I don't know why I thought about this at all, but as I was trying to fall asleep last night, my mind flashed on the self-publishing tips page I've included on my author website since...well, forever. And I decided, know what? I'm getting rid of it.
I suppose because of my training background I naturally set out to share the things I'd learned throughout my self-publishing process, but the only feedback I ever received came from a handful of spammers who passed themselves off as volunteer writing class leaders and who wanted me to include a link one of their "students" found that would be really, really helpful. (Still don't know what their game is. I checked out their links and no malware infected my computer.)
Yesterday I asked myself what the purpose of my website was. Naturally, it exists to promote my books. And that's it. There's such a thing as too much content. And truly, how many would-be authors are visiting another author's website anyway? All my tips are available practically everywhere. Yes, I added some personal experiences, and I highlighted the best sites for tasks like buying domains and sending newsletters, but again, the page was simply more clutter. Now I have a landing page, a page for my books, a page of reviews, a bio, and a "blog", which is another pain in the ass, but I'll keep it in case I ever have anything interesting to say. Those are all one needs.
I've looked at a few other indie author websites ~ some are truly hideous ~ tiny print, loaded with pop-up ads, confusing navigation. Some are great. But aside from the annoying pop-ups (the auto-play video ads are even worse), all the sites center around the author.
So, that's what I'm doing now. I may make a few more cosmetic changes, but I'm pleased with my decision. I'm supposed to be a professional, after all.
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