Writer's Websites: the good, the bad, the ugly

In preparation for updating my headshots (at the insistance of my fabulous photographer friend Rachel), I've been looking at other writer's websites for examples of what to do. And what not to do. Now, my website is hardly a masterpiece of modern web design, but these are some of my observations from other writer's websites.

Testimonials build credibility. A lot of writers had testimonials on their websites, and a lot didn't. If you're in the latter camp, then you're missing out on an easy marketing opportunity. Not sure how to get testimonials? Just ask your repeat clients or editors the next time you finish a project. Most will be happy to oblige.

Bad site navigation makes a bad impression. Make it easy on editors, clients, and readers by including site navigation (home, bio, news, etc.) on every single page and in a place that's obvious. One (professionally designed and otherwise gorgeous) website had the navigation buried at the bottom, so I had to scroll down to find it. A few self-made sites were either missing links back to the homepage or had links that didn't work. And by the way, underlining text that isn't hyperlinked is a big tease.

An approachable, personable photo adds personality. Headshots are not mandatory for writers, but a good one can give editors and clients a sense of who you are and what you're like. No one expects you to be a glamour girl (unless your niche is beauty), so choose a photo that is flattering but actually looks like you. A candid photo can work if it's not too blurry. If you'd rather not include a photo, then that's fine, too. Some writers choose to use a funny childhood photo, a cartoon, stock images, or magazine covers instead or in addition to a traditional headshot. Just remember, "a picture is worth a thousand words..."

Huge headers detract from your content. Yes, it is nice to have a jumbo-sized graphic of a typewriter or a globe or butterflies or rainbows, but it if takes up so much of the screen that you can't see anything else, that is a problem. The most important information should be "above the fold" so that the reader doesn't have to scroll to figure out your specialties or credentials. Plus, big beautiful graphics take more time to load and you don't want people to get impatient and leave your site, do you?

It would be mean to link to poorly executed examples, so instead I'll link to a few writer's websites that I really like:

Horizontal navigation, classy graphics

Sharp, stylish website, nontraditional navigation (I think it works!)

Horizontal navigation, playful colors and graphics

Clean, color graphics, combo navigation

Bonus! More resources on writer's websites:

Anatomy of a Writer's Website

Website Tips from Editor Unleashed

Online Portfolios that Work