Create a Writer's Website
Every Legitimate Freelance Writer Should Have an Online Presence
A writer's website should be a portrait of him or herself. It should give a little background, contact information and provide a place to post the all important clips that are necessary to land more writing assignments. By creating a website to serve as a writing portfolio, one has the opportunity to prove to potential employers that he or she has what it takes to complete an assignment. Its design and content should reflect the writer's interests and abilities.
Secure a domain
What should a website be called and how will editors reach it? First, one must purchase a domain name. It usually makes the most sense to use firstnamelastname.com, or something along those lines. If a writer specializes in writing about a particular topic, that is another possible domain name; for example, www.gourmetwriter.com, for a food writer. Potential viewers should be able to easily search for and find a writer's website.
Organizing material
Once the domain is secure, the writer must decide how to organize the website. There are several categories to include: Bio or About page, Contact information, Resume, and Clips. How should writing samples be presented? One could organize by type of article or publication. Ultimately, one should choose a layout that makes the most sense to best represent his or her work. By selecting the best writing samples, a writer can showcase his or her range of abilities. He or she should, however, avoid posting too many - only the best. The writer's website should flow well and be composed in a logical manner. A site diagram is a good start to visualize the site and how one will navigate it.
Getting technical
Once the writer has decided what information the webpage will convey, he or she must decide what software to use to build it. If one does not have much experience with html, a blog format might make sense. Wordpress and Blogger are both good platforms to consider. Also, the writer happens to have a Mac, iWeb is a great website building program that requires no knowledge of computer programming or web design. Other options are Dreamweaver and InDesign (recent releases allow one to export pages as a Flash document). If the writer chooses not to use a blog and to build your site him or herself, hosting must be purchased. Go Daddy is a good site to consider, offering affordable plans.
Designing the writer's website
Technical issues resolved, now comes the fun part - designing it! It's best for most writers to keep the layout simple and easy to navigate. One should not be afraid to use a little color or an icon or graphic to tie the website together. The writer should look at other writer's websites for ideas and inspiration, but ultimately his or her site should express individuality. Still, it needs to look professional.
If the whole process of programming and designing a website is just too much, the writer should consider hiring someone. It doesn't have to be expensive. One can hire a student for lower rates, or perhaps the writer has a knowledgeable family member might be willing to cut a deal.
Promoting Oneself
When the site is up and running, the writer should print the address on his or her business cards and add it to his or her email signature. Also, if the writer uses social networking sites, he or she should add the website address to those as well. The goal is to get as many people as possible to visit the site. Also, the writer should be sure to keep it updated after he or she has published a new article.
Design your writer's website
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