Author Websites

I've been considering this topic for a long time, but have never gotten around to posting it. Too many topics, not enough time, if you know what I mean. :)

Anyway...over on Quill N Ink, bachsoprano brought up the topic, and I started thinking about it again, so I decided to post about it this morning before I head on off to jury duty. (Bleh.)

How important do you think a website is to a writer?

If you're already published and you have a website, can you tell the difference your website made in your sales? Or, is that even why you have a website?

Do you feel that a website is helpful in gaining and/or keeping an agent? Or do they even look at them if they're considering your work?

If you're not published yet, do you have a website? If you don't have credits yet, what do you include on your website?

What content do you think is important to a writer's website?

What content do you think looks unprofessional on a writer's website?

Did you build your own? Or hire someone to build it for you?

Want to share your links so we can all ooooh and aaaah over your sites???

(For the record, I love looking at writers' websites and if I'm already aware you have a site, I've probably looked at it, especially if you're someone whose work I enjoy reading or someone whose LJ I follow regularly, whether you're published or not.)

Anything else? Comments? Suggestions for writers and struggling writers looking to build a site?

I'm sure I've left out important questions, but it's early and I'm still pretty wiped out from yesterday.