The first major step you'll take after deciding to create a website for yourself as an author is the purchase of a domain name. Although you can create a website without one, having a domain name gives your website the appearance of professionalism. Even if you don't know what name you'll ultimately be writing under, having your own name is important. Pick the name you honestly believe you'll be using and register it!
Why do we suggest you register a domain name even if you aren't sure of the name you'll be published with?
Because you'll kick yourself later if you miss your chance to register your author name! No, seriously, you will. You'll also have missed a prime opportunity to build name recognition. Having a geocities website is all well and good if that's the only thing you have time for, but if you're serious about your career as a writer, you'll want to have your name out there months, even years, before you're published. Longevity builds respect with the search engines and with your site visitors.
The hardest part of the entire process is deciding what domain name to purchase (and then only if you've never given it any thought).
Registering your domain is as simple as choosing a registrar, visiting their website, and following the instructions to actually purchase (register) the name of your choice.
Here are a few tips on how to chose a good registrar:
Pick a registrar that's been around a while.
Price is an important issue. (You will be renewing this every year, unless you choose to pay for several years in advance. We don't recommend you do that unless you're 100% positive -- you have a book in hand with that name on it! -- you'll be using that name as your pseudonym, or it's your real name. In that case, buy away.) If you're paying more than bottom dollar for your domain, figure out if the registrar offers extra value. One registrar we recommend is Register4less (http://www.register4less.com). Although their price isn't the lowest, they offer free hosting of a simple 5 MB website and free Whois privacy service (which means they hide your name and address from anyone looking to see who bought that domain name). Godaddy.com is another reputable registrar and their prices are usually excellent (http://www.godaddy.com). However, you must pay extra for Godaddy's Whois privacy service.
Do your best to pick a domain name with your name in the address. TammyTaylor.com is much better than Tammysbooks.com. If your name has already been taken, carefully consider your alternatives (especially if you aren't yet published). Cutesy is okay, as long as it fits the image you want to portray. If you write hot thrillers, you'll want to stay away from anything too sweet, such as mylovelybookworld.com.
If you want something besides your name (because, hey, mylovelybookworld.com is perfect for you), then go ahead and register it. But register your name too. You'll want both for the simple reason that three months down the road you might decide you don't like cutesy after all and you don't want to leave your name out there for someone else to snap up when you become famous.
Ready for the next step? Check out the next article, Step 2: Where to Start (building your page)
This article was written in conjunction with a free workshop given in the WeWriteRomance.com forums.