WordPress Themes for Authors

Whether you’ve been writing since dot matrix printers were around, or you’re just getting started on your WordPress site, you might feel lost in a sea of theme options. Deciphering what each theme has to offer and which one you need can require a lot of research. 

That’s why we’ve done a lot of the legwork for you, so you can get back to writing your next best-seller. Understanding your chosen theme, and knowing it has all the functionality you need when compared to other available themes, can help you set your work apart from other writers.  

In this article, we’ll compare the key features of five free WordPress themes that are specifically crafted for authors. Then we’ll run through the upgraded features offered in five premium themes, each of which is also designed for wordsmiths. Let’s get started! 

What Makes a Great Writing Theme?

There are a few key components to keep in mind, which both the free and premium themes on our lists have in common. Most of these themes boast responsive designs, built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools, featured content sliders, and visually-stunning typography. Let’s take a look at each one in turn.

Best Free WordPress Themes for Writers

1. Hoffman

The Hoffman theme is described as a minimalist theme for bloggers. It features beautiful image gallery options, and quite a few customization possibilities. Over all, this theme provides an elegant way to display both written and visual content. 

The custom colors and backgrounds on offer enable you to add a personal touch to your site. This theme also features a responsive design, so your content will look great on any screen. Plus, built-in support for Jetpack means you’ll have access to functionalities like infinite scroll. 

2. Lavander Lite

Lavander Lite presents a very clean design that can be perfect for giving your content the stage it deserves. Blogs, online magazines, and creative websites would all benefit from Lavander’s options. Described as perfect for lifestyle content, this theme also includes a modern sidebar that’s full of social media options. 

Lavander brings some elegant typography to the table as well, along with multiple post formats for creating smooth and readable content. It features a one-column design with a pre-built page template, and a minimalist approach to displaying content. 

3. Amadeus

The Amadeus theme offers an excellent developer experience thanks to its live customizer. This enables you to customize the details and look of your site in real-time. There are plenty of fonts, background images, menus, and header content, and you can see what your choices will look like right on the editing screen. 

Amadeus is also a responsively-designed theme, and is fully compatible with many popular page builders. Under the hood, Amadeus has been optimized for speed, so your readers won’t have to wait for your content to load. 

4. Pepper

This theme stands among the rest, due to the option to build your content with modules. Not only can you create modules that can be used in a variety of different ways, the Pepper theme also lets you drag-and-drop them on the front end of your site for lightning-fast design changes. 

Pepper has six different module options to play with. When you combine that with a Gutenberg- ready editor and built-in contact form support, you’re fast-tracked to building a brand and a following. Easy access to Google fonts also adds an element of style to this visually stunning theme.

5. Schema Lite

If you’re looking for a great writer’s theme that offers up some unique options, look no further. The Schema theme comes with a built-in review system, so you’re ready to collect praise and stars from your readers without searching for and installing a plugin. 

This is an SEO-ready theme with responsive and clean design, as well as lots of theme options. From unlimited background choices to a customizable CSS file, Schema has all the tools for crafting a truly unique-to-you WordPress site.

Best Premium WordPress Themes for Writers

The free themes listed above are all extremely functional, and are strong options for the budget-conscious writer. There are times, however, when you’re willing to pay for some added bells and whistles. With that in mind, let’s check out five premium themes that were made with writers in mind. 

1. Writing

The name of this entry says it all. ThemeForest’s Writing theme is perfect for your personal writer’s portfolio. With a mix of classic, minimalist, and modern site designs, it eliminates distractions so readers can focus on your content. 

Writing also boasts search engine-friendly HTML. Plus, its pages are built with Open Graph, so they are guaranteed to display beautifully when marketed across various social media platforms.

Price: You can pick this theme up for $39.

2. Typology

Proving that there is probably a theme out there for everyone, the Typology theme takes minimalism to a whole new level. This is a theme for writers who just want to focus on their craft and not worry about finding images. At the same time, it creates an amazing visual impact with unique typography. 

Typology comes with a whole host of other tricks up its sleeve too. This includes built-in support for the Co-Authors Plus plugin, responsive design, a custom options panel, and built-in translation capabilities (just to name just a few). The theme is also GDPR compatible. 

Price: This premium theme will cost you $59.

3. Author Pro Theme

Built on the Genesis Framework, the Author Pro theme is geared towards published authors, and offers a ton of functionality to help showcase book information. Jam-packed with stellar options, Author Pro is an eCommerce theme that’s ready for WooCommerce or BigCommerce, and lends itself to easy online store creation. 

In addition to offering a mobile responsive design, it comes with theme and header customizers and a home page widget area. You can display your book details in an archive or single view style, as well as in any widget areas. 

Price: A package for this theme starts at $99 (and includes the Genesis Framework). You can also get Author Pro, 35 more StudioPress themes, and the Genesis framework for free when you sign up for any WP Engine plan.

4. Elegant

The Elegant theme delivers on its name, with classy typography and the extremely flexible Themify drag-and-drop builder. This functionality enables you to customize every single page and post to fit the amazing content you want to display. Your art and writing aren’t cookie-cutter, so your WordPress theme shouldn’t be either. 

You can save time editing images as well, by using built-in filters. Once you place the perfect sepia-toned picture in your post, you can use Elegant’s masonry or grid layout options to display your content. Inspired by Pinterest, this feature enables you to stack your content for easier browsing. 

Price: A one-site license for this theme can be had for $59.

5. Tinos

Finally, let’s look at the Tinos theme. This theme presents some truly unique options for your writing. For example, you can give your content a book or magazine feel by adding “Next” and “Back” buttons to each post. Additionally, Tinos is optimized for SEO, and is compatible with many well-known page builders. 

Extensive plugin compatibility is also a feature of this theme, as CSSIgniter strictly follows the WordPress code standards. This theme can give your work a high-end magazine quality look and feel, with typography and page layouts that have a lasting impact. 

Price: This theme offers options starting at $34.

Find More Great Themes With WP Engine

If you want to provide users with a quality digital experience, choosing the right theme is a vital step. Your site’s theme is a window to your work, and the first thing your readers will experience.

Building up your online portfolio or digital book store requires solid developer resources as well as an eye-catching theme. At WP Engine, our plans include the Genesis Framework, along with more than 35 StudioPress themes just waiting to showcase your words to the world!