As an author, do you REALLY need website?

[Tina Martin]

With all the social media...Facebook Fan Pages, Myspace, Twitter, Ning, etc, is it really required that authors have a dot com website in order to stand out of being 'professional' or is this a waste of money? I ask because I have a website (www.tinamartinbooks.com) but I spend more time on my blog! Everything that's on my website can be found on my blog...so is there really a need for a dot com?

[Gareth Wilson]

To be honest I'd say that a website is something that is entirely up to the person.  A lot of authors just have a blog, its easy to keep up to date, its easy to keep an eye on things and to be honest its a great way to make sure of maintaining a fan database to help yourself.

 

A full website is dependent upon what you really want to do.  What I'd perhaps suggest is looking at authors like Jennifer Rardin (sadly missed) and go for something like that on a personal site.  That way you can keep it up to date and add features as and when you feel like it.

[ManOfLaBook.com]

Yes, you do really need a website if, for nothing else, as a bulletin board for your work.  It is a lot more professional than being on the social media pages without a proper home.  Also you have much more control over your website, you can run contests, put up your blog, have announcements and just a place for you fans to find you instead of hunting you down on a whole bunch of s

 

Why isn't your blog on your website (or your website pointing to your blog).

[Tina Martin]

I have a link on my website to my blog.

[Marian Perera]

I really hope so, because I just renewed my domain for two more years. :)

My website, though, is more about me than my blog is. My blog focuses a lot on writing and publishing. I rarely if ever post just to say "I got a great review!" or "Check out this excerpt!" Whereas on the website, I have links to reviews, the first chapter of my novel and so on. The blog is interactive, the website is more of a display.