I wasn’t going to post again this soon. But then I read a blog post that was handing out advice to other authors about web sites and web presence and I figured that since I’ve never actually written a post like this, I’d do it right now.

If you are a new author and you are trying to establish a web presence you are going to hear all kinds of advice from people who think they know it all.

But do what is best for you, and think like a business person would think, which means having a strong grasp on reality, not vanity. Especially you guys out there with student loans that have to be paid off. I don’t envy you.

The good thing is you don’t really have to spend a dime to gain web presence these days, especially with social media. This is wonderful. How much better can it get for an author? Google blogs/web sites are free. You can gain web presence just as easily by using google blogger as you can by paying for an expensive, professional web site.

Now, if you truly want to spend the money on an elaborate web site and you’re not looking for a return on your investment anytime soon, have a blast. Hire the best designer and go for it all. That’s your decision and your choice. I’m just letting you new struggling authors know you don’t have to spend a dime to gain a web presence, and you should probably stay away from people who tell you that you should.

My good friend, a NY literary agent for over 40 years, once gave me a wise piece of advice I never forgot: “Part of the secret of having money is learning how to hold on to it.” And I couldn’t agree with him more.