Websites for Writing

ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT IN THE QUESTION CONTEST

In answer to a question about marketing, Jim Cox, owner/editor of the Midwest Book Review, wrote in his July newsletter that a crucial key is "a dynamite website that is more than just the cyberspace equivalent of a broadsheet so as to induce visitors to return again and again and again."

What, exactly, is a "dynamite website"? Some think it is all in the appearance or the design, the content, or the site's functionality. The truth is that the most effective website is custom-tailored to the specific needs of the writer or author or book. Some items for consideration:

database of products
search engine for the site or database
video trailer (more on this later in the week)
specialized web pages
podcast
marketing logo/slogan
photo album/gallery/slide show
live chat feature
downloadable documents
a little Flash
shopping cart and ecommerce
blog
form (signups, voting, contact)

Don't be dismayed, though. You can start with a simple site, like Black October, which I recently releases to the universe. Note that the author also promotes an upcoming book, still in the writing stage. When it is published, it will already have a web presence. The author's fans can also find this site by searching on his name (two variations) and the name of his publisher, Abyss Publications. The magic of the Internet!