In addition to showcasing your writing, a Web site enables you to host publicity materials at practically no cost. Instead of sending press releases and photographs via overnight mail, you can make the material available immediately to anyone.
Online press kits usually include an author biography, book descriptions and artwork, book excerpts, and high-resolution photographs suitable for reproduction in print publications. Some authors include a sample interview, with "suggested" questions and answers.
Here's an excellent example of an online author press kit:
#www.TLHines.com/presskit. html#
The kit includes PDF documents of press releases for the release of each book, suggested interview questions and answers, and a page of "interesting facts" about the author and his latest title. Several high-resolution photographs of the author in black-and-white and color are offered, suitable for reproduction in newspapers or magazines.
Here's an online press kit for author David Baldacci:
#www.DavidBaldacci.com/press#
And here, Baldacci provides the "Top 10" questions he's asked most often in interviews:
#www.DavidBaldacci.com/faq#
Some authors choose not to dedicate a specific area of their site to a press room. According to their theory, "publicity" materials are interesting to readers as well as the media, providing an "insider" feel. Instead of an online press room, these authors have a variety of pages dedicated to "touring," "photos," "biography," and other content.