How to transform your author website in just one day
You know that moment when you look at your author website and think… ugh? Maybe your last book cover is missing, your newsletter sign-up is buried three clicks deep, and your bio still says you live with “two small children” who are now in secondary school. You keep meaning to fix it, but life (and, let’s be honest, writing deadlines) keep getting in the way.
The good news? You can transform your author website in a single day. Whether you work with a designer (hello!) or set aside a dedicated “DIY refresh day” yourself, a few focused hours can make your site look and feel brand new.
Why one day can make a huge difference
A full website redesign isn’t always necessary. Often, what your site needs is a concentrated burst of updates - refreshing the colours and fonts (remember: less is more!), swapping in new book covers, streamlining your menu, adding any new blurbs or testimonials, checking all the links still go where you want them to, removing any redundant social media links (RIP Twitter 😥) and refreshing your About page so it reflects who you are now.
When you batch those tasks together and hand them over to someone like me to take care of, the results are fast, dramatic, and a lot less stressful than you might think.
Case study: Clare Weze’s website makeover
Recently, I worked with author Clare Weze on a VIP website design day to give her Squarespace website a fresh look in time for her new book’s launch. Clare loved the illustrative style of her book covers and wanted those elements woven into her website design for a cohesive brand feel.
Clare had built her website herself but was struggling to create the impact she wanted with the design. In her own words:
“I'd like it to look more professional. I love what you did for Hannah Gold, and want something more inviting. I do like the spare, spacious look that Squarespace provides, but I just don't know what I'm doing with it! I like your designs - they're clear and uncluttered. I'd like to provide more content that really says who I am. I have some images, but don't know how to display them properly.”
Clare booked my Author VIP Design Day and I radically overhauled the website, changing the layout and design, adding sympathetic fonts and colours, and using the illustrations from her books to draw readers in.
BEFORE:
Before, Clare’s site had all the right information, but it felt more functional than inspiring. The branding from her books wasn’t coming through.
AFTER:
Visit Clare’s website →
After: we brought her covers’ whimsical illustrations into the background and headers, added playful colour pops, and simplified navigation so her books are always the main focus.
The result? A warm, distinctive author website that feels like an extension of her books.
“Wow, it looks fantastic! Thank you so much, Charlotte. It’s everything I wanted, but better! It was such a great idea to match my name to the cover. It’s exactly what I was hankering after.”
Why a one-day makeover works
Most authors don’t need to tear their website down and start again.
Often, a few smaller but high-impact fixes can make the biggest difference:
Swapping in your new book covers
Tweaking the design so that it sits harmoniously alongside your books’ covers - remember these are your greatest marketing asset so you don’t want the website’s design to fight with them
Deleting any superfluous or out-of-date information
Making your newsletter sign-up impossible to miss
Streamlining your menu so readers can actually find your books
Updating your About page so it sounds like you now, not you from five years ago
When you give those updates your undivided attention (or mine, if you prefer to hand it over!), the results can be dramatic.
What actually happens on my VIP Author Design Day
I first introduced the VIP Author Design Day a while ago after getting enquiries from clients who already had Squarespace websites up and running but needed some help to get them where they wanted them to be.
It’s proved really popular - but I’m aware I don’t talk about this service enough! So I thought it might be helpful to share a little about how it all works.
You send me your wishlist in advance. We talk about what’s bugging you, what’s missing, and what your goals are. I’ll let you know how much I can fit into your design day (but so far, I’ve always managed to do everything my clients have asked for in a single day!)
A 50% deposit secures the date in my calendar. That day, I clear my schedule just for you. No juggling other clients, no distractions - just your site.
I get to work while you get on with your day. You might be writing, running errands, or just sipping coffee while I work behind the scenes. Because you’ve sent me everything in advance, I won’t need to bother you on the day itself.
At the end of your five hours, I send you an email to let you know everything is done.
You end the day with a refreshed, functional, and fabulous website!
Who the VIP Author Design Day is for:
A one-day website makeover is perfect if:
You already have a website, but it needs some TLC and you’re not sure where to start
You’ve got a list of fixes you’ve been avoiding for months
You’ve got a new book launch coming up and need everything polished in a hurry
You’re pressed for time and you just can’t see how you’re going to get around to sorting your website
DIY tips for your own one-day author website refresh
Much as I love doing VIP Days, they are not really a budget option. That’s because with my years of expertise I’m able to get a LOT done in a single day - you really will end up with the equivalent of a brand new website at the end of it.
But if budget is a concern (which I completely understand is for many authors), then it’s still possible to give your author website the VIP Day treatment yourself.
If you’d rather go the self-service route, here’s a game plan to follow:
Tidy your homepage first
This is the most important page on your website and it HAS to make a good first impression. Make sure your latest book is front and centre with a clear “buy” or “find out more” link. Remove anything outdated or irrelevant.Take an honest look at the design
Does it look outdated? Cluttered? Do the colours and fonts clash with your latest covers? One of the most common mistakes I find with DIY websites is that there are just too many competing design elements going on - so pare things right back. If in doubt, a monochrome colour scheme is always a classy choice for an author.Update your author bio
Add your most recent achievements, publications, and any current projects. Make it as easy as possible for media and other business contacts to copy and paste this in articles about you etc!Refresh images
Swap in your latest book covers and a current author photo. Consistent, high-quality images instantly boost professionalism.Check all links
Over time, links often break. Test buy links, contact forms, and newsletter sign-up buttons. Nothing kills momentum like a broken link.Mobile check
Visit your site on your phone and tablet. If anything looks off, adjust for mobile-friendliness.Streamline navigation
Keep your main menu short and intuitive: Books, About, Contact, and maybe a Blog or Events page.
If you’re not confident with the tech side of updating your website, then don’t forget there’s a wealth of information in Squarespace’s own video library and on YouTube in general!
When to DIY and when to hand over
I speak to lots of clients who are uncertain whether or not to employ help with their author website.
Often they feel frustrated that they ought to be able to do it themselves.
Website builders (Squarespace included!) market themselves as ‘easy to use’ and ‘designed for beginners’ which I think undermines the fact that, like with anything new, there’s still a learning curve.
Ultimately I firmly believe that anyone can build their own website (which is why I created my DIY Author Website Course). However - it will always cost you one thing: time.
How much time depends on how confident you are with technology - some people just find it more intuitive than others.
When clients aren’t sure whether or not to go ahead with hiring someone, I always say it’s a trade-off between money and time. Which would they prefer to save?
There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s completely individual.
One area however, where I do think that using a designer can be very beneficial is when the issues you are having with your website not looking the way you want are related to its design.
Design is a tricky beast, and if this is something you don’t feel confident about, then handing it over is always going to be worthwhile.
Is it worth hiring a web designer for your author website? →
Conclusion
Whether you tackle it yourself or work with a designer, setting aside one day in your busy schedule for an author website refresh can completely change the way readers see you online.
And when your site feels like you - polished, professional, and up to date - you can get back to focusing on what you do best: writing.
Save 10% off your first year’s Squarespace subscription using code CHARLOTTE10
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