It’s the web address where readers will find your site. It should represent you and make a great first impression.
The goal is to keep it as short as possible and easy for readers to remember.
If you’re new to choosing a domain name, scroll down a bit to read through the FAQs below.
In order for readers to find you, you need to own a domain name. The domain name is what readers will type into their browsers to see your website. The domain name is separate from the hosting, which is the server that holds your data and files. The domain name typically points to the hosting
Domain names are NOT case-sensitive, so type it in whichever way you want, but NO spaces!
Hyphens are technically acceptable, but not ideal as they are clunky. Imagine reading your domain name aloud: “Visit my website at pen-dash-name-dot-com.” It sounds strange. Avoid hyphens if you can.
Most authors use their pen name as domain name, but some choose their book name instead. (This is especially true for non-fiction authors and/or authors who only plan on writing one book.)
Of course, you can buy multiple domain names.
Your main author website could be associated with your “pen name” domain, and you could point your “book name” domain name to a specific page on your “pen name” hosted website.
At the end of the day, domain names are less expensive than hosting packages but they need to be renewed annually, so keep that in mind. You can always buy it now and decide to disable the auto-renew feature down the road. Owning a domain name prevents other people from registering it.
Domain names must be renewed every year. If you stop paying for it, it will no longer be yours, and someone else can register it. Best to leave your domain name on auto-renew, so you don’t inadvertently lose it!
TLDs (Top Level Domains) appear at the end of the domain name. The most popular is by far .com. But there are all sorts of TLDs to choose from, all with different price points.
Use the search field above to see if someone has already registered the domain you want. If it’s available, you can register it!
Find your domain using the search bar above, and we’ll register it for you.
If it’s taken, you can look for other TLD (like .net) or add an extra word like “author” or “books”. So, if penname.com is taken for your name, consider using penname.net, or pennamebooks.com, or authorpenname.com, for example.
Of course! You can transfer your domain right here. When you transfer a domain, you pay a fee that adds one year of registration to your already-registered period. (So if you still have 3 years of pre-paid registration with your current registrar, purchasing a transfer will transfer your 3 years over AND add an extra year of registration.) This is true for up to 9 years. Domain registrations cannot exceed a total of 10 years.
