Blog, then book, and now author’s website. Take that, J.K.Rowling! En garde!
Well, didn’t my “all-inclusive” package with FriesenPress.com include them setting me up with my very own author’s website. I’ll have to get Mom to Google it a thousand times or so, as this is about the limit of my knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO). I don’t dare reblog my own post about it, as I may get caught in an infinite loop SEO event horizon and freeze time.
Plus, that would be gauche.
To help guide the FriesenPress.com marketing expert in setting up a website that I would like, they had a questionnaire for me to fill out. Due to the workload involved in leaving the RCAF and starting a new job / 2nd career–or 3rd, if you count the one time that the brass pole broke under my not-inconsiderable weight–, I’d lost track of the questionnaire and had to hurry to get it done.
Regarding author websites that appealed to me and why, what I included:
1. Mary Yerkes (Classic look, simple, book will look great with simple B&W theme.)
2. Dan Brown (Scroll down to the very bottom – powerful symbolism, which I love. The Mirror uses this in its cover art very effectively, as narcissistic mirroring is a core theme. Somehow, distorted mirroring live the cover design has to be incorporated.)
3. Website attributes I am looking for: Simple, uncluttered, powerful, symbolism, easy-to-find information.
The FriesenPress.com marketing expert thought that MichaelMcConaughey.com would be better than MichaelMMcConaughey.com (i.e., no middle initial “M.”)
I also had to chose five words from a group of descriptive adjectives that characterized the book and my “author image.” (I could add to the list, if required.) I chose: dark (somewhat); personable; mysterious; controversial; and revelatory.
I had him use my WordPress avatar instead of an author photo, so that I didn’t run afoul of a non-identification legal issue.
What do you think about author websites in general and mine in particular?
The Mirror 
Most author blog sites shout out to me as BUY BUY BUY!!!!! Obviously your goal is to sell books, but it didn’t feel like it was being rammed down my throat. Clean, simple and says all you need to know. I’m excited for you and look forward to being one of the first to purchase your book.
Thanks for the quick feedback, Bradley, and your kind words of support. That’s the general effect / impression that I was hoping for.
If you’re ever interested, fire me an email at themirrorbooks@gmail.com and we’ll see if we can’t set you up with a personalized copy. No rush, open offer, 100% okay if you’d rather not, etc., etc.
It is clean and professional, Nav. I think you did a good job of minimizing distractions. You consider the subject to be serious and the website conveys that. I think every author should have a website, overall. Well done.
Thank you, Beth, although the credit must be given to the FriesenPress marketing individual for translating my lose guidance into the actual website.
I did want to avoid it being garish, and I am happy that this appears to be the case.
Impressive! I agree with Bradley, it doesn’t scream a hard sell. Crisp, clean and concise. 🙂
Thank you, Linda. The Nameless One might have the odd suggestion for improvement, given her design background, but generally it appears to be a solid website.
I’m glad that the website links to the blog so nicely, too. And I certainly didn’t want some horrid hard-sell website. Not what the book is about, nor me.
Agree with the comments Nav. Neat, concise and to the point. And Yay!!!! The rose made it there.
Thank you, KG. Yes, the compass rose did end up making it there. I have an option of using a photo of me with a black bar across my eyes, but I don’t know if this is permissible or not in terms of the child protection laws in my jurisdiction.
Glad you liked it.
It looks very good and professional Nav, wish you the best 🙂
Thanks, Irene. It seems to be generating a positive response.
I checked out both author sites and I like Mary Yerkes, Hers is not overly done…just the black and white of things not the “too much all over the place” as I thought Brown’s was. Besides, your cover is not overly done but is crisp and precise and powerful in its appeal. I think simplicity can be more powerful than the “too busyness” of some sites. Just my humble two cents worth. 🙂
Hi, lg53. I had a similar response, upon viewing Ms. Yerkes’ site. Oft times, less is more, and I wanted a similar cleanliness and simplicity.
The one thing I did pull from Brown’s site was his use of symbolism, which is a primary theme of his books. Since I used this, too, I wanted to incorporate the symbolism of my book’s cover design, and to retain the simple, clean, crisp, and powerful characteristics of it in the process.
Seems like it’s come close to the mark.
Nav, nicely done! I agree with Bradley that some author sites scream, “BUY!” Yours is understated and humble, and prioritizes the right things. Really like the clean looking tabs at the top, too.
So glad you didn’t use a photo with a bar across your eyes. I think that would have made you look like a convicted felon.
Thank you, Susan. This is exactly the sort of impression that I was hoping for. I suppose I shouldn’t try to look like a felon, although I was certainly treated like one by the system.
lol! BTW, sent you off an email earlier today.
Got it and have replied, Madam Susan. ❤
Nav…. I LOVE IT!
Now you need a link from here to there. (over there in your widget place) give me a shout if you do not know how to do that ‘k. 😀
Thank you, Madam ~IW~. I’ll see if I can figure it out; it is an excellent suggestion.
For some reason, WordPress asked me to approve your comment. Wonder why?
NO idea really (approve thing) – though I had that with someone the other day who had been commenting previously. Maybe someone spam queued me hey? 😉
Okay, which widget do I use? The TEXT widget was obvious the wrong one.
I did get the Goodreads widget done right.
Goodreads looks good – that is a ACTUAL widget. We have to get creative now 😉
1-Look in widget tabs for an #image widget
2-Use whatever image you like (I recommend your nav symbol?
3- when putting th eimage in it will ask you what URL to link to – LINK to your websites URL.
4- Put the title as your website address so the address is SEEN – not just linked to.
Let me know if that works.
😛 (I used it to link to my Google plus profile with a STUNNING picture of mwa-selfie – 😉 )
…and put it at the top when you get it. (with your goodreads too.) alternatively have a beer, send me your log in details and I will do it for you!
Hope my instructions made vague sense dear…but I have to log off now and get to beddy bye bye time –
Nite 😉
…and I see you got the web link done 😀 awesome dude!
Was worrying me the whole night if my guide was OK and did not sleep. LOL! Bloody Idiot! (I am calling it a practice mid life crisis dear). 😉
Belinda, you are beautiful, and I and all the other bloggers will always love you, silly mistakes or not.
So stop worrying about them, as they do not matter. I suspect they will then tend to go away. ❤
😀 ..for once I have no words… Thank you Nav. aawe. So nice man. flip.
I feel like breaking out into Whitney Housten now…<3 (yeah I will never run out of words will I? Hopefully!!! )
Yeah – defo missed your terribly villainous behaviour! 😉
I do pride myself on being the Scourge of WordPress. };-)>
You’re welcome (for my villainousness).
😀 – ❤ You rock star you!
As if. Were I to wear animal skins and spandex (outside of the Yogateria) and have wild hair, someone would probably call the cops on me for scaring women and children.
Yeah ok that JUST made me laugh lots 😀 😀 – trying to hold it in – but that image dear…oh my…
The artist formerly know as Nav. “He wore a raspberry beret, the kind…”
hahahahah
…loved that song once…before…’and if it was warm he wouldn’t wear….’
I am going to my bed. I shall probably sing that song whilst trying to sleep and giggle now. LOOOORD!
Nite Sir Chief nimble….I dare say – I forget the rest… 😦 oh well…’Sir Chief Nimble Beret Clad Nav. 😉
Pleasant dreams, m’Lady ~IW~
Clean, simple, easy to navigate (of course), and, most importantly, not annoying. Have been absent from the blogosphere, but will be ordering your book when I can think straight again.
Thanks for both the feedback and support, tbzd. People have reported good results from the FriesenPress.com online bookstore and Barnes & Noble.
I do hope all is well with you.
Love it too Nav, very clean and easy to navigate (whoops hehe) – This is such an awesome achievement – well done!
Ah, Mich, you gone and made me laugh with that crack. Yes, it is easy to navigate. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thanks for commenting and making me smile.
😉
Well platyed! Through its simplicity it evokes deep contemplation. You have inspired me to take the leap and will follow in your wake how it took shape and a proposal is born. Keep on Keepin’ on you have found your destiny. JBC 😎
Thank you, JBC. I’ve just come back from reading your post. I am honoured that my book proposal posts were of some assistance to you, and I am excited for you in your journey.
Michael Hyatt has an e-book on writing book proposals, so I might get it an have a read to see how I could have improved mine.
❤
Congratulations my dear. It looks terrific. 🙂
Thank you, Sue. I do appreciate your vote in favour, as it buttresses my confidence in it.
I haven’t been around, and I suspect that my email alerts are again SNAFU’d. Sigh.
Yes, you’ve been noticeable by your absence my dear.
Just said “Hello.” Have to check my settings AGAIN.
I saw that. And responded. 🙂
I like it a lot Nav! Sorry I haven’t been keeping up with you and wondered why, but I haven’t been getting email notifications of your posts, at least not regularly. I wondered if you had been away but now I see not!! The tail end of all my WP problems of late, I hope anyway…so catching up with you now. But yes, looks very clean, to the point, uncluttered and eye-catching without being a ‘hard-sell’. That’s my two-cents worth anyway 😀
Thank you, Sherri. I appreciate your feedback.
Afraid I’ve been rather busy for the past two months. Cheers.