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Your Writer’s Website: 6 Ways to Give It Story Power

web-as-story

Many writers' websites I see are a sort of mishmash. As a visitor, I'm not sure what is important and what isn't, where I'm supposed to go. Their About pages are frequently no help at all, being just a short (or long) biography that doesn't explain how they relate to my search for information or enlightenment. Even novelists, who have story worked into their bones, don't see how to use story to create a powerful writer's website. Stories are powerful means of conveying a message. Smart … [Read more...]

Your About Page: Do You Make the David Copperfield Mistake?

Charles Dickens - David Copperfield

I was reading an author's bio on the web the other day. It began, "I was born in" some year and went on from there. Paragraph after paragraph. I skimmed. Saw something about Ireland in one paragraph, hippies in another. Gave up. I never got a foothold in her story. When you write your About page, web bio, or even the promotional synopsis for your book, you need to start not at the beginning, but with the map. What does your reader need to understand to make sense of all that follows? We do … [Read more...]

About Me: Do You Make These 3 Mistakes with Your About Page?

About page is a mirror

The About page may be the hardest page on your website to create. After the home page, it's probably the most important page on your site. A reader who connects with one of your posts is likely to check the About page for more information. The About page is your chance to cement the connection, make the reader feel that you really understand his or her concerns and really have something to offer. Is your About page ready? Or does it make these three common mistakes. 1. It's All about Me It's … [Read more...]