Guides

Tips & Guides for Authors

Everything you need to know about building your author website, growing your email list, and selling books directly to readers.

Indie Author Top Questions (2026)

Quick, direct answers to the questions indie authors ask most: selling books directly, building an email list, launching a book, and setting up an author website.

What to Include on an Author Website (2026)

What to include on an author website in 2026: the five essentials, supporting pages, technical foundations, and a full checklist you can work through.

How to Prepare for a Book Launch: A Guide for Indie Authors (2026)

How to prepare for a book launch as an indie author: a 60/30/14/7-day countdown, ARC readers, pre-orders, a six-week email sequence, and a pre-launch checklist.

How Indie Authors Build an Email List (2026)

How indie authors build an email list: signup forms, reader magnets that convert, pop-ups, and where to promote your signup, plus magnet ideas by genre.

Tertulia for Authors: The Questions Indie Authors Ask (2026)

Every question indie authors ask about Tertulia for Authors: how the ISBN site build works, what it costs, custom domains, direct book sales, and merch.

Best Author Website Builders, Tested & Compared (2026)

Compare the best author website builders for 2026: Tertulia, Squarespace, Wix, WordPress, Substack, Zenpage, and BookBub, on price, direct book sales, email, and setup.

Squarespace

Tertulia for Authors vs Squarespace

Tertulia for Authors vs Squarespace for author websites: pricing, direct book sales, email, and setup compared so you can pick the right platform.

Wix

Tertulia for Authors vs Wix

Tertulia for Authors vs Wix: design flexibility versus author-specific features, direct book sales, and faster setup from your ISBN.

WordPress

Tertulia for Authors vs WordPress

Tertulia for Authors vs WordPress.org: a managed author site with direct sales versus self-hosted control and maintenance. Pricing and setup compared.

Substack

Tertulia for Authors vs Substack

Tertulia for Authors vs Substack: a website you own with direct book sales versus a paid newsletter on a platform you do not own. Pricing and features compared.

Zenpage

Tertulia for Authors vs Zenpage

Tertulia for Authors vs Zenpage: two author-specific builders compared on direct book sales, email, ISBN import, and support.

BookBub

Tertulia for Authors vs BookBub

Tertulia for Authors vs BookBub: a website you own with direct book sales versus a promotion channel that drives readers to retailers, and how they work together.

Should Authors Sell Books Directly on Their Website? Pros, Cons & How to Start

Should authors sell books directly on their website? Explore the real pros, cons, and a step-by-step guide to setting up direct sales—and keeping more of your revenue.

Best Website Platform for Authors in 2026 (Compared: WordPress, Squarespace, Wix & More)

Compare the best website platforms for authors. Find out which is better for your needs, including WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and platforms built for authors.

Author Newsletter Best Practices (What to Send & How Often)

Master author newsletter best practices. Learn what to send, how often, subject line tips, and strategies to boost reader engagement.

Tertulia for Authors Newsletter

Practical ideas, publishing insights, and opportunities for authors — including a weekly invitation to our signature Office Hours expert panels. No Tertulia account required.