I'm currently working on my book and planning ahead for marketing. I see conflicting advice online about whether having a dedicated author website is strictly necessary from day one.

For those of you who have been doing this a while:

• Did you set up a website right away, or did you wait until you had a few books out?

• If you don't have one, do you feel like you are missing out on readers or newsletter signups?

• For those who do have one, what platform (WordPress, Carrd, Wix, Shopify, etc.) do you recommend for a low-budget beginner?

Would love to hear your experiences and any lessons learned. Thanks!