Author website examples. Pick one and Cactal builds it.

29 designs for novelists, nonfiction writers, cookbook authors and illustrators. Choose one and Cactal turns it into your website, with your books, events and a newsletter signup.

  • Author website design, essayist with readings on tour: warm dark photo of a writer at a desk with a teacup, a large red lowercase name and a red button

    A writer at her typewriter and a tour dates button, for authors who read live as much as they publish.

  • Author website design, novelist with the preorder up front: rose-red scalloped header, plum serif text, an illustrated seaside cover and a pink preorder button

    The new cover and one preorder button carry the page, under a scalloped header like a book jacket.

  • Author website design, nonfiction author and researcher: cream page, a navy serif name and a framed author portrait with a gold border

    A framed portrait and a plain bio introduce an expert, with the book and full profile as two buttons.

  • Author website design, cozy fantasy led by the cover art: cream page, an ornate gold-framed cover of a snowy inn, a brown serif title and an orange button

    An ornate cover beside a one-line pitch and an order button. The art does the selling.

  • Author website design, historical mystery with a study portrait: navy and gold, an author resting her chin on her hands among old books and a globe

    The author at her desk among old books sets the genre before readers see a single cover.

  • Author website design, author and speaker with a community: warm cream and plum, an author reading in an armchair, a white text card and a book cover

    A first-person greeting over a cozy photo, with the newest book and a community invite in one card.

  • Author website design, literary novelist in black and white: black and white author portrait, a white spaced serif name, a gold button and a deep red band below

    A thoughtful portrait and the name in spaced capitals, with a short bio and reading dates below.

  • Author website design, single nonfiction book with an endorsement: cream page, a sage cover with a pocket watch, a dark green serif title and a reviewer portrait

    A one-book page: the cover, a clear promise, a buy button and one endorsement with a face.

  • Author website design, detective fiction with a preorder: dark teal and amber, a book cover on a desk, a cyan preorder button and three photo cards

    A cover, a release date and a preorder button, with news from the author in a row below.

  • Author website design, picture books in a simple grid: white page, thin gray type and a grid of painted picture book covers

    Every book cover in a clean grid, so parents, teachers and publishers see the work at once.

  • Author website design, fantasy series with a storm-swept cover: dark storm and dragon art behind a large book cover, a silver serif title and a picks strip

    The newest book in the series fills the hero, with the author's reading picks in a strip below.

  • Author website design, novelist who also hosts a podcast: cream page, burgundy and charcoal serif lines and a framed portrait of a writer at his desk

    Three short lines say novelist, podcast host and mentor, with the newest book named just below.

  • Author website design, cookbook preorder link page: white page, a chef portrait fading into white, a black preorder button and outlined links

    A soft kitchen portrait and a dark preorder button above recipes, episodes and social links.

  • Author website design, mystery series in plum and blush: deep plum and blush, a large spaced serif name, an author holding a book and a pink button

    A centered name, the series named underneath and one explore button keep it elegant.

  • Author website design, adventure series with the covers on show: white page, a navy serif name, three dark sea-adventure covers and a navy newsletter band

    Three covers side by side and a newsletter band underneath, so the whole series sells itself.

  • Author website design, gothic series with the reading order: dark blue coastal night with a woman holding a lantern, then three book covers on a pale band

    A moody hero, then every book in the series in order, so new readers know where to start.

  • Author website design, nonfiction author with a podcast: a man at a set dinner table beside a deep red panel with a cream serif headline

    A friendly portrait beside the big idea in one sentence, with the podcast as the main call.

  • Author website design, novelist link page in cream: cream page, a round black and white portrait, a red featured button and outlined links

    The new novel, videos, signed copies, website and newsletter in one list, built for a bio link.

  • Author website design, epic fantasy in navy and gold: navy starfield with gold lines, an ornate copper-gold name and a copper button

    A gilded name, a constellation backdrop and one button that starts readers on book one.

  • Author website design, author and speaker in black and white: black and white portrait of a woman by a window, a white serif headline and outlined buttons

    A calm portrait and two buttons, speaking and past talks, for writers who also earn from the stage.

  • Author website design, historian with photos inside the name: dark navy, oversized letters filled with photos of an author in a library and a gold outlined button

    Library photos set inside the author's name make a striking first screen for nonfiction.

  • Author website design, illustrator and picture book author: white page, a handwritten logo and a row of illustrations of a balloon, a fox, birds and sailboats

    A friendly intro and a row of work by type, for an author whose art is the portfolio.

  • Author website design, writer and painter with brushstrokes: charcoal, a woman with a paintbrush, colored paint strokes and a large white script name

    Paint strokes frame a portrait and a script name for someone who writes, paints and speaks.

  • Author website design, graphic novelist in red and navy: vivid red, an oversized navy serif name, an artist drawing and a cover with an order button

    A giant name on bright red, with the artist at his desk and the new book beside him.

  • Author website design, single novel under a glowing arch: a night harbor in navy and gold, a lantern cover, an arched title panel and gold buttons

    One book, two buttons and a review quote, framed like a book trailer.

  • Author website design, thriller writer with a true-crime hook: black and hot pink, the author in a dim study and a dark cover beside red and white pitch lines

    A bold name banner and a book slider with the hook in red, made for a fast-moving series.

  • Author website design, writer link page, dark and quiet: black page, a black and white portrait, a beige book photo and thumbnail link rows

    A preorder card, then newsletter, talk recording and shop links, all in one calm black column.

  • Author website design, poetry collection link page: dark brown photo of an open book on a bed, a script logo, a tan order button and outlined links

    One order button and links to readings, events and a newsletter over a quiet photo.

  • Author website design, cookbook link page in charcoal: charcoal page, a chef in a kitchen above three white image link cards

    Three photo cards for the cookbook, the latest episode and the main site, and nothing more.

Every design is an illustration by Cactal. The authors, books, people and photos in them are fictional. Updated October 2026.

Describe your books

What you write, who reads it and how readers and event hosts should reach you. Cactal writes the pages, sets up your contact form and publishes the site.

How it works

  1. 1Pick a design

    Browse by genre and open any design to see it full size.

  2. 2Add your books

    Your covers, descriptions, bio, events and where to buy. Cactal writes every page and builds the site from your design.

  3. 3Publish

    Ask for changes in plain words until it's right, then publish free on a Cactal domain, or on your own domain with Pro.

What an author website needs

Your newest book, front and center

Lead with the cover, a one-line hook and a clear way to buy or preorder. Many visitors arrive because they just heard about that book.

A page for every book

Cover, description, a short excerpt and where it sits in a series. These pages are what readers land on when they search for a title.

More than one place to buy

Link to several stores, including independent bookstores and audiobook sellers. Readers have favorite shops, and one missing link can cost a sale.

A newsletter signup on every page

An email list is the one audience no platform can take away. Say what readers get, like release news or early chapters.

Events and a media kit

Keep readings and signings current, and give hosts and press a short bio, a headshot and cover images they can download.

A bio in your own voice

Keep a third-person version for press and a warmer note for readers. A real photo helps people feel they know you.

Questions

Are these author website templates free?

Every design here is free to start from. You can sign up, build and publish on a Cactal domain without a card and with no time limit. Putting your site on a domain you own is $25 a month on Pro.

Do I need to know how to code or design?

No. Describe your books in plain words and Cactal builds, edits and publishes the site. When you want a change, ask for it the same way.

Do I need a separate website for each book?

Usually not. One author site with a page for every book keeps your readers, events and newsletter in one place. If a book needs a site of its own, each additional website on its own domain is $20 a month.

Can I use my own domain?

Yes. Every site starts on a free Cactal address. Connect a domain you own on Pro for $25 a month, and each additional website on its own domain is $20 a month.

Who owns the website?

You do. Every Cactal site is real React source code, so you can take it and run it anywhere. There is no export to buy.

Are these real authors?

No. Each design is an illustration made by Cactal, and the author names, books, people, numbers and photos in it are fictional. Your site is built around your own books.

Can I sell books directly from my site?

Cactal doesn't take payments or run a shopping cart. Your site can link to or embed the bookstores and services you already sell through, so readers can buy in a click.

Can readers join my newsletter from the site?

Yes. Your site can link to or embed the newsletter service you already use, or Cactal can add a simple signup form that emails you each new subscriber.

More website templates

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Your author website, built for you.

Pick a design or just describe your books. Free to start, no card needed.

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