Recommended online tools for authors and writers
If you google “online tools for writers” you’re bound to experience some overwhelm.
Here are some favorite writing tools I frequently recommend for your website, social media, and brand.
Author Website
The point of your website:
To show you’re a real legitimate person
A place where readers (and publishers, agents, employers, etc) can learn about you after hearing about you elsewhere.
To be a step in the process of a reader hearing about you, researching you, and eventually buying your book.
That’s right. It’s a step in the process of showing your book to readers. Very few, if any readers will click on and purchase your book after one exposure.
This isn’t bad news. It’s good news!
If the goal was to write copy so amazing readers can’t help but instantly buy. Well… that’s a ton of pressure!
Here are some essential things you’ll need in your writer tech tool arsenal
1. The Right Website Hosting
Here’s the scenario: I meet someone impressive in a facebook group.
Wow, this person has really got it together. This is someone I need to be following.
Then…I go to their site and realize they have a blogspot address.
If this is you, know your presence is sending a mixed message. Your words and work tell me you’re someone to be reckoned with. But your online presence is saying something else entirely.
To be taken seriously you need to go self-hosted.
Buy into that and it’s time to choose a hosting provider.
For many bloggers and writers, this is where the analysis paralysis starts. You go to Pinterest and search “best hosting” or read the advice of your favorite blogger. Then before you know it, three hours have passed and you’re no closer to your goal.
Why it’s not your fault:
The problem? Many of the top bloggers and writers are basically making commercials for hosting providers such as Siteground and Bluehost because of an affiliate relationship.
While they’re not doing anything wrong, these posts make it seem like you’re making a pivotal decision: choose wrong and you’ll destroy your blog’s credibility.
Knowing there are tons of legit hosting options out there means you can make an easy decision. Just pick one!
If you’re stuck in analysis paralysis about choosing a hosting provider, start by reading this article:
After if you want to check out HostGator, use this link to receive hosting for as low as 2.95/month. My site’s never gone down, I’ve never had real issues, and the one time I called for support they were quick and helpful.
2. A Premium WordPress Theme
The next part of your website is the actual content. This is the easy part for you, right?
Here are the basics you need to include:
Homepage – Who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish. Links to your writing and portfolio, and social media accounts.
About Page – This is one of the top visited pages on your site, so pay attention to this one. This is a more complete telling of your story.
Book or Portfolio Page – Have a link to your books (or works-in-progress) page. If you’re a freelance writer, you need a place to link your work. If you’re an unpublished author, you can include some writing samples or a blurb about your WIP.
Blog – A blog is a place to connect with readers, share your interests, and keep everyone up to date on book news.
Well before you publish your content you need a premium wordpress theme. Check out all the great options available on Themeisle.
3. Email Marketing Software
Email Optin: You need a place to capture emails. This is configured with email marketing software such as Convertkit, Mailchimp, or similar.
I’ve used all of them and recommend Convertkit, hands-down.
Professional Email Address: Last year while I was writing 400,000 words, I spent a lot of time researching literary agents. And among the dozens of fancy NYC addresses, there are multiple–ostensibly successful–agents out there who have aol email addresses.
Seriously? How can that be?
Set up a professional email to go along with your hosting [ie bethany at bethanyrutledge dot com.] If you can’t do that for some reason, then a simple first.last at gmail will suffice. Nix the hotmail, weirdmail, and definitely the aol.null
4. A Simple, Clean, and Memorable URL
Think about what you want your future brand to be. As a writer or author, it’s likely your best option is your name. Second best option would be your name and author or writes at the end. Dot com is definitely better than dot-anything-else. And, like we discussed in self-hosting, you want to avoid wix.com wordpress.com, etc in your url.
While we’re discussing that, if you’re a blogger you can get away with a wix or wordpress in your title, but if you’re a small business owner you really need to have a url that’s just a straight up dot com.
The Fix: Use this link to get your new domain, hosting, and email for just $3 to start from Hostgator. You can also have them help you set up a free content migration.
5. A Pinterest Scheduling Tool
Joining Tailwind and becoming active in tribes increased my pin circulation and visibility by about a billion percent. When I look at my traffic so much comes from Smartloop, Tribes, and pins and saves while I’m sleeping!
6. Insider Info on #allthethings
Ready, Set, Blog for Traffic is a great course from freelance writer and blogger Elna Cain that helped me get started right with blogging and Pinterest.
Although I typically love figuring things out myself, this kept me from stumbling around for years figuring out how to do things. I would definitely recommend checking it out!
Are you a writer? Need a weekly dose of encouragement and tech tips? I’m here for that.
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