This week I will discuss how having your own website can help promote your writing. You are probably thinking to yourself "Something else I need to do. Oh, great!" Promotion is very important for a starting writer. If people do not know you are writing and can't see what you are doing, then how will they know that you are available.
A website is just one of many ways to promote your writing. On your website, you can put samples of your writing, your writer's resume, a short biography, and other things that are writing related. I have my own website that will give you an idea of what I am talking about: The Writing Heart.
The first thing you need to do is find a place to host your website. There are several free web hosting sites on the internet. They will give you a certain amount of web space for your website. They will also offer web statistics and other services. They will also offer a way to upgrade your service. The upgrade will get rid of the banner ads they place on your site.
Once you find and sign up for up a web host, you need to build your website. There are many ways to do this. If you are willing to learn HTML language, you can use a text editor. If you are not as computer savvy, you can get a visual editor. There are several programs and websites that can help you with this decision. Currently, there is a free course on HTML at Barnes & nobles University which can be found at Barnes & Nobles. Once you decide how you want to build your website, you need to create what your site will look like. You can make it look however you want. Backgrounds, clip art, text. All of this under your control.
Once you build your website, you need to upload it to your space using FTP software. Once that is done, you are online. Now comes the fun part. You have to promote your website. People need to know about it. One way to do this is to submit to search engines. Another way is to put your web address in your email signature or tell people you know. Use it as a place to send potential editors and publications to see your work. However, it is a good idea to place only previously published work or work that is not going to be published in the future. Many editors and publishers think that work placed on the Internet even if it is on a personal website is published.
A website is just one of many ways to promote your writing. On your website, you can put samples of your writing, your writer's resume, a short biography, and other things that are writing related. I have my own website that will give you an idea of what I am talking about: The Writing Heart.
The first thing you need to do is find a place to host your website. There are several free web hosting sites on the internet. They will give you a certain amount of web space for your website. They will also offer web statistics and other services. They will also offer a way to upgrade your service. The upgrade will get rid of the banner ads they place on your site.
Once you find and sign up for up a web host, you need to build your website. There are many ways to do this. If you are willing to learn HTML language, you can use a text editor. If you are not as computer savvy, you can get a visual editor. There are several programs and websites that can help you with this decision. Currently, there is a free course on HTML at Barnes & nobles University which can be found at Barnes & Nobles. Once you decide how you want to build your website, you need to create what your site will look like. You can make it look however you want. Backgrounds, clip art, text. All of this under your control.
Once you build your website, you need to upload it to your space using FTP software. Once that is done, you are online. Now comes the fun part. You have to promote your website. People need to know about it. One way to do this is to submit to search engines. Another way is to put your web address in your email signature or tell people you know. Use it as a place to send potential editors and publications to see your work. However, it is a good idea to place only previously published work or work that is not going to be published in the future. Many editors and publishers think that work placed on the Internet even if it is on a personal website is published.
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