Biography – This should be written in third person. For your website, you may want to have a short one and a longer one that can be used when you do events and presentations.

  • A Short Description of Your Book/Work – Have a short summary of what your book is about. This could be as short as an elevator pitch or a couple of paragraphs long.

  • A URL and a Site to Host Your Website – You need a URL and a site to host your website. Try to get your name or penname if possible. The website is the hub of your author platform. You want readers to be able to find you.

  • A Newsletter/Email Marketing Service – You will need a hosting service to maintain your list of followers and to create and distribute your ne3wsletters. Many services are free, and others have fees based on the number of followers you have.

  • Book Cover Images – You will need clear images for your website and socials. If it’s the original (giant) file, you may want to think about reducing the size to make it more optimal for mobile users. Large files take a while to load.

Here are some other things you need to consider as you start creating your author presence.

  • Your Budget – Determine what your budget is for your website, tools, URL, and author photograph. Start small. You can always add on to what you’ve created.

  • Who Maintains Your Sites? – If you pay someone to maintain your website and socials, it can get expensive. I like the freedom of being able to update my site whenever I want without waiting for someone else to do it. Youtube and many of the hosting companies have tons of videos to show you how to create and maintain your site.

  • Your Tools – I invested in two subscriptions to help me create my graphics. You will need to include a visual with your posts on social media. There are lots of free and for a fee products out there. Do your research and check to see which ones you're most comfortable with using. I use Canva and BookBrush.

What would you add to my list?