Websites – Do I or don’t I Need One?

Do I really need a Website?

Like I said in my article (which will be posted Monday afternoon – I promise!!!), this answer is completely up to the individual. You can ask five different people and each person will have a different answer to this question based solely on their opinions. Of course, some people’s opinions hold more weight than others, but in the end it’s you who has to decide.

Those of you who have read GRW’s The Galley will see what I’m talking about when you read Scott Eagan’s (with Greyhaus Literary Agency) monthly article published in the March 08 issue on why he feels an unpublished writer doesn’t need a website. I completely agree with him about this being a venture that takes up a LOT of time. Whether you are blogging, updating you’re MySpace page or even holding contests on your website, you will sacrifice time from polishing that manuscript that could get you published. I’m all for encouraging people to keep writing. Without those words on the page there is no writer.

With that said, I also believe that putting time and effort into my various sites has kept me sane during some very low points in my writing ‘career.’ We’ve all had those rejections, some of us more than others. We’ve received low scores on contest entries when we thought this was finally the one that was going to get us a win. We’ve all heard the comments about getting a real job that actually pays the bills, especially when those yearly dues come around and we’re still plugging away with not much to show for our efforts. Yes, setting up these sites took time away from my writing. And, yes, keeping up with my blog on a weekly basis takes away more time. But keeping up with these sites have kept me focused on my writing when I would have rather given up.

This is just my opinion on the subject. For those still interested in reading more about creating a website, MySpace page or blog, please keep coming back throughout March and April. I plan to post one to two blogs per week on setting up your own site and will have some of my friends guest blogging on why they do or do not currently have a site set up.

I hope you enjoy the posts, but would love your feedback. So, let me know if you have any questions and if I cannot answer them, I’ll try to find someone who can.