A HOME IN THE ETHER? Do Writers really need a website?

"Do I really need a web site?" This must be one of the most frequent questions asked by on-line writers and for which there is only one answer ... NO, of course you don't!

If you think that is a little odd coming from someone that designs web sites and who has just released Free & Easy Web Design, a workshop for writers and publishers then read on!

The trouble with that question is the word NEED. Need indicates something you cannot do without, such as a daily meal, air to breath, clothes for warmth etc. You don't NEED a web site to continue your existence on this mortal coil (or, at the moment anyway, your writing career).

So, let's re-phrase the question:

"Will a web site really do anything for my writing or for me?" Put this way, the answer becomes a resounding YES!

But let's not get too carried away just yet! It is as well to ask yourself a few questions before you start looking for a home in the ether.

1. Do you regularly send out query letters and submissions, offer writing services such as copy writing, critiquing etc? If so a web site should definitely form part of your marketing arsenal.

You should view it in the same way that you view any off-line promotional material such as letterheads, business cards or information sheets. It should contain a brief biography with contact details and samples of the type of work you do. It should also list any prizes that you may have won in writing competitions and if applicable, photographs of magazines in which you have been published. You can see some good examples of personal writing sites at www.writelink.co.uk choose Writers from the left-hand menu.

Having this kind of site becomes even more important if you are already, or intend writing for the web. As editor of WriteLink I spend quite a lot of my time flashing from one site to another and find it quite irritating when someone approaches me with an idea and they don't have a web site containing examples of their work. The off-line world is just too slow for on-line editors!

2. Do you write a little poetry or a few short stories, mainly for your own pleasure? If this is you and you don't intend to take your writing any further, then a web site should figure much lower on your list of priorities. If you like the idea of sharing your work with your friends and family, only consider this option if you have cash or time to spare. Otherwise there are plenty of sites on the web that will allow you to show case your work on their sites. www.AbcTales.com is a good choice, but there are lots of others.

3. Do you have a book to promote? Selling and promoting on-line is a very cheap and effective method of selling your book, but you need to get things right from the start. This means you definitely should set up a site for your book. The site in itself is not enough to generate sales, but it is an essential part of the whole marketing package that should include both on and off-line promotion. For more ideas on book promotion see The WriteLink to Promoting & Selling Your Book at www.thebookblurb.co.uk This one's free!

4. How good are you at learning new skills? To get the best out of your web site you need to be able to up date it regularly and use it for what it is, one of the many marketing tools available to promote yourself and your work.

There are two ways you can do this: pay a web designer to build and maintain the site for you or do it yourself. The first will almost certainly involve some expense, how much depends upon the size and sophistication of the site, how and where it's hosted, how often up dates are required and various other factors which we need not go into here!

You may have an obliging friend who will do the necessary for you, but the trouble with obliging friends is that they often grow tired of updating and maintaining the site on a regular basis.

Unless you have a lot of money to throw at it, for freelance writers with a little willingness to learn, the best option is to do it yourself.

Creating a web site is not difficult! The Free & Easy Web Design workshop that I've just written is based on using a web authoring programme that is very like Word, a word processor that most of us already use on a daily basis. So, if you can use a word processor, you can create a web site! The workshop takes you through the process of building a simple site and uploading it to the web.

The big advantage with building and maintaining your own site is that costs are very small and you are in complete control of updating whenever and with whatever you want.

Whichever option you choose do bare in mind that the site alone will do nothing to bring you honour, recognition or more importantly, cash! Unless your web designer offers this as an extra service, and most of them don't, you will also have to learn some marketing skills to make people aware of your cyber presence.

It's worth expanding a little on this since marketing is vital to the success or otherwise of your site.

If you decide a web site will be beneficial to you, don't fall into the trap of thinking that you can leave it to its own devices and you'll get a steady stream of visitors. Think of it like this, you wouldn't move into a new house and not let as many people as possible know your new address would you?

The same holds true with your web site. You must take an active part in its promotion and keep it up dated on a regular basis.

Another point to bare in mind, if you are using it as an on-line brochure beware of thinking that all editors will visit your site to view clips. On-line editors will almost certainly do this if they are interested in using your work, off-line editors can be a different kettle of fish all together!

Although a dying breed, there are still plenty of print based editors out there that are technophobes and only pay lip service to the internet so don't put all your eggs in one basket, keep a firm foot hold in the tangible world as well!

RESOURCES:

Free & Easy Web Design, hands-on workshop for writers, authors and publishers with books, services or newsletters to promote.
www.thebookblurb.co.uk

The WriteLink to Promoting & Selling Your Book.
Tips on how to promote your book both on and off line.
www.thebookblurb.co.uk

ABCTales
Site for show casing fiction and poetry. Discussion lists and writing tips.
www.abctales.com