I was asked to come up with some tech tips for one of the Diamond Valley Writers' Guild meetings, so I tailored it towards Authors and Writers, but really it applies for everyone.
Some people say the first step to becoming an author is to figure out what type of author you want to be. As someone that's been using the Internet before Google, or even the world-wide-web for that matter... don't worry about your author identity, you can figure that out as you go.
Just like the homesteaders, the first step is to stake your claim for your digital identity.
Register Your Domain
If you haven't already done this, you need to do this as soon as possible, even if you're not an author or writer.
Why?
Your future is unwritten, maybe someday you'll need to raise funds for something, maybe you'll run for office, maybe you'll become an author and publish a book. Fame or infamy can happen in an instant!
If you suddenly gain popularity and don't already own your domain name, others WILL register a domain for your name, allowing them to do anything they want with it—and it may not be in your best interests. Sure, they may sell it back to you... for a significant profit, but they could also use it for nefarious purposes. For the more nefarious stuff, sure you can get it removed, but then there's legal costs and it will take time.
It's far easier to direct someone to "firstnamelastname" or "firstname-lastname", than to redirect them to "myname-author" or "mywritingplace". You are welcome to add a middle initial to your name, just try to get a domain name that matches the name you publish your writing under.
In the event that you have a popular name and can't register your name or any iterations of it, maybe consider writing under a pen name?!
If you do have a popular name and you think there's tons of "myname" out there, but the domain name is still available... grab it! Having a popular name and having the base domain for that name is golden.
It will sure help people find you when they search for you, or anyone else with your name that may also see a spike in popularity.
Where do you register your domain name?
You can register your domain name at Dawn Patrol Publishing or GoDaddy or any multitude of domain registrars.
One thing I recommend is keep your domain name SEPARATE from your hosting!!! As the saying goes... "Don't put all your eggs in the same basket!"
Many web hosts offer to register your domain for a year for FREE as a tactic to encourage people to buy at least a yearly subscription. Though it seems like a deal, it can make things difficult in the future.
If your hosting account suddenly expires, it can also take out your email.
If you decide to move to a different web host, it can be difficult to setup a staging site or do a smooth transition between sites. Sometimes taking your domain, email and site offline for days.
The biggest reason is that it is always under your control!
Hosting providers whose primary business is a domain registrar that offer website and email hosting, such as Dawn Patrol Publishing or GoDaddy are an exception. They could really care less where your website is hosted. Of course they would like it if you hosted with them, but it’s not required.
You can do anything you want with your domain will follow you no matter where you go in life. Even if you only have a Facebook page, you can direct people to go to "kevinkindle.com" instead of "www.facebook.com/AuthorKKindle", then when a new best social platform becomes your favourite, you can just redirect your domain name to that and all the previous footprint building you've done is not lost! You cannot do this if your domain name is on a hosting service whose primary focus is a website builder!
