For my final example of digital humanities pedagogy, I wanted to share a workshop I taught for Writing Workshops Los Angeles, “Websites for Writers.” It has always been important to me not only to master digital tools to make creative and academic work more accessible, but also to enable others with the skills to do so.

Websites for Writers

Publishing companies and small presses are increasingly asking authors to do more of their own publicity, and agents often consider platform as part of a query’s appeal. As a result, it is more important than ever for writers to have a well-designed website. However, a professional website by an experienced designer can cost over $1000 and easily much more, leaving the writer without knowledge as to how to update content. This two-week online seminar will walk you through creating your own Squarespace site from scratch. In the first week, we will cover best practices for author websites, discuss the different considerations that go into choosing a template or building a website from scratch, and learn the basics of how to navigate Squarespace in creating your author website. Writers will then spend the week customizing their own websites. At the second meeting, we will reconvene to provide feedback on the sites and discuss any questions or issues that have come up. The second meeting will also offer a basic introduction to setting up a newsletter and social media, using CSS to code design workarounds, and how to use the Squarespace forum when in doubt.