Look, you’ve got to have a blog. That much goes without saying at least. But it also has to look cool, because the author is the brand and you have to get used to selling yourself. WordPress is as good a place to start as any, if you want to get going with social media, but it still begs the question – so many themes, so little time!
Well, here’s my top picks for writers. If any of you don’t have a blog yet, get yourself over to WordPress.com and sign up! All of these themes are free and listed in the WP Themes Directory.
Expound Magazine Style Theme
Lots of options, and I just love the front page posts. This one’s definitely for an author who’s big into blogging and has plenty of photos to enhance their content. Those who are short on photos need a different style – this theme will look lackluster without them.
Esplanade Theme
One of my personal favorites. Esplanade is a great choice for an author who wants to showcase multiple books in the big front page slider. It comes with enough options to make a blog distinct, and a few different layouts depending on your preference.
Serena Minimalist Theme
For authors who prefer a completely clean, mildly antique style that focuses the reader on the text. Serena’s excellent use of typography make it a great choice for authors who lean towards literary and historical fiction.
Sunspot Dark Theme
Sunspot is another favorite of mine. Not many options, but it’s got a huge amount of style and the color works well for authors who write thrillers or crime novels, especially if their covers go with the orange and dark grey scheme.
PinPress Pinterest Style Theme
Pinpress is my choice for children’s authors. A custom background and custom header, as well as the flow layout, mean this one can be made exceptionally colorful and bright in just a few clicks.
Dusk to Dawn Genre Theme
Dusk to Dawn tends to pop up quite a lot – its dark, organic style lends itself well to fantasy and urban paranormal books. It’s got a very simple layout, and may be too limited for some authors, but it’s a good startup theme for those who just want to post on their blog and move to something more complex later.
Expressionista Custom Color Scheme Theme
Despite the dark orange here, Expressionista is my choice for romance and erotica authors. It’s got a wonderfully extensive set of custom color options, and along with a custom background option. Finding a red or pink WP theme that’s just the right shade is sometimes a big chore, so this one is definitely recommended.
Koenda Business Theme
For the non-fiction and business authors among us, Koenda is a good, solid choice. It’s got a clear sense of style with plenty of options for calls to action.
MesoColumn Social Media Theme
Finally, for the author with a lot of social networking going on, MesoColumn has a great layout and highlights the different social media links. A great choice for authors who are spread across a lot of networks at once.