Not every author needs a warhorse of a website. If your designer pushed you into a complex system just to justify a monthly maintenance fee, you’ve been handcuffed. Let’s talk about the designer fail that’s stalling your visibility.
The Predatory Cost of Monthly Recurring Revenue
I have heard it so many times from so many web designer coaches. They teach that the only way to really make a living in this industry is to stack up monthly recurring revenue — clients paying you a subscription fee month after month until the end of time. It is a great way to build a business, but we need to talk about what that costs the client.
When a designer is focused on their own bottom line, they often build things that keep you dependent on them. This usually starts with the platform choice.
The WordPress Trap
WordPress is a great tool, and I use it myself for many projects. Sometimes it is the perfect tool for the project. But… WordPress needs frequent updates. It needs maintenance. Because of that, some* designers
But not every author needs or even wants a website built on WordPress.
If a designer isn’t listening to what you actually need, they might push you into a complex system when you would be perfectly happy (and much more confident) on something like Wix or Squarespace. Pushing a client into a platform that makes them miserable just to secure a monthly check is a designer fail.
The Warhorse Problem
Most designers are taught that complexity justifies their fees. They build you a warhorse of a website when you might just need something simple and sturdy.
If you are an author, your website should be a tool that supports your writing. It should not be a tech project that requires a professional every time you want to change a sentence or publish a blog post. When the system is too heavy for your comfort level, you end up with a site that isn’t used. You stop updating your bio or adding new essays because the friction of the tech is just too much. You start to feel like a guest in your own home.
Ownership and Infrastructure
A professional digital home should feel as intentional as your writing. You deserve to have a site you understand and feel capable of using.
Sustainable visibility isn’t about having the most complex features or the most powerful platform. It’s about having infrastructure that lasts for years and grows with your body of work without you having to pay a monthly ransom to keep it running.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
If you are looking for someone to help with your site, ask these questions to make sure the platform actually fits your needs:
- Why this platform? If they say WordPress automatically without having a convo with you about whether or not you want to make your own updates, and without asking how comfortable you are with tech, that’s a red flag.
- Can I make my own updates? If they aren’t giving you a login and TRAINING to your own website… run.
- What happens if I stop making the monthly fee? If the answer is “the site will eventually break or go insecure,” you need to know that upfront.
You shouldn’t need a degree in web design to share your work with the world. It’s time to trade the handcuffs for a website you actually control.
*I am not saying all designers are like this. Some build on WordPress because they are comfortable with it, and they like the recurring revenue model. I’m not implying that all designers are predatory. What I am implying is that many designers who only build on WordPress may try to push that platform on someone who doesn’t need it because that is the only thing they build on.
Finding Your Right Fit
If you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, I’m definitely handcuffed, but I have no idea where I actually belong,” I’m working on something for you.
I’m currently building a resource to help authors navigate the noise and figure out which website platform actually matches their tech comfort and their goals. No designer-bias, no gatekeeping–just a clear path to a digital home you love.
[Coming Soon: I’ll drop the link here as soon as it’s ready for you]
