Dennis Cass Wants You To Be More Awesome

A reader writes:

I am not much of a self-promoter, and, at least online, I prefer to keep a relatively low profile. But about five years ago, fresh out of a summer seminar on publishing, I decided that I wanted my own web site to promote my freelance editing business.

Since then I’ve discovered I really don’t have much of an interest in doing freelance editing and have gotten into radio. Or writing. Or graphic design. Or home remodeling. Or whatever else strikes my fancy. But I will still do freelance editing if the job’s right.

Anyway, I have this web site, and have done NOTHING with it. How do I awesomize it without it being entirely an online résumé/business card with “Hey look what I can do!” links to all my stuff, or just a blog site filled with stories about what I had for lunch today?

Of course, if it has elements of all of these things without being just one of them, that’d be OK. I guess something is better than nothing?

The decision between an active site and a static site has to be put in the context of your overall plan. I love what Miranda July did for her book No One Belongs Here More Than You. It’s static, but it’s also ridiculously delightful. A site doesn’t have to change to be dynamic.

Of course, Miranda July has a presence in other media. Her web stuff is just one component of what she does. But let’s say you don’t have that kind of cultural footprint. Then you’ll want a site that invites people to come back again and again. Maybe it’s a blog. Maybe it’s something that doesn’t have a name yet. Whatever it is, your site helps you build your audience, make connections to other artists in your community, and maybe even get you some press attention.

Final thought: something is never better than nothing. I believe that if you’re going to make the effort, then make the effort. Yes, there are millions of websites and we’re all blog weary and tired, but a great site can still make an impact. Even if you’re starting from zero, you owe it to people to bring them your loud, hot thunder.

Two years ago, I started a Blogger blog on Blogger to promote my first book, HEAD CASE: How I Almost Lost My Mind Trying to Understand My Brain.

This spring, I launched the original Dennis Cass Wants You To Be More Awesome as a social network on Ning.

Today, I am combining the two blogs into one. The purpose of this site is to provide a home for all of my writing, teaching and public speaking efforts, but with a special emphasis on the writing and career advice I was dispensing on the Ning site.

I hope you like what you find.