Another page you’ll definitely want to have on the website promoting your book is a Contact page. This page provides information about how to reach the author or whoever is responsible for handling your communications (executive assistant, agent, manager, etc.).

The page is absolutely necessary for anyone seeking media coverage. Even though you may have sent out press releases or media kits with your contact information on it, sometimes reporters or bloggers who haven’t received that information (or who have misplaced it) will stumble across your website. Especially if you’ve authored a nonfiction book and so can be considered an expert on the subject at hand, the media may wish to contact you.

The downside of the Contact page is fans, spammers and crazy exes also will know how to reach you. If you worry about that, you probably want to leave off some contact information.

Generally, your Contact page should contain at least one of the following:
• Email address – Most turnkey websites offer email services. You may want to set up an email account that all book-related communication goes through so that your regular email account isn’t available to the general public. Further – and while this will allow spammers to hit you – set up a link on the page so that simply by clicking the address someone immediately can email you.
• Mailing address – If concerned about receiving unwanted snail mail, set up a business P.O. box where letters can be sent and received. Of course, you’ll have to pay for the box, raising your self-publishing costs.
• Telephone number – Don’t forget to include the area code. This also might be set up so that those with the service simply can click onto the number and dial you from their computer.
• Fax – Ditto the telephone number instructions.

I only include my email address on my Contact page (I’ve got some crazy exes.). However, I do include on my page this note for the media: “If a journalist seeking a phone interview with Rob, please send him an email indicating your name, credentials (name of organization and your position there), and the day and time when you would like to speak with him. Include your phone number. He then will contact you for a call back.” A quick web search always has revealed if the person emailing me was legit or not (Though I suppose they could have been impersonating a reporter – still, what are the odds of that?).

Finally, headers for this simple page can range from “Contact” or “Reach the Author”.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.