Oh, and did I mention that if you play twenty questions ( Okay,
okay, five questions) with me, you will be entered to win an advanced reader
copy of Chameleon's Shadow, my June 11, 2012 release?
1)
As readers, how much influence does an author's
web site have on you?
2)
Do you care if the visual aspects within the web
site do not particularly match the type of book an author is known for?
3)
What about review pages? What are your first
thoughts when you go to a page dedicated to reviews of the author's books?
*Boring?
*Self-serving?
4)
Do you like flash and sparkle when you visit a
web site? Or perhaps you would rather the author simply get to the point of
what books they have out and what those books are about?
5)
How do you, the readers, feel when an author
posts tid bits and photos of their pets, gardens ect.?
*Interesting, makes the author very personable?
*Confused, causing you to wonder what those things have to do
with their books?
These are questions I have always wondered about, and as an
author, would love to gain readers feedback on. And yes, in case you are wondering, I am one
of those authors whose web site changes as often as the weather. Lol
Please share your thoughts; I would love to hear them.
Winner for the ARC of Chameleon's Shadow will be chosen Thursday,
May 24, 2012 right here on this blog so be sure to check back then!
I'd love to hear what you find, too. I've been wondering the same things for my own blog. I personally, like to read an author page that has personal posts, posts about writing, etc, but doesn't sell to me, too much. But that is just me, and I'd love to hear if other people like different things.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patty, for your comment. It's good to see what readers are looking for when visiting a web site. :-)
DeleteI don't need flash and glitter but I like an author's page to reflect something of what the person writes. I don't mind seeing review excerpts as long as it doesn't feel like a huge sales pitch. I enjoy seeing pictures and posts that allow you to glimpse what the author is really like and what inspires them. Things that I would consider the most important on an author site would be:
ReplyDelete1- A little about the author
2- A list of books that they have out and where to buy them. (Also, if the author has several titles or different series out, I like to see a list of correct reading order so I know where to start)
3- Information about upcoming releases or projects they are working on
4- Information about upcoming signings or other appearances.
But, these are just my opinions. I can't wait to hear what everyone else has to say.
You really took some time to think about your post, Dana, thanks so much for that. My first four books were Vikings, so choosing a 'look' was pretty easy, then I wrote Scottish, then English historical, and had no clue what to do. In the end, I went with a 'look' that reflected the way I 'feel' when I write.
Delete1. I usually determine a writer's professionalism by their writing first, then their website. So to me, a writer's website is very important. It's the first impression in many ways.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the website should reflect the author's genre. If they're a horror writer, their website should be scary. If the writer is into romance, they should have a lovey-dovey site. If their genre is a mix, their site should be neutral. I like to know what I'm getting into right off the bat.
3. I like review pages. Although writer's normally post only the good reviews, I still like to see what others are saying about a particular book or story. Often times, it helps validate my decision to purchase said work. And I'm not just saying this because I have a review page on my site. ;-)
4. I don't like flash and sparkle. Partly because it's annoying; secondly, my computer is so slow that it doesn't handle flash and sparkle well and I get frustrated at the website. But I think that a writer should include other things that will interest a reader besides their accomplishments. The writer's information should be foremost, but the website should also contain articles that keeps the reader coming back.
5. I don't care to see pets and children of the writer on their website. A website should be dedicated to the writer and his/her work, a blog is for the pictures of pets and children.
Thanks for the insightful post. You're right about more complicated flash and such causing some computers to work really hard to load, that's a really good thing for authors to remember when creating their sites. You also bring out a good point about blog posts verses author web sites. Although I'm a partiapater of this blog, The Writer Limits, and I started a blog for authors to post series information, Once Upon A Series... I still do not have a personal blog. I just can't think of a single personnal thing that I believe would be interesting to someone. hahah
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI want a website to be informative and interesting. Our own, www.lornalarry.com, was redesigned by our precious Japanese sin-in-law after he told us it was out of date. He was right. I like posting reviews and links to reviews. Don't like flash at all. The site should provide information not available elsewhere. Your followers and readers should be able to know who YOU are from looking at your site.
ReplyDeleteI also like to provide additional information on the site. It's not just about promoting your books.
Our website is different and separate from my blog, although some folks only do one or the other.
I want the visuals to be appealing and a reflection of the author, not necessarily the books UNLESS the author writes only one genre. Then the site should be consistent.
Thanks so much for the post. Good to know you enjoy review links, I am on the wall about keeping my review pages or tossing them. At this time, I have them somewhat hidden. Click this cover to get to the book info page, click that cover to see reviews. :-) That way, the reviews are not like... in your face... Another poster mentioned that we authors only post our positive reviews, and yep, we sure do. hahah, I always hope the bad ones get lost in cyber space never to be found by anyone. lol
DeleteI like a website that reflects the genre of the writer. It gives the flavor of the author's writing and a few excerpts. One thing I do not like is music because it is usually so loud that I immediately shut down the site. If it was very low and only used as a light background it might be acceptable to me.
ReplyDeleteI admit that I don't visit websites too often, just if I meet someone on Facebook, a chapter mate online, someone's book I've read and I've wondered who they are. Some personal information is just fun. It gives you an idea who they are and maybe why they write the stories they write. When I did mine, my webmistress Rae Monet advised that I should keep it simple, show a bit of my genre, short excerpts and maybe photos from where the stories are set. A personal page showing writing events attended, who they know to see if we have someone in common, and such.
Hope I don't sound shallow. So many of the websites are so gorgeous and so fun to peek at. They've never really caused me to buy a book, though.
Thanks so much for your thoughts, Paisley! I have not seen, or, er.. heard a web site with sound before. hahah. I love to web hope, time just flys. There are some breathtaking sites out there.
Deletemake that web hop. hahah typing tooooo fast.
Delete1. VERY LITTLE> I seldom have time to go to an author's website unless I'm not in the middle of a deadline.. I do blog regularly though.
ReplyDelete2. Don't mind how the website looks. We can only afford what we can afford, I figure.
3. If I'm interested in a book, I will also check out the reviews, though I don't always go by them. Readers are very subjective, and oftentimes, I completely disagree with their analysis...but not always.
4. Open to either
5. Don't mind that either.
thanks
shirley kiger connolly
author of: Flame from Within/Say Goodbye to Yesterday/ That Impossible Dream coming in October
Thanks for your thoughts, Shirley. One of these days I will set up a personal blog, just as soon as I can think of interesting stuff to blog about. hahhaha. I agree with what you said about reviews, readers are subjective, one will just love what another will not care for at all. I like to try authors books out for myself, and decide from there if I will continue reading their books.
DeleteThanks again!