Independent authors make better decisions when publishing terms, responsibilities, costs, and tradeoffs are explained plainly. This guide addresses the practical questions beneath the marketing language.
The website has a job
An author website should establish credibility, explain the book, connect the author’s wider work, offer clear sales paths, capture permission-based email interest, and give search engines useful content to understand.
Core pages
Most nonfiction authors need a focused home page, book page, about page, writing or media page, events page when relevant, contact path, and clear purchase options. Additional pages should exist because readers need them, not because the navigation felt lonely.
Search visibility
Use descriptive page titles, useful headings, internal links, image alternative text, fast mobile performance, and substantive content related to the author’s expertise and book themes.
Sales pathways
Offer direct purchase when operationally practical and provide clear retailer links. Tell readers what format they are buying, where fulfillment occurs, and why a direct purchase may support the author more strongly.
Email and reader relationships
A website should support an ongoing relationship beyond launch week. Email signup language needs a clear value proposition, not simply an empty command to subscribe.
Ownership and portability
The author should control the domain, website accounts, analytics, mailing list, and essential files. A beautiful site that becomes inaccessible when a vendor relationship ends is not a platform. It is a hostage situation with tasteful typography.
Start with the actual book.
Sentinel House Press assesses memoir and serious nonfiction projects before recommending editorial, production, distribution, website, or launch services.
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