I've been wondering how readers discover and evaluate new books today. Do you think readers still visit an author's website before buying or are Amazon pages, social media, and newsletters becoming enough? I would be interested to hear what's been true for your audience.

Question for authors: Do you think readers still visit author websites before buying a book or are social media and Amazon pages becoming enough? I'm curious how everyone sees this changing.

July 2023 was the year I decided to take web development seriously. At the time, I thought success meant learning every new design trend, mastering different platforms and making websites look as impressive as possible, so I spent months learning, practicing and building. Then in February 2024, I had a conversation with a business owner that completely changed my perspective. They didn't ask for fancy animations. They didn't ask for the latest design style. They simply said, "People visit my website but they don't contact me." That one sentence made me realize I had been focusing on the wrong thing, from that day on, I started looking beyond the design. I began asking questions like: - Is it immediately clear what the business does? - Does the website build trust? - Is it obvious what visitors should do next? The more businesses I looked at, the more I noticed the same pattern. Many didn't have a traffic problem. They had a clarity problem. Since then, I have approached every project differently. Instead of trying to build the "coolest" website, my goal is to build one that clearly communicates value and helps businesses turn visitors into customers. Looking back, I realize that the biggest turning points in my career didn't come from learning another tool. They came from understanding people and the problems they're trying to solve. That's a lesson I will carry with me for the rest of my career.

My first chapter is live: Down on his luck, journalist Jack Sutherland pitches a profile on famous foodie Serendipity Brown, tasked by his editor to uncover her husband Richard's disappearance. Jack arrives at her art nouveau-style estate, Bishops Ridge farm, and is boisterously welcomed by the flame-haired chef. Serendipity settles Jack into her missing husband’s former study, fueling his investigative instincts. Over strong drinks, she invites him to her upcoming cooking demonstrations at her home. My novel: A week-long demo by a famous cook has four guests hide links to her missing husband. A romance with a visiting journnalist uncovers the truth. I'll be posting a chapter at a time on my site. (I hope I'm allowed to post this, @Faye Ellis?)

FEATURED AUTHOR | Liam A. Williamson "Liam in the City: Things Kids Should Know" — an interactive keepsake book by a seven-year-old author who refused to wait until he was older. Liam didn't just write about his life in NYC. He created an experience. Fill-in pages, creative prompts, honest reflections on family, friends, hobbies, school, and dreams. This isn't a story told TO kids — it's a story told BY a kid, for kids. And This Month, 3 More Authors Publishing! P.S. — Liam's parents said he learned more about himself in 90 days than they expected. His book isn't just a story. It's a time capsule of who he is RIGHT NOW. What will YOUR book be about? Join the next Cohort➡ https://www.skool.com/90-day-authors-2966/about