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Website Basics for Writers©2005 by eibhlin morey macintoshEvery writer needs his or her own website for credibility, if only for PR, and a resume or C.V. DOMAIN NAMES AND HOSTING SERVICES GeoCities and Fortune City may be great places to start, but to look professional and really earn money, you need your own domain name and your site should be professionally hosted. Choose a name that's easy to remember, but makes your URL stand out. Amazon.com's name has nothing to do with books, but everyone remembers it. Yahoo and Google are also quirky names that everyone remembers. Artist Lesley Riley uses LaLasLand.com, and I never forget that name. You might choose a name that relates to what you write, or the name of your business if you run a writing or editing service. If you don't have a clever name in mind now, start with your own (offline) name (such as JaneDoe.com) and sort things out from there. And, a writer should always maintain a website in your own name anyway, even if it's just a few pages and links to your major website/s. That way, people can find you easily on the Internet if all they know is your real name or pen name. To buy the use of a domain name and get hosting, start with
www.GoDaddy.com (I also use DirectNIC.com which is more expensive, but offers different features if you're a pro at this. But, for most of my sites, I use GoDaddy.com.) Who should host your new website? I recommend www.GoDaddy.com I'm using GoDaddy.com for many of my personal websites. However, theirs is a no-frills service, so I use other hosts for collaborative sites. Check independent online reviews of hosting services before choosing one. Be sure that they have a money-back guarantee and phone support 24/7. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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