- Storyteller
Shawn Small Stories Website
The digital home of author, storyteller, and filmmaker Shawn Small—where words, books, and films come to life.
- Web Design
- WordPress Development
- Blog
- E-commerce
- Newsletter Integration
- SEO
- Ongoing Support
Project Overview
The Work & The Why
Shawn Small is a writer, speaker, and filmmaker with a gift for capturing human stories with depth and vulnerability. Flying Donut Media partnered with Shawn to create a custom WordPress site that reflects the heart of his work—combining his books, blog posts, and creative projects into one cohesive digital presence.
The site features an easy-to-navigate structure that allows visitors to explore Shawn’s writing, learn about his books and films, and follow his journey through a regularly updated blog. E-commerce functionality allows for direct book sales, while newsletter signups help grow an engaged audience of readers and supporters. With a clean aesthetic and responsive design, the site invites users into the world of Shawn’s storytelling—no distractions, just connection.
Project Highlights
- E-commerce for direct book sales
- Reader-first blog with categorized post browsing
- Film feature areas with embedded trailers and media
Gallery
The Work In Action
What We Built
Features & Functionality
Shawn Small is a writer, speaker, and filmmaker with a gift for capturing human stories with depth and vulnerability. Flying Donut Media partnered with Shawn to create a custom WordPress site that reflects the heart of his work—combining his books, blog posts, and creative projects into one cohesive digital presence.
The site features an easy-to-navigate structure that allows visitors to explore Shawn’s writing, learn about his books and films, and follow his journey through a regularly updated blog. E-commerce functionality allows for direct book sales, while newsletter signups help grow an engaged audience of readers and supporters. With a clean aesthetic and responsive design, the site invites users into the world of Shawn’s storytelling—no distractions, just connection.
Site Build & Performance
Custom WordPress Development
Crafted a bespoke WordPress theme to match Shawn’s voice and aesthetic, focused on minimal distraction, legibility, and an immersive reading experience.
Mobile Optimization
Responsive design ensures seamless browsing on all screen sizes—whether readers are catching a blog post on their phone or browsing films on a tablet.
SEO & Performance Enhancements
Optimized site speed, search engine metadata, clean code structure, and semantic content organization to improve visibility and discoverability.
E-commerce Setup
Enabled direct sales of Shawn’s books and digital content using a simple, branded checkout experience designed to support both sales and donations.
User Experience
Reader-First Blog Layout
Structured to encourage exploration, with categorized blog posts and a frictionless reading experience.
Story-Driven Navigation
Built intuitive menu and page structures around Shawn’s core offerings, so visitors can quickly find the content that resonates with them.
Book Detail Pages
Each book has its own spotlight, with descriptions, media coverage, and direct purchase or donation links to streamline conversions.
Newsletter Integration
Newsletter forms are embedded thoughtfully throughout the site to help Shawn grow his community of engaged readers and supporters.
Content & Features
Blog System
Powered by WordPress’s native blog functionality with custom post formatting and visual consistency across content.
Featured Books Section
Each book is given its own dedicated page with summaries, purchase links, and background context—offering readers a deeper connection to Shawn’s work and message.
Film Feature Areas
Showcased films with media embeds and links to trailers, creating a clean cinematic presence within a content-rich site.
Author Bio & Mission
Woven throughout the site is Shawn’s story—why he writes, what drives his projects, and what visitors can expect when they dive into his work.
Marketing & Integrations
Mailchimp Newsletter Integration
Connected newsletter signups to Mailchimp for automated list building and future content campaigns.
Social Media Integration
Linked to key platforms to support ongoing engagement and promote new blog posts and projects.
Google Analytics & SEO Tracking
Installed tracking and performance tools to monitor traffic, content performance, and audience behavior.
Ongoing Web Care
Includes support for plugin updates, performance monitoring, and periodic content assistance to keep the site running smoothly.
Ready to Build Something Worth Showing Off?
Every project here started with a conversation. Let's start yours.