We had a little fun this week and asked our expert author website elves (aka designers) at Web Design Relief what they thought writers should ask for on their holiday wish lists. And we used their advice to write the perfect letter to Santa from every author!

Dear Santa,

I’ve tried my best to be a very good writer all year: I sent out my submissions regularly; I improved my writing skills by taking classes and joining a writer’s group; I even accepted any rejections as necessary steps on the road to acceptance. (That last one’s hard!)

Santa, I believe in myself like I believe in…well…you! And I’m determined to make the new year MY year. The year I break out, think big, and get my writing noticed. I owe it to myself to give my writing career my very best effort. That’s why I’m asking for something every goal-oriented writer needs: an author website.

But, Santa, it can’t be a plain, cookie-cutter website. I’ll have to show agents, editors, and fans that I’m the real deal—professional, top-notch, and serious about my career. So I’ve made a website wish list for you. Here are the features my author website should have:

A great color scheme. My website colors have to be appealing and memorable—just like your famous red-and-white suit! Can you help me choose the colors for my author website?

An awesome header. Visitors will go straight to my website’s header. Help me design one that captures my personality.

Readable prose. I’ve been around the Internet long enough to know that Web writing is different than book, story, poetry, or holiday greeting card writing. So help me write really strong text for my author website.

Subtle SEO. We all don’t have a reindeer with a glowing nose to make us stand out against the all the stars. So I’ll need some search engine optimization if I want people to find me among the thousands of other writers online. Will you show me how to make it easy for visitors to find my website?

A great head shot. I spent a lot of time finding just the right picture for my holiday greeting cards. Now I’ve got to find just the right head shot/photo for my author website—and a selfie just won’t do!

Social media integration. Santa, I’ve always been curious about how you spend your time when you’re not sliding down chimneys or managing the toy workshop. As a writer, I need to show people who I am outside my work—and that means integrating social media into my author website.

Fan-enticing freebies. People receive so much email spam (especially during the holidays!), they’re reluctant to put their addresses on one more mailing list. I need to give visitors an enticing reason to sign up for mine!

The right font. Should I choose serif or sans serif? something traditional…or something cutting-edge? Santa, help me pick out the right font to reflect my unique voice.

A reliable host. There’s nothing worse than clicking on a website only to find it doesn’t work (except, maybe, for waking up on Christmas morning to a lump of coal). So a reliable Web hosting service is a MUST—bonus points if my Web host offers a care package for routine maintenance!

I think that’s everything I want for my author website (though lots of visitors and blog comments would be great too!). I’ve worked so hard on my writing; starting the new year by building my reputation as a writer is the next big step!

Your friend,

A Writer With Big Dreams

P.S. I know people usually leave you cookies and milk, but I thought you might enjoy these macaroons and champagne instead—I’m not above offering incentives!

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Are you ready to make 2015 the year you prove you’re serious about your writing career? The Web Design Relief team specializes in websites for creative writers (we know what agents, editors, and fans are looking for). And best of all, our websites are budget-friendly, starting at just $399.

Contact us with questions or to start planning your author website today!