Author Websites: A Case Study

Jonathan Lethem’s site appears to have undergone a major overhaul. In addition to a snazzy redesign (with truly bizarre Toho-inspired artwork for Gun with Occasional Music), Lethem’s uncollected work has been assembled in one spot — including an essay called “Donald Sutherland’s Buttocks.”

Now while I can’t find any specific reference point on the website for a Lethem completist, something that lists everything Lethem has written and which book(s) it can be found in, Lethem’s openness here (which appears inspired somewhat from Michael Chabon) is the right way for an author to run a website. The sooner that authors and publishers realize that having a silly splash page and scant information about a book is no way to get people interested in it and the more they embrace providing sizable samples of the author’s work, book tour schedules, a comprehensive catalog — in short, information and lots of it — the better it will be for everybody.

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *