I Built a Full Author Website With Only Free Resources — Here’s What Worked

If you’re a new author building your first site, you already know the pressure.

You want your website ready before your book launch.
You need pages.
You need posts.
You need images.
And you need them fast.

Building a site from scratch feels overwhelming.
I get it. You’re trying to write, market, and promote at the same time. But here’s the good news. You don’t need to create everything from zero. Free content resources exist, and they can literally save you weeks.

When you use free tools, you create faster.
You publish faster.
You look professional faster.
And then you can return to what matters: writing your book and meeting your readers.

Your website is your home online.
It’s your book’s launchpad.
So getting it live quickly is the mission.

Why Free Content Resources Help New Authors

One of the biggest challenges with a new website is filling it with content.
Not great content.
Not award-winning content.
Just enough content so your site doesn’t look empty.

You’re not trying to rank on Google yet.
But you don’t want visitors to see an “Under Construction” page.
That kills momentum.

You need real pages.
Real posts.
Real visuals.

The problem?
Creating everything yourself takes forever.
And if you’re on a budget, you can’t outsource.

That’s where free content resources come in.

They give you a foundation.
A starting point.
Raw material you can publish, edit, repurpose, and redesign.

Some sites give you free articles you can use immediately.
Others give you royalty-free images, icons, banners, or templates.

The big rule?
Don’t copy random content from the internet.
Only use legitimate free-to-use or royalty-free sources so you never run into copyright issues.

When you mix these resources, you can build a decent website in days instead of months.

Types of Content You Can Use

To make your new author website interesting, you need variety.
Not 10 pages that all look the same.
Here are the types of free content you can safely use:

1. Written Content

Free articles, PLR content, public domain texts.
You can edit them to fit your brand.
You can also use free prompts or quick tips to fill smaller sections.

2. Images & Photos

Free stock images transform any plain page.
Headers.
Thumbnails.
Feature images.
All of this makes your site instantly more professional.

3. Illustrations & Icons

Vectors, icons, clipart.
Perfect for designing banners, blog images, or post thumbnails.

4. Graphics for Social Media

If you’ll be sharing posts (you should), free graphics save you hours.

5. Videos & Audio Clips

Some creators release these under open licenses.
They make your site feel premium.

6. Public Domain Quotes or Book Excerpts

These always perform well with readers.

When you mix all of this, your site goes from empty to engaging almost instantly.

10 Best Free Resources for New Author Websites

Here are the best free platforms you can use right now:

1. ArticleBiz – Free General Articles

Good for quick filler posts.
Just note: you must publish the articles “as is.”
Pair them with your own writing for uniqueness.

2. TheBetter.News – Free News Articles

Perfect if you want timely content.
You can even translate articles.
No attribution required.

3. ChatGPT or Google Gemini – Free Article Generation

Love AI or hate it, the speed is unbeatable.
You can create unlimited content.
Just never publish AI text raw — always edit and personalise it.

4. Pixabay – My Daily Workhorse

Huge library.
Images.
Vectors.
Graphics.
All free, even for commercial use.

5. Canva – Free Image Creation

Even the free plan is powerful.
You can design headers, banners, social graphics, anything.
Just customise templates so you don’t look like every other Canva user.

6. Wikimedia Commons – 127 Million Free Media Files

Images, audio, video.
Check each license, but most are free to use.

7. OpenClipArt – Free Clipart & Vectors

Perfect for designs, headers, and fun visuals.

8. Cool Backgrounds – Free Abstract Backgrounds

Great for making your pages visually appealing.
Simple but effective.

9. My Free Logo Maker – Free Logos

Create a basic logo fast.
Helps you build brand identity from day one.

10. Free Website Platforms – WordPress, Wix, Blogger

If your site isn’t created yet, these platforms give you templates and tools to start instantly.

Tips for Using Free Content

Free content means one thing: it’s not unique.
But that’s fine at the beginning.

Your goal right now is not SEO.
Your goal is looking presentable.

Aim for:

• About 15 posts
• A homepage
• An about page
• A simple contact page
• A few images
• A clean layout

Once everything is live, then you can improve and replace content over time.

Always check licensing.
Always rewrite or edit.
Always aim to be original eventually.

Think of this as your starter pack.

Summary

Starting a new author website feels heavy, but it doesn’t need to.
Free content resources help you skip the slow parts.
You can publish pages, add visuals, and launch your site quickly — without spending money.

Remember:
This isn’t your final website.
This is your first version.
Every great website starts with the bare minimum.

Use these resources.
Build momentum.
Launch fast.
Improve later.