Do I need a website just yet?

I think you are over-thinking all of this. If you have a good idea then get a site up as quickly as possible.

Website = idea + content + a few minutes setting up the technical stuff

The more important aspect to think about is how you will get traffic to your site. Are you trying to SEO the site for specific keywords? What's the competition like? What will you need to do to rank?

You've had enough experience. It's time you got your own website. Best

I can't add a lot to what Jason said above, but ...

Don't put content in Ezine Articles that you haven't already published on your own site and had indexed there first - this is absolutely fundamental to any model of article marketing. Even if all you do is put up a "shell blog" to put your articles on it first.

Don't look at an article directory as "a way of drawing traffic to your own site": that isn't how they work at all. This thread explains: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5068872

Personally, I also wouldn't use Squidoo, at all, for all the reasons explained in these threads ...
Is posting on Squidoo a waste of time?
Anyone make money on Squidoo?
Anyone Making above $ 100 Per Month with Squidoo ?
Affiliate Market in Squidoo?
Too Much Advertising on Squidoo??
Is Squidoo still okay to post article to?
How to subtly advertise on Squidoo and Hubpages?
How do I Use Squidoo Effectively?
Advice on Squidoo
What's the value of a Squidoo Lens?
Using Hubpages, Squidoo, and Tumblr to generate backlinks
A question about squidoo..

I wouldn't want to do things that way round at all, because that would mean that someone else's site (EZA's/Squidoo's/Whoever's) would be getting the benefit of initial indexation-rights to my content, rather than my own site (hard to see any benefit in that, compared with doing the opposite?)!

So putting up my own site (even if it's only a one-page blog, which is exactly what it is on the day I start it) is the first thing I always do, after a bit of research. (It only takes me 3 minutes, so it's not exactly a "big deal").

Yes - yes, you do. Especially if you're thinking of submitting content elsewhere!

Alexa Smith seems to be a good advisor....

I agree with her...

I wouldn't mess with Squidoo. Before you decide to post to Ezine Articles, get started with writing your first few articles. Also see if you can do some guest blogging on other people's blog or website.