Retailers sell your books, but your own website is where readers get to know you, join your email list and find everything in one place. Search engines, journalists and event organizers will look you up there first. Here is how to build an author website with AI.
What matters most to readers and publishers
- Books front and centre. Show covers, blurbs and buy links to major retailers.
- About the author. Share a warm bio and photo to connect with readers.
- Newsletter sign-up. Offer a reader magic like a free chapter to grow your list.
- Events and media. List signings, interviews and press.
- Series and reading order. Make it clear which book to read first.
Pages to include on your author website
- Home. Latest book, a short bio and an email signup.
- Books, with a page per title: cover, blurb, excerpts, reviews and buy links.
- About the author, with a professional photo.
- Newsletter signup, with a reader magnet such as a free story.
- Blog or news.
- Events and appearances.
- Press kit and media contact.
- Contact.
Build your email list
Social platforms change, but your email list is yours. Offer something valuable for subscribing and connect your form to an email service.
Set up your author website with Tuli Builder
- Install the Tuli theme. On a WordPress site with hosting and a domain, install and activate Tuli Builder. New to WordPress? Start with the beginner guide.
- Open the AI Assistant. In your dashboard go to Tuli, then AI Assistant, and pick Tuli AI, which is included with your licence and needs no API key. Prefer your own account? Add an API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini or OpenRouter instead.
- Paste the prompt below. Swap in your real business name, city and services. The assistant lays out the page, drafts the copy and writes clean HTML and CSS.
- Refine visually or by asking. Click any element to restyle it in the style panel, or describe the change to the AI.
- Add your inner pages, then publish. Repeat the process for each page in the list above, replace placeholder text and photos with real ones, and publish.
The best prompt for an author website
Copy this prompt, then change the name, city and details to match your business.
Build a home page for Elena Ward, a mystery and suspense author based in Boston, Massachusetts. Hero with the latest book cover, the line Mysteries You Cannot Put Down, and buttons for Buy the Book and Read a Free Chapter. Add a books grid with covers and buy links, a series reading order, an about-the-author section with photo, a newsletter signup with a free chapter offer, upcoming events, reviews and press quotes. Use deep midnight blue, silver and a warm amber accent with an atmospheric look.
Follow-up prompts to refine it
- Create a book page template with cover, blurb, retailers, reviews and an excerpt.
- Add a newsletter landing page offering a free chapter in exchange for an email.
- Add an events page with signings, dates and a Book Elena form for clubs.
Create it with Tuli Builder.
SEO tips for authors
- Give each book its own page with a unique description.
- Blog about your genre, research and writing process.
- Use schema for books and your author profile. See what is schema markup.
FAQ
Do I need my own domain?
Yes. Use your name. See how to choose a domain name.
What does it cost?
Tuli Builder is a one-time payment from $49.
See the beginner’s guide.