10 Writer Websites That Kick Butt and Get Clients

Have you been wondering how to create a standout writer website that would impress clients and get you hired?
You know you need one. Without a site, it’s like you’re invisible. You just don’t seem legit, especially if you’re going after online markets.

I’ve talked about writer websites before, and do reviews weekly in Freelance Writers Den, but today I thought I’d just show you some fine examples of successful writer websites. These sites have a few things in common:

• They have clean, uncluttered design.
• You can get a good sense quickly of the type of writing the writer does.
• The clips are presented in a way that’s easy to read.
• It’s easy to figure out how to contact them.

Some of them were done very affordably, too.
Take a look for yourself. There’s a lot of variety in the approach in these sites, and they each have some particular strengths. They’re in no particular order:

1. Mary Yerkes – An example of what you can accomplish with the basic WordPress blog site you get when you join the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE). Clean, simple, and gets the job done with some clips and a really inviting photo that makes her seem happy, professional, and accessible. If you don’t want to learn a lot about WordPress and which host would be best for you, this NAIWE site offer is a turnkey solution. Plus, you get a whole writer support organization thrown into the deal.
2. Yolander Prinzel — I likes this site’s all-in-one home page approach (which you’ll notice I sort of adapted for my own site). Note how some of the client mentions are live links to clips, and how she plays up her expertise as a financial writer in her “about me” box. Love the testimonial right at the top, too. Only thing missing here is a nice shot of her for the home page.
3. Oscar Halpert – This is one of my favorite writer photos — check out how friendly, approachable and yet business like Oscar is looking here. Also take in his great, concise landing page copy. Shows he knows how to sum it up, one of the big skills pro writers have over amateurs. Most writer sites have too much blather instead of showing they can pack a powerful punch in few words.
4. Kristi Hines – The popular Kikolani blogger’s own writer site is a top-ranked one for the search term “freelance writer.” Hines put it all on one page, and it’s clearly working for her. If you have more than one skill, check out how Kristi presents herself smoothly as a writer, blogger, and photographer.
5. Sally Bacchetta – A fairly busy-looking site, but packed with clips, and a top-ranker for “freelance writer.” A basic head shot is enough to make her seem friendly and relatable.
6. Emily Suess — The Suess’s Pieces blogger takes a risk with the rotating header, as some people won’t be able to see Flash elements, but she makes it work with a great photo that really shows her personality. A top-ranked site for “freelance writer.” For copywriters, she shows you how to lure prospects by crushing the copy on your own site, with her great headline, “Say it with me.”
7. Pat Howard – Dig his young attitude in the photos, which also plays into one of his specialties: TV writing. Nice testimonial page. Great example of how to show your personality on your site without oversharing or seeming unprofessional. A simple, effective site.
8. David LaMartina – This writer recently joined the Den and got his site done by Sean Platt’s new WordPress design/hosting/support company, OutstandingSETUP. I’d been hearing about this company but hadn’t had a chance to check out their work, and now that I have, all I can say is WOW. Real nice for $17 a month, eh? If you’ve been considering shelling out hundreds to a designer to custom-make your site, you might want to think about this as an alternative. I find many designers are in love with flashy things and don’t know a lot about conversion, where OutstandingSetup’s team understands what your site needs to have, and leaves out the distractions. This is a visually pleasant, clean, simple site that gets the job done on a budget.
9. Ed Gandia – The Wealthy Freelancer co-author recently told me he hasn’t updated his writer site in years. You can see why he doesn’t have to, as it’s got everything you need. Especial awesome here: His free-for-subscribers product that’s focused on his prospects, The Software Marketer’s Lead Generation Report. Can you say “Way to build a prospect list?” Also his landing page headline immediately shows he gets his software-company audience: “Results-Driven Copy and Strategy That Resonate with Today’s Overmarketed (and Hard-to-Impress) Technology Buyer.”
10. Carol Tice – OK, obviously, I’m biased here. But I did work hard redoing my site, and I do get a lot of nice gigs through it. I’m particularly pleased with my resume page, which is now a tab called Where I’ve Been.