Questions about websites in general

I wouldn't have the same website for erotica and MG/YA books. Different audiences, and potential for inappropriate crossover.

And, no, I don't think it's a good idea to spend a lot of time setting up a website for unpublished books. If you enjoy it and are good at it, I don't think it would hurt, but you should be spending your time writing and polishing the books, not playing with a website. Who's going to look at the website, before there's any reason for anyone to know your name? And if they DO look at the website, what good does it do you, when you have nothing ready to sell?

If you don't have at least one book ready to be purchased, I agree with Captcha. I include upcoming works on my website, but I also have many titles that can be purchased now. I do it so people will know I am continuing to write and to keep them interested. I include romance and fantasy on the same website, but I think it is a stretch to go from Middle Grade/YA to Erotica.

1. Two separate Websites and domains.

2. Two separate author names/IDs

3. Register at least the m/m erotica domain as a private domain.

A.P.M. said:

So, I'm basically wondering a few things. One, if making a website for an unpublished author a good idea or not? Should I bother talking about work that isn't published? Do agents and editors look at websites for fiction?

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The chances of agents and editors visiting your website are virtually zero. I started a site before I was published because I had some stuff to put on it and it was a fun thing to do. People from various social places visited it and commented. But if any agent or editor has ever viewed it, I haven't heard about it.

This was fine for me as that's all I expected... but it sounds like you're expecting a book deal out of it.

And if it's not a stupid idea, should I keep the websites separate or put everything together? Would people be confused by by MG/YA writing on the same website that features published M/M erotica?

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It's not about confusion. The issue is that parents aren't going to be too impressed when their ten-year-old finds adult rated content on a children's author site.

A.P.M. said:

Alright, thanks guys. I had just gotten confused because I've seen different sources-some said that websites helps authors get recognized, especially when they can link to a website in their query letter, others said they're a waste of time. I had also heard someone mention that agents want authors to have a platform, but I guess that's more for non-fiction.

Based off these responses, it sounds like making a website for unpublished novels is more trouble than its worth.

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I think it can't hurt to have a web 'presence' before you publish. It doesn't necessarily have to promote your unpublished books - a lot of unpublished authors just blog. Basically, they are promoting themselves as writers at that point, not specific books. I've heard some agents that say they like to see a presence, others that don't bother to look. I don't think I've ever heard of it being a deal-breaker (unless maybe you've put something highly offensive or inappropriate out there.)

Like others - I would say you definitely want separate identities for non-complimentary genres.

A.P.M. said:

Alright, thanks guys. I had just gotten confused because I've seen different sources-some said that websites helps authors get recognized, especially when they can link to a website in their query letter, others said they're a waste of time. I had also heard someone mention that agents want authors to have a platform, but I guess that's more for non-fiction.

Based off these responses, it sounds like making a website for unpublished novels is more trouble than its worth.

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There's nothing wrong in starting a site early, but you have to understand who will visit and what those visitors want. At an early stage, you'll get a few visits from people who see the link on forums, your Twitter profile, etc. They like free stories, but have no interest in extracts of your unpublished novel. They won't make up a horde of fans, but they will give you a chance to see what works.

When an agent sees your site through a link in your query, they're not looking for extracts of your unpublished work either. They're looking for signs that you have some idea how to engage with readers, because that certainly doesn't hurt when it comes to marketing. This is only something they'll look at if they like your work.

Basically, you need to be realistic about websites, which your initial posts suggest you're not. Your target audience isn't agents/editors and you aren't promoting your unpublished work. You're promoting you as a writer to readers. At this stage, it's more of a sampler of what you plan to do when you're published, rather than a way to get a big following.

I'm a big advocate of keeping everything on one site, but if your split is Erotica and YA, I think you need to separate things as much as you can.

So yes, having a separate pen name might be a good idea. It's a difficult set of genres to manage

Good luck

Matthew (Turndog Millionaire)