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7 of the best Squarespace templates for writers, authors, and journalists

Need a site for your writing portfolio? Trying to attract new freelance clients? These templates are the ones you'll need to check out.
By Haley Henschel  on 
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Our Top 7 Picks

Suhama (opens in a new tab)

Best for a personal website/CV

This bold, one-page portfolio template can easily be turned into a digital destination for your résumé and clips.

The Good

  • One-page design
  • Super scrollable
  • Delivers the "wow" factor without a ton of imagery

The Bad

  • Could use a section for a headshot

The Bottom Line

Simple but statement-making.
Pros & Cons

Degraw (opens in a new tab)

Best for a copywriting portfolio

Degraw is an inviting portfolio template that clearly lays out your value proposition and services amid lots of calls-to-action.

The Good

  • Great form on the Contact page
  • Pre-made blog
  • Good balance of text and images
  • Fade-in effect on some assets

The Bad

  • Sans serif typefaces would be better for mobile

The Bottom Line

Friendly and informative.
Pros & Cons

Myhra (opens in a new tab)

Best for freelance writers

Myhra is pre-enabled with Squarespace's premium Members Area tool, which makes it easy to monetize your writing outside of client-specific projects.

The Good

  • Pre-enabled with Squarespace's premium Members Area feature
  • Fade-in effect as you scroll
  • Interesting use of negative space on desktop
  • Lots of calls to action

The Bad

  • Demo content would look way cleaner with sans-serif fonts for the body text and menu

The Bottom Line

Feature-rich and functional.
Pros & Cons

Mérida (opens in a new tab)

Best for blogging

Featuring a strong visual hierarchy, Mérida makes it easy to design and organize a modern digital publication.

The Good

  • Anyone who uses Dark Mode will love the white-on-black formatting
  • Good balance of text and images
  • Fade-in animation effect as you scroll through grid of posts

The Bad

  • Blurbs in the "featured posts" section are pretty close together on mobile

The Bottom Line

Posh and professional.
Pros & Cons

Manual (opens in a new tab)

Best for selling a book

With a built-in store and dedicated sections for reviews and an author bio, making a site with Manual should be your first move right after securing a book deal.

The Good

  • Mobile-friendly typefaces
  • Rise animation effect as you scroll
  • Could easily be a one-page site

The Bad

  • Drop-down menu on mobile seems unnecessary

The Bottom Line

Contemporary and clear-cut.
Pros & Cons

Vandam (opens in a new tab)

Best for a book tour

Vandam's demo site was designed with bands in mind, but it'll work just as well for authors who are trying to sell their book(s) and tickets to readings or signings.

The Good

  • Built-in store
  • Very mobile-friendly
  • Could easily be a one-page site
  • Fade-in animation effect on photos

The Bad

  • Boring color scheme

The Bottom Line

Elegant and engaging.
Pros & Cons

Harman (opens in a new tab)

Best for poetry and fanfic

Prefer self-publishing over platforms like Tumblr, Wattpad, and Medium? Intimidated by Wattpad? Use Harman to create a minimalist, ad-free site where your musings can live.

The Good

  • Very easy to set up — no need to mess around with fancy settings/effects
  • Calming color palette

The Bad

  • Limited uses

The Bottom Line

Simple and scrollable.
Pros & Cons

In this gig economy day and internet age, no writer is just a writer anymore. A writer is also an idea collector, a pitcher, a negotiator, an SEO specialist, a proofreader, a self-promoter, and a professional invoice sender. They might even be a full-on brand at this point, depending on whether they buy into the Twitter discourse(opens in a new tab). They're definitely a seasoned caffeine snob.

That being said, you'd probably struggle to find a handful of writers who think of themselves as especially adept developers. English, journalism, and creative writing coursework isn't exactly rife with opportunities to learn how to build websites, and self-led bootcamps are intimidating if you don't have a lick of coding or HTML experience. This can feel like a huge hurdle when it comes time to needing a personal website, whether you're trying to showcase a portfolio, attract new clients, sell a book, or just simply blog.

Enter: Squarespace(opens in a new tab), a popular website building platform that presents itself as an all-in-one solution for designing and managing a website (with plans starting as low as $16 a month(opens in a new tab)). Going live is as easy as choosing one of its modern, mobile-optimized templates and customizing it with your branding; technical chores like website metrics, SSL security(opens in a new tab), video storage, and updates are all handled by the platform itself. Plus, it maintains a full-featured app(opens in a new tab) that lets you edit your site on the go, including updating pages, adding new images, writing blog posts, reviewing site analytics, and managing the inventory of an online store.

With a couple hundred templates available as of 2023, it can be tough to decide which will best suit your needs as a freelancer, author, journalist, copywriter, and/or poet. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive guide and a list of our current favorites.

What is a Squarespace template?

A Squarespace template (or theme) is a pre-built demo website that's meant to serve as a "starting point to help inspire your site's design," to quote its support site(opens in a new tab). Each one can be used entirely as-is or fleshed out with different colors, font packs(opens in a new tab), layout pages(opens in a new tab), and content blocks(opens in a new tab).

Templates work differently depending on whether you're running Squarespace version 7.0 or 7.1(opens in a new tab), the two iterations of the platform it currently supports. Version 7.0 (launched in 2014) contains 91 templates(opens in a new tab) it categorizes into "families" that share the same underlying structure and style settings. Some features are exclusive to certain families, which makes it harder to swap between templates without doing at least a partial rebuild.

Meanwhile, version 7.1 (launched in early 2020) has 143 templates(opens in a new tab) it's merged into a single family. They all share the same features and formatting options, which makes it way easier to change templates on the fly.

Some experienced Squarespace designers still use version 7.0 because a handful of its advanced functionalities(opens in a new tab) haven't yet migrated over, but we'd recommend starting with version 7.1 if you're new to the platform: It's much more flexible and future-proof (especially with the recent launch of Fluid Engine(opens in a new tab), Squarespace's next-gen, grid-based content editor).

No matter which one you decide to use, keep in mind that moving between versions(opens in a new tab) often requires a complete rebuild and carries the risk of tanking your site's search ranking. Fortunately, Squarespace offers a free 14-day trial so you have the chance to play around with both versions before officially building your site.

Is Squarespace good for writers?

Squarespace has a ton of useful features(opens in a new tab) that writer types can take advantage of, including pre-made Portfolio and Blog layout pages(opens in a new tab), mobile editing, newsletter blocks(opens in a new tab), social media integration(opens in a new tab), email campaign(opens in a new tab) integration, tag and category(opens in a new tab) support, multiple author(opens in a new tab) support, Google Analytics support, the ability to schedule posts(opens in a new tab), and a built-in commenting system(opens in a new tab) that includes content moderation and abuse filters (plus Disqus(opens in a new tab) integration). It also recently added a tool called Members Areas(opens in a new tab), which lets you gate and monetize content on your site.

In short, Squarespace is very good for writers — again, even if you have no prior coding experience.

How do you choose the right Squarespace template?

Squarespace's Templates library(opens in a new tab) gives you the option of sorting them by type (Online Store, Portfolio, Memberships, Blog, Scheduling, and One Page) and topic (e.g., Media & Podcasts, Professional Services, and Personal & CV). You can click on any template's "Preview" button to check out its demo content, which will give you an idea of how it looks in the wild.

Squarespace recommends(opens in a new tab) focusing mainly on the "specific colors and layouts that appeal to you" rather than the content you see there, but adds that "you may find it easier to start with a design that's already close to how you want your site to appear." We'll use the Suhama(opens in a new tab) and Devoe(opens in a new tab) templates as an example:

a screenshot of the squarespace template suhama
Credit: Squarespace
a screenshot of the squarespace template devoe
Credit: Squarespace

Both are one-page Personal & CV templates, but Suhama (left) is already pre-built as a portfolio site for a writer with sections for clips and work experience; meanwhile, Devoe's demo content features little more than a full-bleed banner image and contact info. That's not to say that Devoe wouldn't or couldn't be good for a writer, too, but it'll take a lot more tinkering to get it to that point.

Overwhelmed by all of your options? Below, you'll find a list of seven templates we think would make great sites for writers with minimal effort.

Note: Most of our recommendations are from Squarespace version 7.1, but we've sprinkled in a few options from version 7.0 that continue to stand out. Templates have been labeled accordingly.

Best for a personal website/CV
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Simple but statement-making, Suhama(opens in a new tab) is a bold, one-page portfolio template that can easily be turned into a digital destination for your résumé and clips — as previously mentioned, everything's already formatted as such. It opens with a professional statement and a brief bio, followed by links to your best writing samples, a rundown of your credentials, and a blurb with your contact info. Links to all relevant socials can be found in the top navigation bar. The only thing it's really missing is an image block(opens in a new tab) for your headshot, but you can add that in just two clicks if you're so inclined.

Honorable mentions: Amal(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Carroll(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Corrigan(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Hart(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Otto(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Pulaski(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Pursuit(opens in a new tab) (7.0), and Sofia(opens in a new tab) (7.0).

Best for a copywriting portfolio
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Degraw(opens in a new tab) is a friendly and informative portfolio template that clearly states your value proposition upfront, letting your conversion-optimized copy do the talking right from the get-go. Once visitors start scrolling, they’re treated to a full-width image, a list of your services, a featured testimonial, and a bunch of call-to-action buttons. Prospective clients can easily schedule a consultation using the convenient form on its contact page. There's also a pre-made, grid-style blog available for you to showcase articles or go into more detail about your experience and expertise.

Honorable mentions: Agaro(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Cadere(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Lakshi(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Noll (opens in a new tab)(7.1), and Ready(opens in a new tab) (7.0).

Best for freelance writers
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Myhra(opens in a new tab) is a feature-rich template punctuated by full-bleed banner images. It comes equipped with a Services section, a blog ("Recipes") where you can put testimonials or clips, an About page, a contact page with an inquiry form, and a newsletter sign-up block in the bottom navigation — you've got a lot to work with, here. But the best part is that it's pre-enabled with Squarespace's premium Member Areas(opens in a new tab) feature, which lets you create gated content on your site that's locked behind either an email signup or a subscription fee. It's an incredibly easy way to monetize your writing outside of client-specific freelance projects, and an independent alternative to platforms like Substack and Medium.

Honorable mentions: Almar(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Degraw(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Growwell(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Laurie(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Meriden(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Noll(opens in a new tab) (7.1), and Sofia(opens in a new tab) (7.0).

Best for blogging
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Featuring a chic white-on-black demo color scheme, Mérida(opens in a new tab) is a magazine-style template with a strong visual hierarchy. Its well-organized homepage can handle a ton of content without looking cluttered, alternating between grids of thumbnails and "featured story" banners (plus a newsletter sign-up block at the very bottom), while its one-column post pages make great use of negative space for balance. We can see it working really well for anyone who maintains a heavy publishing schedule, whether you're a prolific blogger or someone who runs a larger digital publication.

Honorable mentions: Brower(opens in a new tab) (7.1) Fillmore(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Idrah(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Rally(opens in a new tab) (7.0), Rivoli(opens in a new tab) (7.1), and Stanton(opens in a new tab) (7.1). For even more recommendations, check out Mashable's guide to picking a Squarespace template for blogging.

Best for selling a book
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Manual(opens in a new tab) is tailor-made for a site that's selling a singular product — the demo version even stars a fictional author's debut novel — so you'll need to do very little work to get your version live. Its homepage leads with the book's cover art, a short blurb, and a call-to-action button; you can link that to a separate product page on your site, or just direct customers over to Amazon or another bookseller to create a one-pager. Venture down to check out a slot for reviews, an author bio, and a newsletter sign-up block. Some subtle linework that separates each section and a neat rise animation effect on all of the page elements add some interesting visuals to an otherwise basic layout.

Honorable mention: Jotterpress(opens in a new tab) (7.1).

Best for a book tour
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Vandam(opens in a new tab)'s demo site was designed with bands in mind, but it'll work just as well for authors who are trying to sell their book(s) and tickets to readings or signings. Its homepage features sections for your headshot, plugging your book, a list of upcoming tour dates, merch, and reviews of that book. (The latter three also get their own separate pages, but you can always scrap those if you prefer a simple one-page site.) Those sections alternate between different colors to break up all that information into digestible chunks, while the sans-serif typefaces make it super easy to read on mobile.

Honorable mentions: Amal(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Cruz(opens in a new tab) (7.1), Kitui(opens in a new tab) (7.1), and Waverly(opens in a new tab) (7.1).

Best for poetry and fanfic
Credit: Squarespace
Specs
  • Squarespace version: 7.1

Think AllPoetry(opens in a new tab) and Hello Poetry(opens in a new tab) look outdated? Prefer self-publishing over platforms like Tumblr(opens in a new tab), Wattpad(opens in a new tab), and Medium(opens in a new tab)? Intimidated by Wattpad(opens in a new tab)? Use Harman(opens in a new tab) to create a simple, scrollable site where your musings can live (ad-free, we might add). Unlike the vast majority of Squarespace themes, which rely heavily on imagery, this bare-bones template keeps the focus solely on your words with a grid of headlines and their corresponding excerpts. The demo site plops some "About" and "Contact" pages in the top navigation bar next to some social icons, and equips each post with a comments section (which you can enable or disable at your leisure).

Honorable mention: Foundry(opens in a new tab) (7.0) and Grove(opens in a new tab) (7.1).

More in Squarespace

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Haley Henschel

Haley is a Mashable shopping reporter based in Chicago. Before joining the team, she covered politics for The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, wrote about exotic pet ownership for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, and blogged for several Jersey Shore stars. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and hanging out with her parrot (Melon) and dog (Pierogi). You can follow her on Twitter at @haleyhenschel(opens in a new tab) or reach her via email at [email protected](opens in a new tab).


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