by Anita Stratos, Proof Positive Editor
So you’ve given your new book as much social media play as you possibly can. Your efforts have resulted in a nice, steady uptick in visitors to your author website, which is just what you wanted.
Your blog talks about things like your writing process, inspirations for your book, your characters, your favorite writing spots, real world issues related to your book – whatever you feel is relevant and interesting.
Could any of this actually be working against the sale of your book?
If your website or blog posts contain misspellings, grammatical errors, poor phrasing – all those things you’ve hopefully had edited out of your book – then your credibility will take a hit.
Your website and blog posts may very well be the first impression many potential readers 
get of you and your writing, and as the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Readers view your website and blog posts as a reflection of you and your work. If your blog posts don’t show that you care enough to double and triple check for errors or write in a meaningful way, readers will understandably assume your book will be the same.
If you can’t step back from your writing far enough to see what needs fixing, ask a friend or fellow writer you trust to help, or see if your editor is willing to do it for a small fee.
One last note: choose your font carefully. This isn’t just a lot of type hype – fonts speak to readers. There are entire studies on the psychology of typography and the messages different fonts convey. Just like choosing the right name for your characters depending on their personalities (you wouldn’t name a tough, bar brawling assassin Harvey Milktoast), you also wouldn’t use a futuristic-looking font to describe a cozy, laid-back country romance story or Comic Sans font for a thriller.
With a shiny clean website, you’ll give your book a much better chance.