Around this time every year, someone starts to plant seeds.
Tiny trays. Grow lights. Labels stuck in the soil.
These seeds will become plants that I won’t put in the ground until sometime in mid- to late-May. These flowers and vegetables will be harvested weeks or months later.
You don’t plant the garden during the harvest season. You have to plan the garden, and prepare and nurture the seeds and the soil long before the harvest.
The same is true for nonfiction authors building a website before their book launch.
One common mistake nonfiction authors make with their website
They wait.
They wait until…
- The manuscript is finished
- They have the final cover design
- The publisher says “go”
- They finally “feel ready”
And then suddenly it’s book launch time.
Now they need:
- A place to send people
- A way to collect emails
- A central hub for speaking inquiries
- A polished online presence
But just like strong plants don’t appear overnight, neither does your digital authority.
Why Waiting to Build Your Author Website Slows Your Momentum
When you delay building your website until your book is almost ready to launch, you miss the quiet, compounding season.
Here’s what actually takes time.
- Authority takes time to build
- SEO doesn’t work instantly
- Email lists grow slowly
You can’t flip a switch and get instant visibility. Search engines need months of signals and readers need repeated exposure.
A website isn’t a brochure for your book. It’s your messaging and business hub. It’s your digital home. It’s where you put down your roots.
If you’re wondering when nonfiction authors should build a website, the answer is earlier than you think.
Key Takeaways:
When Should a Nonfiction Author Build a Website?
Earlier than you think. Ideally, while your manuscript is still in progress, not when launch week is approaching.
- Building an author website before your book launch creates long-term momentum.
- SEO takes months to gain traction, not days.
- Email lists grow slowly and require early nurturing.
- A website helps nonfiction authors establish authority before publishing.
- Launching a book is easier when your digital foundation is already built.
The Garden Analogy (Because It Works)
I’m still learning a lot about creating my garden space, but it struck me at how similar it is to building a digital presence for authors.
Planning Your Garden Beds = Planning Your Website Structure
Planning the beds is like planning the website structure. Where will the tomatoes go? What needs to climb? What needs more space to thrive?
Building an author platform starts with defining:
- Your core message
- Your ideal audience
- Your speaking topics
- Your content pillars
Your website becomes the framework for your future growth.
Starting Seeds = Building Awareness Early
Seedlings are fragile. They grow in a quiet, protected space before anyone sees them.
Your website does too.
Building your website early lets you:
- Start blogging about your topic
- Share early insights around your area of expertise
- Speak directly to your future readers
- Build authority before the book launch
This is where the momentum builds. Not on launch day.
Garden Prep = Building Visibility
Preparing your garden soil isn’t glamorous, but it is necessary.
Because I’ll be using fairly deep raised beds, I need to get them filled. I’ve been gathering branches and leaves because I don’t want to fill them entirely with rich soil. That’s my top layer.
For your website, this is the season to:
- Create a lead magnet
- Add a clear email opt-in with an autoresponder
- Start sharing book updates
- Tease cover design progress
- Invite early readers into your process
Your book launch team needs a place to send people. Your speaking topics and services need a professional home.
Without doing the prep work, you’re scrambling. With the right prep work, you’re cultivating.
The Harvest = The Book Launch + Speaking Opportunities
The harvest isn’t the beginning. It’s months of unseen work.
When your author website has been live for months before a book launch, you have a better chance of:
- Google recognizing your domain
- Subscribers waiting for the launch
- Refining your message and content pillars
- Building early trust
Your launch email doesn’t go to zero subscribers. Your speaking page already exists. You’re not building your digital presence in the middle of your book launch.
What if you don’t feel ready?
This is a common scenario and one I hear frequently; “I’ll build the website when the book is done.”
But the truth is your website is not a celebration of the book’s completion. It’s a tool for your mission’s growth.
You don’t need:
- A finished manuscript
- A finalized cover
- A confirmed launch date
You need:
- A clear message
- A strong about page
- A way to capture interest in your upcoming book launch
- A platform to share your wisdom and experience
None of this requires perfection. If it did, I definitely wouldn’t have a garden this year. But it does require intention.
When authors build their website early, they have an opportunity to:
- Begin establishing topical authority
- Clarify their positioning
- Test language and messaging
- Grow a small but meaningful email list
- Create momentum before the launch
And that momentum can change everything.
You don’t build a garden during harvest season.
And you shouldn’t build your digital foundation during launch week. If your book is growing, your website should be too.
→ Explore Website Design for Nonfiction Authors
