Book Club

[gardenman]

How many of you visit an author's website? What information do you want to see there? Do you want to learn about the author, background on the book you've read, information on upcoming books, excerpts from other books, etc.? What's a turnoff for you on an author's website?

I've got two novels in the final proofing stages and I'm debating the merits of a website and what it should/shouldn't include. I've visited some, in fact many, that are little more than billboards for their other books. Is that what you want as a reader, or do you want more? You're web savvy readers, so I figured I'd ask here. Thanks for any feedback you can offer.

[sandy53]

I occasionally go to the websites of favorite authors.  I started with Jan Dunlap, a Minnesota author, because I wanted to tell her how much I like her books.  I like to see when new books will be available and I like to check their speaking/book signing schedules.  It was very nice to have authors respond to my communications sent through their websites.

Good luck with your publications!

[jlkz]

I read a lot--mostly I try to read all the books by favorite authors.  It is interesting to see how they handle different topics and how they create and develop characters.  One of the more prolific writers has taken big shortcuts, i.e., one page chapters, very little character development, etc.  He is just churning out stuff and guiding other newer writers to do likewise.  Where once I could to wait till his next novel, now it is "Ho hum, no interest.  Keep it.

(I happen to have worked consulting on projects with a neighbor of this author.  The author is a regular guy, friendly, interesting...but definitely churning out stuff nowadays.)

When the series seems to become stale, I'll try one more book and then that is it for that author.  That is where I am now:  it is three/four weeks and I still have 300 pages to go on a 799-page book.

I have never visited an author's website and really have no interest in doing so.  The story is over.  The next story will tell me more about how the author is progressing or not.  If his/her tales are becoming boring.....

Congratulations on being at the proofing stage for two books !

What exactly do you want to gain with a website?  Has it become de rigeur for an aspiring writer to have one?  

What have YOU gotten from the ones you have visited?  Is it merely another marketing avenue or a check off on an obligatory list?  Is it a communication bridge to and from your readers?  Will it ensure continued readership?  Are you setting yourself up down the road for another ongoing task instead of creating more books?

Good Luck to you and our Eagles, Flyers, and Sixers !!!!!!!!!!!!

[nomless]

@gardenman, your agent and publisher should be able to help you with this info.  Good luck with your books.

[gardenman]

jlkz.

My problem is I never visit an author's website. The only one's I've looked at were from authors I know who have asked my opinion on how their sites looked. (And truthfully, most have been nothing more than billboards advertising their other books.) I don't know what a reader wants/expects from a site. If it was up to me I wouldn't even bother having one, but pretty much everyone says you need one.

If I'm going to do it, I want to do it right and show those visitng the site what they want to see. I just don't know what they want to see, or how many readers ever really visit an author's website. If most readers are like me and never visit an author's website then I won't bother making one. If many do visit an author's website then I'll need a site and I'll want it to be a good experience for those visiting.

[gardenman]

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@nomless wrote:

@gardenman, your agent and publisher should be able to help you with this info.  Good luck with your books.

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I'm self-publishing my books. I've seen too many horror stories of bad agents, the impossiblity of getting an agent, agents never getting a book sold, publishers sitting on a book for months/years before deciding not to publish, books getting published with absolutely no publicity by the publisher, etc. to go down that path. I'm taking my chances on the Indie route. At least I'm in control that way and not just a pawn. And, in fact, Indie writers tend to do better than the traditionally published authors these days. You're pretty much in charge of your own promotion and advertising anyway these days unless you're a JK Rowling or Stephen King. If I'm doing all of the work, I might as well get a bigger share of the profits. 

Agents and publishers tend to want each book to be part of a series and all in the same genre. I write whatever I feel like and each book is unique which makes me a bad fit for the traditional model. "The Campaign" my semi-finalist entry in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (then the top 50 of 5,000 general fiction entries) is a comedy. Other books underway are YA, thrillers, Sci-fi, and more. Agents and publishers don't want that. They want each book to fit in the same pigeonhole and mine don't. 

[Colinka]

As a librarian and a voracious reader, I can tell you that I visit author's websites frequently.  I use them to garner more information about authors, so I can recommend books to patrons, and find out what inspired them to write.  An author website can help tell "the rest of the story."  It is kind of like having an author visit your library in person, especially if you are open to questions from readers. It also legitimizes you in the eyes of the reader as a "real" author, if you know what I mean.

Some of my favorite examples of an author websites are Patrick Taylor's (Irish Country Doctor series) and also Neil Gaiman's.  You really feel like to get to know more about the person who is the creator of some of your favorite characters.

[debic]

I always visit favorite author's websites.   Most of the time to see if they are going to write another book in the series I've read. I read about them the first time I visit as well.   I do find that interesting.

[debic]

Also have you been to kboards?   I think that's a better forum than Amazon's author's forum.

[Lilysmom]

@gardenman, congratulations to you on two novels in the final stages.

I have visited a FB page of a favorite author.  It was Louise Penny and she wrote about places I knew in the Province of Quebec.  I wanted information about background on existing novels and looked for what was coming next and when it was coming.

I am a big reader and I find I like stand alone books more than a series.  Using the same characters is fine with me but trying to link back to a series gets too repetitive.  Too much info to repeat.  That was my complaint about Louise Penny.  I still love her writing and will always be looking for her next book.

If I like an author, it is not uncommon for me to read everything they write.

I was also thinking that FB might be better than a webpage because you can like and share much more easily.  I see a lot of authors do both.

HTH.  Merry Christmas my friend.  LM