Updated: 1 hour ago
An author website gives readers one place to find every book you've written, in order, with links to buy each one. It's also where agents, booksellers and event organizers check your bio, and where readers sign up to hear about the next release.
The right setup depends on your budget, your comfort with tech and whether you plan to sell books yourself or send readers to retailers. This guide compares the ways to build a website, then walks through each step for authors.
Turn your idea into a business-ready author website. Choose a template or describe your books to Aria, the AI agent in Wix Harmony, make the design your own and add the tools you need to sell signed copies, grow your mailing list and promote your events, all with Wix.
TL;DR: how to make an author website
To make an author website, choose a method you can maintain yourself, then add a page for each book with retailer links, an about page, a newsletter signup and a contact form. Keep it current after launch by updating publication dates, events and series order.
You'll learn:
How the main build options compare
Which pages readers and agents look for
How to sell signed copies and ebooks directly
How to grow a mailing list before launch day
What an author site costs to run
How to build an author website with Wix
Ways to build an author website
There are eight common ways to build an author website. The difference that matters most is who does the work after launch: adding a new title, updating a preorder link and fixing a signup form that stops sending emails. If you're new to this, start with our guide on how to make a website.
Already know how you'll build? Skip ahead to the 9 steps.
Author website builder with templates
A website builder gives you pages that are already laid out, so you add your own book covers, bio and buy links instead of designing from a blank screen. An author template usually comes with a books section, an about page and a contact form in place.
This route suits writers who want to update the site themselves, like adding a preorder link the week a new title is announced. Some platforms are built only for authors and import book details for you. They're quick to set up but usually offer fewer tools for selling or running events.
Learn more: How to use a website template to make a website
Create an author website with an AI website builder
An AI website builder asks about your books, your genre and what the site needs to do, then generates a first draft with pages, text and images you can edit.
The Wix AI website builder, for example, creates a personalized site from a description of your books, goals, look and the features you need, such as a blog, a store for signed copies or a contact form for agents. You refine it by describing changes, the way you'd mark up a draft.
It suits debut authors who want a professional starting point quickly. The draft is only as good as what you tell it, so describe your real titles, genre and readers. Replace generated text in your bio with your own words before you publish.
Build an author website with an AI chat assistant
Some AI chat assistants, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, can connect to a website platform and build or edit a site from a conversation. You describe the change in plain words, like "add my new release to the books page" or "list the bookstore signing on May 12," and the assistant makes it.
Some platforms connect directly. With Wix, for example, you can type @Wix in ChatGPT, describe your books and get a site plan and a Wix Harmony site. You can also connect your Wix account to Claude through the official Wix connector to create and manage your site from the chat.
This suits writers who already brainstorm and outline in an AI chat. Check every change the assistant makes, especially prices, event dates and the links to retailers.
Build an author website with AI coding tools
AI coding tools, such as Claude Code, Cursor or Lovable, write the code for a site from your prompts. The result is a coded site, which still needs hosting, a signup form that actually delivers emails and someone to fix it when an update breaks the layout.
This route suits technically confident authors or writers with a developer friend. A coded site doesn't come with a store or mailing list built in, so you connect them. The Wix MCP server, for example, lets AI tools work with Wix business features through natural language.
Use a content management system (CMS) for your author website
A content management system (CMS) is software that lets you update text, photos and pages without rebuilding them. Open-source options such as WordPress give you a lot of control, but you're responsible for hosting, updates, security and the plugins that run your newsletter forms or store.
A CMS suits authors who publish often, such as a weekly essay or serialized fiction, and who have time or help for maintenance. List the plugins you'd need for books, email signups and sales, and check who keeps them updated.
Learn more: Website builder vs CMS
Hand-code an author website
Hand-coding means writing the site in HTML, CSS and JavaScript yourself. You get full control over every detail and full responsibility for hosting, security and every fix.
It makes sense for writers who are also developers and want something custom, like an interactive map of a fantasy world that links to each book. For an author without coding experience, the hours spent coding are hours taken from the next manuscript.
Headless website development for authors
A headless website keeps the part visitors see (the design) separate from the part that stores your content and handles orders. A developer builds a custom design and connects it to business tools for the blog, store and payments.
Headless is a custom-development approach, not a shortcut. A developer has to connect the systems, then set up and test the full reader journey, from a book page to checkout and the confirmation email. It suits established authors or small presses with large catalogs and specific requirements.
Wix Headless, for example, is free to connect and provides the business tools and hosting behind a site built in code.
Hire an author website designer or developer
A web designer or developer builds the site for you, from the layout to the store and signup setup. You still supply the covers, blurbs, bio and buy links, and you agree on who adds new titles after launch.
Hiring suits authors with complex needs, like a backlist of 30 titles across two pen names, or writers who'd rather spend their hours writing. Ask to see author sites they've built and what support they offer after handover. You can find Wix-certified designers on Wix Marketplace.
Find the best way to create your author website
Method | Best for | Who updates books and events | Store and mailing list | Skills needed |
Website builder with templates | Authors who manage their own site | You or an assistant | Built in or added as an app | Basic computer skills |
AI website builder | Debut authors who want a quick draft | You, by editing or describing changes | Built in on platforms that offer it | Basic computer skills |
AI chat assistant | Writers who already work in an AI chat | You, through the chat | Depends on the connected platform | Clear written instructions |
AI coding tools | Technically confident authors | You or a developer | Has to be connected | Some coding knowledge |
CMS | Authors who publish a lot of content | You, plus someone for maintenance | Plugins | Moderate technical skills |
Hand-coding | Writer-developers building custom features | A developer | Custom-built or connected | Advanced coding |
Headless | Established authors or small presses | A developer and your team | Connected by a developer | A development team |
Hiring a professional | Complex catalogs or authors who outsource | The professional or you, by agreement | Set up by the professional | Briefing and feedback |
Comparing platforms before you start?
How to make an author website in 9 steps
01. Define the purpose of your website
Before you build anything, decide who the site is for and what you want them to do. A reader who just finished your book wants the next one. An agent wants your bio and a way to contact you, and a bookstore planning a signing wants your events and a press photo.
Then decide how readers will buy your books. Linking to retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org is the simplest option. Selling directly lets you offer signed copies, special editions and bundles, but you handle payments, shipping and customer emails yourself. You can also do both, for example linking to retailers for ebooks and selling signed copies yourself.
Write down what you already have, too: covers in high resolution, a short and a long bio, a headshot, blurbs or reviews, and retailer links for every format (print, ebook and audiobook). Collecting these first makes every later step faster.
Explore these website building tips to make your site shine.
02. Decide how to make your website
How you build your author site comes down to how much time you want to spend on it between drafts. Pick one of the build options above based on three questions.
How often will you update it?
A writer with one novel every two years needs a site that's easy to update twice a year. An author running a newsletter, events and a store needs tools that handle all three without plugins to maintain.
Will you sell books yourself?
If you only link to retailers, almost any method works. If you want to sell signed copies or ebooks, choose a platform with a store and payments built in or one you can add without a developer.
What do you already use?
If your mailing list lives in another email tool or your books are listed through a distributor, check that the new site can connect to them before you choose. Otherwise you'll keep subscribers and links in two places.
If launch day is close and you'd like a site you can revise like a manuscript, start with a website builder or an AI website builder. If your writing life already runs through ChatGPT or Claude, connect a chat assistant. If you need custom features across pen names or a press catalog, talk to a developer.
03. Pick a domain name and web hosting
Your domain name is your website's address. Use the name you publish under, not a book title, since your name stays the same across every book. Claim it early, before someone else takes your name or pen name.
Buy a domain that's simple and memorable, like YourName.com or YourPenName.com, so readers who just turned the last page can find you in one try. If your name is taken, try adding "author", "books" or "writes".
Use domain name search to check availability, see alternatives if your first choice is taken and view pricing before you buy, or try the domain name generator for ideas. If you're working in ChatGPT, you can search for a domain there too by typing @Wix.
Selected yearly or multi-year Premium plans come with a voucher for a free domain for the first year. The voucher does not cover premium domains or WHOIS privacy, which you can add separately when you register your domain.
Web hosting is the service that stores your website's files and keeps them online. If you build with a website builder, an AI website builder or a connected chat assistant, hosting comes with the platform.
Every Wix site, for example, includes hosting and a free SSL certificate (a secure connection) to help protect readers when they buy or sign up.
04. Customize your website
This is where your website becomes yours. Choose a look that matches your genre: a thriller writer might use dark tones and sharp type, while a picture-book author might choose bright colors and a hand-drawn feel.
Want something ready-made to start from? Wix offers website templates, including templates made for authors and writers. Before you commit to one, check that it has:
A books section with room for covers and buy buttons
An about page with space for a headshot
A newsletter signup on the homepage
An events or news section
A mobile layout that's easy to read
Once the design is in place, upload your bio, headshot and covers. Match the colors to your latest cover or series branding, and keep fonts readable: one display font for headings is enough.
Check out what other types of websites you can build with Wix.
05. Add useful pages
These pages do most of the work on an author website.
Homepage
Your homepage should show your name, a one-line description of what you write and your latest or most important book, with a buy button above the fold. Add a newsletter signup and one line of social proof, like an award or a review quote.
Books page and a page for each title
The books page is your digital bookshelf. Give each title its own page with the cover, a short blurb, the long description, the publication date and buy links for print, ebook and audiobook editions. A separate page per book is also easier to share and easier for search engines to understand.
Add praise or review quotes, an excerpt such as the first chapter and any extras like a book club guide. Include the ISBN and series number where they apply.
Series page
If you write a series, add a page that lists the books in reading order, so new readers know where to start. Mark which titles are out now and which are coming next.
Author bio page
Your about page is where you share your story, your background and what drives your writing. Start from the bio on your book jacket, then expand it. Add a short version in third person that event organizers can copy, and a professional headshot.
Media kit
A media or press kit page saves you emails. Include your short and long bio, a downloadable headshot, high-resolution covers, past interviews and the contact details for you, your agent or your publicist.
Reviews and testimonials
Praise from readers, critics and other authors builds trust with someone who hasn't read you yet. Show the strongest quotes on each book page and a few on the homepage, and only use reviews you have permission to quote.
Charlotte Merle, Content Manager at Trusted Shops
"Customer reviews play a vital role in the credibility of your business. They allow visitors to form an opinion about your products or services based on real experiences."
Events page
List upcoming signings, readings, festival appearances and virtual events with the date, time, place and a link to register. Decide whether each event needs a simple RSVP or paid tickets, and whether it runs in person, online or both.
Shop page for signed copies and merch
If you sell directly, an online store lets you list signed paperbacks, special editions, ebooks and merch with prices and options, take payment at checkout and ship or deliver digital files.
Wix Ecommerce lets you sell ebooks and audio files alongside signed paperbacks from the same store, and buyers receive digital files by download link.
For a new release, you can take preorders: in Wix Stores, a physical product can show a Pre-Order button when it's out of stock, and buyers pay the full price up front.
A text box on the product lets readers write the name for a dedication. For merch like tote bags or prints, Wix Print on Demand handles printing, fulfillment and shipping.
Questions to ask before you sell books yourself:
Will you sell print, ebooks or both?
Who packs and ships signed copies, and how often?
Can you cap preorders to what you can sign?
What are your shipping zones and costs?
How will you handle returns and damaged copies?
Do you need to collect sales tax where you sell? (check local rules, not legal advice)
Learn more: How to make an ecommerce website
Contact page
Add a contact form so readers can send a quick message without seeing your email address, plus a separate contact for agents, publishers and media. Say how soon you usually reply.
06. Build a mailing list or start a newsletter
A mailing list is one of the most important parts of an author website. Social media algorithms decide who sees your posts, while an email reaches the readers who asked to hear from you, which matters most on launch day.
Add a signup form to your homepage, every book page and the end of each blog post. Offer something in return, like a bonus chapter, a short story or early access to cover reveals, and say how often you'll write.
With Wix, a subscribe form adds each reader to your contact list as a subscriber, and you can turn on double opt-in so people confirm their address.
Start collecting emails before your first book is out. A list of 200 readers who chose to hear from you can do more for a launch than a large following that rarely sees your posts. Send news when you have it: a cover reveal, a preorder link, a tour date.
Expert tip from Judit Ruiz Ricart, AEO/GEO Strategic Project Manager at Wix:
"A newsletter cultivates an engaged readership that goes beyond the casual blog visitor who arrives from SERPs. It allows you to build a community around your content and establish deeper connections with your audience, keeping subscribers eagerly anticipating your next email and fostering brand loyalty."
When you're ready to send, email marketing tools let you design newsletters, send launch announcements and see who opened them, from the same dashboard as your site.
Does Wix have email marketing? Yes, it does.
07. Start a blog
A blog gives readers a reason to come back between books and gives search engines new pages to find. You can create a blog on your site and share your writing process, research, book recommendations, short fiction or behind-the-scenes notes on your world-building.
The Wix Blog lets you write and organize posts, optimize them for search and send new-post notifications to subscribers.
Blog only as often as you can keep up. One thoughtful post a month beats a burst of posts that stops. If blogging isn't realistic, a short news page with launches, events and announcements keeps the site current with less work.
Mark Schaefer, keynote speaker and bestselling author
"Perhaps a new class of blogger is emerging who puts in the 'right' type of human work. They create unique insights and original research, but they also know how to use AI as an honest and efficient co-worker for mundane research and editing."
He made the comment in Orbit Media's 2026 blogging survey.
New to blogging? Check out these blogging for beginners tips and get inspired by these blog examples.
Learn more: How to start a writer's blog
08. SEO optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps readers find your website through search engines like Google or Bing, and helps AI assistants understand who you are and what you write. A reader who finishes your book may search for your name next, so your name, titles and series names should appear clearly on your pages.
Search can be a large share of an author site's traffic. At Author Media, Thomas Umstattd Jr. reported that 76% of his site's traffic came from Google searches and 1.4% from social media. That's one site's data, and results vary by author and genre.
Start with these, in order:
Use your name and titles: Put your author name in the homepage title and each book's title in its page title.
Write real descriptions: Add the blurb, genre and themes to each book page in plain text, not only in an image.
Add alt text: Describe each cover image, for example "cover of [title] by [name]".
Link your profiles: Link to your retailer author pages and Goodreads profile, and link back to your site from them.
Wix SEO includes built-in SEO tools and a setup checklist to guide you. No tool can guarantee rankings, but these basics help search engines and readers find the right page.
Learn more about SEO in the Wix SEO learning hub →
09. Maintain and promote your website
Your website is never finished. Review these items on a schedule and decide who owns each one:
Books and buy links: with every new edition or format
Series order: whenever a new book is announced
Events: add new dates and remove past ones monthly
Bio and headshot: once a year
Signup form and store checkout: a test every month
Test before you launch
Sign up to your own newsletter and confirm the welcome email arrives
Click every buy link for every format
Buy a signed copy and an ebook as a test, then refund them
Register for a test event on your phone
Send yourself a message through the contact form
Ask a reader friend to find your next book and note where they get stuck
Promote the site everywhere your readers already are. Put the link in your social bios, your email signature and the back matter of every book. Share a new post or event in your newsletter.
Social media still matters for creative sites: according to the Wix State of Websites report, sites for blogs, portfolios, events and consumer stores get 18% of their traffic from social media, compared with an average of 13%.
With Wix Analytics, you can see which pages readers visit and where they come from, so you know which posts and promotions work. For more ideas, see these marketing strategies.
Put AI agents to work on the busy weeks around a release. Launch season brings jobs that have nothing to do with writing, like sending newsletters, scheduling events, answering reader emails and watching store orders.
Symphony by Wix is an AI agent platform for independent business owners and small businesses, from a solo author to an author working with an assistant and a publicist.
Its agents cover areas like outreach, marketing, scheduling, finance and research, all coordinated through one conversation. One could draft the preorder announcement for your list, another could line up book club visits and another could track payments for signed copies.
Symphony asks for your approval before its agents act. It works whether or not your website is built on Wix, so it fits whichever route you chose in step 02.
Author website examples made with Wix
Looking at how other authors build their sites can give you ideas for your own. Here are three Wix author websites that blend personal branding with clear paths to the books. Browse more author website examples on Wix Explore.
01. Joanna Wolford
Joanna Wolford's website sets a mood that matches her genre. The dark, atmospheric imagery tells visitors right away that they've reached a horror and fantasy writer.
Her homepage gets straight to the point, introducing her and her work. A "Published Work" section presents each piece with a brief description, and her debut novel lists its awards, including a Reader Views gold award.
The site tells readers where to buy: her novel is available on Amazon and can be requested at major bookstores, guiding visitors from learning about the book to buying it.
Like what you see? Build your own author website using this same template.
Template name: Start from scratch website template
02. Arthur Ni
Arthur Ni's website focuses on sharing his stories. The minimalist layout keeps the writing at the center.
He introduces himself as a "Storyteller at Heart" and posts free short stories on the site, which gives readers a taste of his style before his longer work comes out. A PayPal link lets readers who enjoy the free stories support him directly.
Arthur mentions that he's working on novellas and a full-length novel, building anticipation for future releases. The site works as a hub for a growing readership, combining free content with a clear way to support the writer.
Arthur's site uses the same template as Joanna Wolford's, linked above.
Template name: Start from scratch website template
03. Zachary Kellian
Zachary Kellian's website works as a professional writer's portfolio. A full-screen image and a bold title set a strong authorial presence right away.
The "Writings" section presents his published stories in a grid, each with the publisher and a link to read or buy it. That suits a writer whose work is spread across many journals and anthologies.
An "In the Press" section features quotes from reviewers and fellow authors, and he lists recognition such as a Hemingway Foundation short story finalist place and a 2023 jury prize. With a store, a blog and a subscribe form, the site serves readers, editors and agents in one place.
Like what you see? Build your own author website using this same template.
Template name: Writer website template
Why authors need a website
Retailer pages, social profiles and publisher pages all show your books, but you don't control any of them. An author website is the one place that lists every book you've written, in order, in every format, and stays yours when platforms change their rules.
It also does work you'd otherwise do by email: agents and festival organizers find your bio and headshot, book clubs find your discussion guide and readers find out what's next. Selling from your own site lets you offer what retailers can't, like signed copies or bundles.
Worth knowing: a website won't sell books by itself. It works best as the place your newsletter, social posts, interviews and back matter point to, so the readers you reach elsewhere have somewhere to go next.
How much does an author website cost?
The full cost of an author website is more than the plan price. Budget for a domain, a website plan, payment processing fees if you sell directly, email marketing once your list grows, a professional headshot and the hours you or an assistant spend keeping books and events current.
Some platforms bundle hosting, a secure connection, a store and email tools into one plan, while others charge for each piece separately. With a builder you manage yourself, the main costs are the plan and your time. A custom-coded or headless site adds developer time for every change.
With Wix, you can build a website for free or choose a paid plan when you want your own domain and the business features you need. For a full breakdown, see how much a website costs.
How to build an author website with Wix
Wix gives authors one place to build the site, sell books, run events and stay in touch with readers. Here's how its tools match what authors need.
Build and update your site
Start from an author template, generate a first draft with the AI website builder or build with Wix Harmony, which combines prompts with drag-and-drop editing. Aria, the AI agent in Harmony, can build pages and rewrite copy as you go, so adding a new book page can start with one sentence.
You can also start in ChatGPT with @Wix or manage your site from Claude with the Wix connector.
Sell books and merch
Wix Stores lets you sell signed paperbacks, special editions and ebooks from one store. Physical books can switch to preorder when they're out of stock, a text box can collect dedication requests and digital files are delivered by download link after payment. Print on demand covers merch without keeping stock at home.
Run launches, readings and signings
With Wix Events, you can create RSVP events for a free reading or ticketed events for a launch party, and run them in person, on Zoom or as hybrid events. Selling tickets requires a Premium plan.
Grow and email your readers
Subscribe forms add readers to your contact list, blog posts can notify subscribers automatically and Wix email marketing sends your launch news, all covered in steps 06 and 07.
Hand off launch admin to AI agents
Symphony by Wix, covered in step 09, coordinates AI agents for marketing, outreach and scheduling. Author and publisher Dina Coto Aquino used it to plan the launch of her digital marketing and AI guidebooks.
Dina Coto Aquino, author and publisher at Graceful Living Co.
"They helped me plan the entire approach, crafted the content, and got everything polished and ready for the big launch."
Build for clients or in code
If you build author sites for clients, Wix Studio adds advanced design tools and lets you manage projects and clients in one place. If a developer builds your site in code, Wix Headless provides the store, blog, payments and hosting behind it, while the developer sets up and tests the reader journey.
Why authors choose Wix
Authors need more than a place to list books. Wix combines templates, AI tools, a blog, a store, events and email marketing in one dashboard, so a debut writer can launch quickly and an established author can add a store or a tour page later without moving platforms.
Other types of websites to create
How to make an author website FAQ
How do I start an author website if I've never built one before?
Start by deciding how you'd like to build. A website builder with an author template or an AI website builder is the most beginner-friendly option: you describe your books or pick a layout, then edit. Add a homepage, a books page, an about page and a newsletter signup first, then grow from there.
What mistakes should I avoid when creating my author website?
Avoid a cluttered design, missing buy links and a homepage that doesn't show your latest book. Make sure the site works on a phone, since readers who tap a link in a social post or newsletter arrive on their phone. Keep a clear call to action, like "Buy the book" or "Join my newsletter."
How can I make my author website look professional on a small budget?
Use a template made for authors, a real headshot and high-quality cover images. With Wix, you can build a site for free and upgrade to a paid plan when you want your own domain and to remove Wix ads.
How do I make my author website stand out from other authors' websites?
Let your genre and voice shape the design and the copy. Use a color palette that fits your covers, write your bio in your own voice and share content readers can't get elsewhere, like deleted scenes or research notes.
Do I really need to update my website regularly, and what's worth updating?
Yes. Update buy links, series order and events whenever they change, and remove past events. A current site shows readers and agents that your career is active.
How often should I update my website, and what kind of content should I add to keep it fresh?
Review it at least once a month. Add new blog posts, event dates, preorder links or excerpts from upcoming work. Even a new review quote keeps the site current.
Do I need an author website before my first book is published?
It helps. A simple site with your bio, your work in progress and a newsletter signup lets you claim your name as a domain and start building a list before launch. Agents may also look you up when they read your query.
Should I sell books on my website or link to Amazon?
You can do both. Retailer links are simple and let readers buy where they already shop. Selling directly lets you offer signed copies, bundles and special editions, but you handle payments, shipping and customer questions.
Is Wix good for author websites?
Wix suits authors who want to manage their own site without code. It offers author templates, an AI website builder, a blog, a store for print and digital books, events with RSVPs or tickets and email marketing in one dashboard.
Can ChatGPT build an author website?
ChatGPT can write copy and plan pages, and some platforms connect to it directly. With Wix, you can type @Wix in ChatGPT to get a site plan and a Wix Harmony site, then edit it. Check every book detail and link before you publish.
What is the best website builder for authors?
The best builder is one you can update yourself and that supports how you sell: retailer links, a store, a newsletter and events. Compare templates, ease of updating, store options and total yearly cost before you choose.
