5 expert tips for your DIY author website
I’ve been building author websites for nearly six years now (WHAT?!!!) and I have definitely learnt a few tricks in that time. While I did complete a comprehensive web design course before launching my studio, there is always things to learn, and I pick up different ideas and tricks with each website I build.
First of all, I think one of the most useful things you can do is research. Take a look at other author websites with a really critical eye, and make a list of what you do and don’t like about them. Notice the things that jar to you, or the things that catch your eye. Have a think about what actions you feel compelled to take when you’re on the website - is it clear where you should go next, what you should do?
Are there too many colours? Do the fonts look messy? Is there too much text, or not enough? Are the images clear and relevant? Make a note of everything that jumps out at you, and use this information to help you refine your own design.
It’s a bit like reading widely to help your writing - the more you read, the better your writing will get! It’s the same principle here. The more author websites you look at, the more inspiration you will absorb and the more ideas you’ll have for your own (and it’s not copying - it’s inspiration!!).
I have looked at a LOT of author websites over the past six years and I’m sure that - even if by osmosis - it has really improved my own design skills.
But let’s start at the very beginning. I totally understand how overwhelming the thought of building your own author website can feel - especially if you’ve not done anything that ‘techy’ before.
So in this post, I’m sharing five expert design tips to help your DIY author website get off to a good start.
1. Keep it clean and simple
When it comes to web design, less really is more, especially on an author website. You don’t need flashy animations or loads of fancy features. In fact, too many elements can overwhelm visitors and distract from the main goal: helping people learn about you and your books.
Here’s what to focus on:
Stick to a clear structure: Keep your top navigation simple. A good rule of thumb is to have no more than 5–6 menu items. 4 would be fine! I recommend starting with Home, About, Books, Contact.
Embrace white space: Don’t try to fill every inch of the page. Let your content breathe. It’s what makes a site feel calm and professional.
Avoid clutter: Skip the sidebars, auto-playing videos, and endless widgets. Your readers just want the essentials: who you are, what you’ve written, and where they can buy your books.
Squarespace makes this easy by offering clean, modern templates with simple layouts.
2. Choose two fonts (max!) and use them consistently
OK, on VERY rare occasions I have been known to use more than two fonts. But I’m a professional designer and I know what I’m doing.
When it comes to building your first ever website, please stick to just two fonts. You can even stick to using just one, if you find one you love! (Remember the whole ‘less is more’ thing…)
Fonts are one of the easiest ways to improve - or ruin - the look of your site.
If you’ve ever landed on a website with Comic Sans in hot pink… you’ll know what I mean.
To keep things professional:
Pick one font for headings and one for body text.
Avoid ‘handwritten’ script fonts unless you’re using them very sparingly, like in a logo.
Use the same sizes and styles throughout. Don’t make every page a new experiment.
A great starting combo? A bold sans serif for headings (like Montserrat or Bebas Neue), and a clean serif for body copy (like Georgia or Freight Text).
Luckily, Squarespace has dozens of professional fonts built in, so you don’t need to upload anything or get technical.
And don’t worry too much about finding the ‘perfect’ pair. What matters more is that you apply them consistently across every page.
Here’s a really useful guide to picking fonts in Squarespace →
3. Use high-quality author photos and book covers
Images are essential on an author website but time and time again I visit DIY author websites to find the images either:
Poor quality
Over- or under-sized
Blurry or poorly cropped images will instantly make your site feel unprofessional, no matter how great your books are.
Here’s how to get it right:
Use a professional author photo (or at least a well-lit, high-res headshot). This builds trust and makes you feel more “real” to your readers. I have a post all about taking your own headshot here →
Display book covers at a decent size, especially on your homepage and Books page. Let them shine!
Avoid stretched or pixelated images. Always upload the correct image dimensions. Here’s some more info on formatting images →
And remember: images are a great place to add visual personality to your site. Whether your books are dark and moody or light and uplifting, your images should reflect the tone of your writing.
4. Make sure your site works on mobile
Here’s a stat that might surprise you: more than half of your website visitors are probably viewing your site on their phones.
If your author website doesn’t work well on mobile, you’re losing readers before they’ve even had a chance to learn about you.
Luckily, all Squarespace templates are mobile-responsive, which means your site will automatically adapt to smaller screens. But there are still a few things to watch for:
Test every page on your phone to make sure everything looks good. This is especially important if you are using Fluid Engine. You’ll have to ‘re-build’ the mobile view of the website - more about this here →
Avoid long paragraphs. Break up text into short, easy-to-read chunks.
Don’t stack too many images or buttons close together. They can feel cramped on mobile.
PRO TIP: try looking at your website as if you’re a new visitor. Remember what I said earlier about looking at other author websites with an analytical eye? Do the same for yours. Can you quickly find out who you are, what you’ve written, and where to buy your books without scrolling forever? If not, tweak your layout until that journey is crystal clear.
5. Use clear calls to action
Here’s something many DIY author websites are missing: a clear next step.
Your author website isn’t just a digital business card. It’s there to do something. That could be selling books, getting newsletter signups, or encouraging readers to follow you on Instagram. But whatever your goal is, you need to guide your visitors with calls to action.
What does that look like?
A big “Buy the Book” button under your latest release (the number of times I see this missing from author websites STRESSES ME OUT 😆)
A clear newsletter signup form with a short message about why readers should subscribe
A “Read More” button under your blog posts
A Contact Me button if you’re open to media or speaking requests
Each page of your site should have one main goal. Make it obvious and easy to act on.
Squarespace makes it simple to add buttons, forms, and links.
Just make sure you’re using them thoughtfully and consistently, and don’t leave your visitors guessing what to do next.
Final thoughts
Designing your own author website doesn’t have to be intimidating - and I promise it can also be fun!
I get feedback all the time from students of my DIY Author Website Course telling me how proud they are that they have built and launched their own author website - and they nearly ALWAYS say they enjoyed the process too (this makes me super happy, as I’m sure you can imagine!)
So to recap, here are the five expert design tips to remember:
Keep it clean and simple
Stick to just two fonts
Use high-quality images
Make sure it’s mobile-friendly
Include clear calls to action
Feeling stuck or overwhelmed? You don’t have to do it all alone.
My DIY Author Website Course walks you through every step of building a gorgeous, functional author website, without the tech headaches.
💡 Bonus Tips: quick wins for a better author website
Want to take things a step further? Here are a few extra tips that are quick to implement but make a big difference:
Add a favicon. A favicon is a tiny icon in the browser tab, and it helps your site look polished and trustworthy. Here’s how to do it →
Delete ‘Made with Squarespace’ from your footer. This isn’t some kind of legal requirement - get rid of it!
Make the most of links. That’s both linking to other websites (such as your publisher / agent / anyone else you mention) and linking to other pages on your own site. This is really good for your SEO and helpful for your website visitors.
Create a social media links page. I still see authors using Linktree etc in their social media bios. I don’t get it! It’s so much easier (and free!) to create your own ‘linktree’ by simply creating a page on your own website. Here’s how to do it →
Customise your 404 page. It’s a small touch, but it makes your site feel more professional if someone clicks a broken link. Here’s mine to give you an idea →
Use consistent button styles. Squarespace offers three buttons but I rarely use all three. Pick one colour and shape for buttons and stick with it site-wide.
Double check spelling and grammar. I mean, duh. But trust me - it happens a lot and looks super bad when you’re an author. Get someone else to cast a careful pair of eyes over your site before you set it live.
Use a proper, paid-for domain name. A custom domain (like yourname.com) is a must. No negotiations on that one!
Don’t host ads on your author website. I know the free version of Wordpress is tempting but please don’t do it. It looks so amateur to be running ads on your author website.
Test your links regularly. Make sure all “Buy Now” and social links work, especially after book launches or redesigns.
Make your contact info to find. You don’t have to share your email address - use a contact form so readers and media can get in touch easily.
Use real testimonials or praise. Short quotes from reviews or nice comments from readers add social proof.
Last but not least: remember DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT.
I think many authors are perfectionists (I am certainly guilty here) and they can lose weeks of their lives to tweaking their author website endlessly to try to improve it before even making it live.
My biggest tip is to just get something up there - even a one-page author website can work well - so that you have an online presence for readers who want to find out more about you, and also to help get your SEO established.
Unlike a book that (hopefully!) one day is ‘finished’, a website is a living, evolving thing that should change and grow with time and as your career progresses.
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