If you're anything like me, you've probably spent more hours than you'd like to admit staring at website templates, trying to figure out what to write in your bio, or what exactly should go on your homepage. Over the years, I’ve tried building author websites using WordPress, Showit, and GoDaddy. All of them worked—technically. But none of them were exactly easy. Even the “drag-and-drop” ones came with a steep learning curve and endless decisions.
Recently, I discovered Tertulia, and I'm not exaggerating when I say it’s the easiest platform I’ve ever used to set up an author website.
What Makes Tertulia Different?
Tertulia is made specifically for authors. That alone makes a huge difference. It’s not a generic website builder that you have to wrestle into submission—it’s built with the exact needs of authors in mind.
Right from the start, Tertulia guides you through a step-by-step setup process that asks simple questions: What’s your author name? What books have you published? Where can readers buy them? Where should they follow you online? It turns your answers into a polished, professional site automatically. No design skills needed.
You can check out my site here: jamielbiggs.com
I had a fully functional website up and running in under 30 minutes—and it looked better than anything I’ve spent hours tweaking on other platforms.
A New Feature from a Reader-Focused Platform
What’s cool is that this website builder is a brand-new feature from Tertulia, which is already known as a book discovery platform for readers. They’ve built their platform around helping people find books they’ll love—curating recommendations from book clubs, social media, podcasts, and more. Now they’re turning some of that attention to us, the authors, by making it easier to show up online with a clean, professional website. It’s a smart move that connects both sides of the book world: the writers creating the stories and the readers looking for their next favorite.
The Setup Process Is a Dream
What surprised me most was how intuitive everything felt. Uploading my book covers was as easy as drag-and-drop. The platform automatically pulled in metadata and formatted everything beautifully. I didn’t have to worry about layout, sizing, or spacing—it just worked.
From there, I filled in my author bio, connected my social links, and added my newsletter sign-up form. Each section came with guidance and examples, which made it way less intimidating than staring at a blank screen. There’s even a blog section and an events calendar if you want to announce book signings, online readings, or upcoming releases.
And the best part? The entire site is mobile-responsive and optimized without me lifting a finger.
Robust Features Without the Headache
Tertulia may be simple, but it’s surprisingly powerful. Here’s a quick rundown of what you get:
- Bookshelf: Feature all your books, with cover images, purchase links, blurbs, and more.
- Author Bio: Showcase who you are and what you write, in a format that’s easy to update.
- Newsletter Integration: Collect email subscribers directly from your site. I use MailerLite and had some trouble connecting it at first, but Tertulia’s support team walked me through it—super friendly, quick to respond, and incredibly helpful.
- Events Calendar: Highlight upcoming launches, appearances, signings, or virtual events.
- Blog Section: Share updates, behind-the-scenes, or bonus content to connect with readers.
- Contact Form: Make it easy for readers (or media) to reach you.
- Built-in Analytics: Track your website traffic, top-performing pages, and email signups.
- Custom Domain: You can use your own domain name (like I did) or stick with a free one.
All of this is neatly packaged in a clean, professional design that looks great on any device.
Who It’s Perfect For
- Debut authors who want a beautiful site without a big learning curve.
- Indie authors who don’t want to fiddle with WordPress plugins or themes.
- Busy writers who want a simple, fast, and professional home base online.
- Anyone who’s put off building a site because it felt too overwhelming.
If you’re launching a book soon, this is a no-brainer. You can have a polished, shareable site live before you even finish your morning coffee.
Is There a Catch?
Honestly? Not that I’ve found. You can start for free, and when you're ready, paid plans are affordable and offer extra perks like analytics, mailing list integrations, and the ability to use your own domain.
Tertulia is also backed by a team that really gets authors. They aren’t just offering a tech product—they’re building an ecosystem that supports authors long-term, including discoverability tools and a connection to their wider book-loving community.
Final Thoughts
If you're still staring at a blank template or avoiding your author website altogether, give Tertulia a try. It’s one of the few platforms I’ve used that actually made my life easier. And that’s saying something.
Got questions? Want to know how I connected my MailerLite signup? Feel free to reach out—I’m happy to share what worked for me.
Or better yet… go build your site. You’ll be amazed at how fast and painless it is.
Want to try Tertulia for yourself? Get started here.
Have you used Tertulia website builder? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments!
PRACTICE
Have you ever built your own author website? Think about the biggest challenges you've faced when building your own author website, whether it's been the technical side of things, figuring out designs, or even just starting.
Then, set the timer for fifteen minutes. Write about your author website experiences, as well as what you'd like to achieve with yours. When you're done, share your writing in the Pro Practice Workshop, and be sure to leave feedback for your fellow writers!
Not a member yet? Join us here.
Happy writing!
Jamie L. Biggs is an author known for her thrilling paranormal dark fantasy narratives. From a childhood steeped in eerie tales, her fascination with the supernatural has birthed boundary-pushing storytelling. Her writing promises an unforgettable journey into the eerie depths of the supernatural. You can visit her website here.
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