Updated April 2023
Your author website is the hub of your online author brand, so it’s important the design elements complement the genre you write in. Website visitors should feel the love if your genre is romance, be spooked if you write horror, sense a different era if your focus is historical fiction, and so on! At Web Design Relief our designers specialize in creating professional, genre-specific author websites, so we know a thing or two (or three or four) about how to effectively convey the sense of a particular genre. Since we’re always on the watch for the latest design trends, here are our favorite genre-specific author website design ideas that are so good—you’ll want to steal them for your own!
While some of these website designs may have been updated, we feel the aesthetics of the original designs are still noteworthy and relevant in 2023.
The Best Author Website Design Ideas For Specific Genres
Horror
Prolific horror writer Alma Katsu’s website design submerges her audience in the mysterious, murky depths of the ocean. The dark background colors tie directly into the water-based themes present in her horror novel The Deep, creating an ominous mood while also allowing for great use of contrasting white text.
Andy Davidson’s author website showcases the power of simplicity when designing for horror. The high-quality image of a desolate, rural area filling the homepage doesn’t scream horror, but combined with the quirky font, this design implies the horror hidden behind ordinary, everyday life and objects. This decluttered approach is not only functional, but effective.
Science Fiction
Science fiction writer Blake Crouch’s author website incorporates popular elements from this genre. With a dark color scheme, glowing text over shadows, and a mysterious light shining through a sinister forest, this website design hits all the right notes with fans of the genre.
With a personalized header, elegant headshot, and minimalistic menu bar, Nancy Kress’s website checks every box for a website that excels in professionalism. But she doesn’t abandon the science fiction aspect—DNA strands in her header background create an eye-catching design that also epitomizes an easily recognized trope from the genre.
Romance
Best-selling author L.J. Shen’s website is a gorgeous example of modern design. Elegant and embellished serif fonts are paired with contemporary sans serifs. She replaces simple buttons with sultry images to direct web visitors through her web pages while also tying into the romance genre. The use of pink accents against the largely black-and-white color scheme gives the website an upscale feminine touch that will appeal directly to her audience.
Giana Darling’s author website shows the power of a well-designed custom header. With its combination of sensual imagery, smoky textures, and on-trend fonts, the header acts as a great focal point and design piece for this romantic site. Giana spotlights her latest book releases so her visitors can easily find her new content on the front page.
Crime and Thriller
Scott Turow’s author website establishes the serious tone of his crime fiction with its rigidly neutral color scheme and pops of unforgiving red. Having a gavel as the background image highlights the themes in his work and is a notable icon for the genre as a whole.
Novelist Robin Cook’s author website embodies the medical thriller genre without being heavy-handed. His header features an artistic take on microscopic cells and a heart rhythm, playing into the pulse-pounding nature of the medical thriller genre he writes in. The book covers all pop, making his website a book-selling machine.
Memoir
Feminist writer and historian Rebecca Solnit uses vivid imagery throughout her website to tie into her vast collection of work, including her recent memoir, Recollections of My Nonexistence. Her creative use of a transparent menu bar and text block allows her content to remain readable without interfering with her beautiful images.
Stephanie Danler’s website seamlessly incorporates the cover design of her memoir, Stray. By using the same background and title font as her book’s cover art, she carries a strong brand identity between her website and writing.
Children’s Books
Best-selling children’s book author Jessica Hische’s website is colorful and kid-friendly without being overwhelming. Opting for a white background allows the bright colors from her prominently featured cover art to shine. Her website is perfect for both her young audience and their parents.
Author and illustrator Vanessa Roeder uses her website as both a hub of information and an art portfolio. Her illustrations are featured on the home page for easy access and an artistic touch, while the playful fonts used in her comprehensive menu bar direct visitors to see more of her work.
Historical Fiction
Ariel Lawhon’s author website highlights the historical fiction genre without looking old and dated. With a neutral header and on-trend fonts, she couples modern design elements with the breathtaking, historic imagery found in her works.
Susan Elia MacNeal’s website is both playful and applicable to the historical fiction genre. By swapping out a traditional menu bar with the tabs of folders to act as her navigation, she not only incorporates thematic elements from her work, but transports her audience back in time.
Use Your Favorite Genre Design Elements In Your Author Website
You can pick your favorite author website design ideas from the genre you write in, or choose something totally different that best represents you and your writing style! And if you’re not sure what to do, the tech-savvy experts here at Web Design Relief are ready to help you create a professional, budget-friendly author website. Contact us to schedule a free consultation today!
Question: What is your favorite author website? Why?
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