Prosemaking

From a few years back.

When I was three, I spent two months in bed with various childhood illnesses.

I don’t remember any suffering to speak of. I do remember a map of the world next to the crib, the Peter Pan soundtrack in constant rotation, and an Alice In Wonderland blanket all around me. Plus lots of love. Everything I needed.

During this time, I learned to read. A world of magic opened up. The next year, kindergarten. An older student came in to teach me parts of speech. Magic in danger! I stared at her and shrieked until she disappeared.

I’m still that way about grammar. Breaking wholes down into parts — the opposite of my natural tendency. Writing instinctively is a joy, though. My favorite thing is to take raw prose and preserve the original feel while tightening things up. I’ve got some editor colleagues who have curbed my purple tendencies in the last year or so. I’m thankful for their severe mercy.

Is the thought of writing for your own site overwhelming? That silent shriek. I get it. You’re far from blank, but blank-page paralysis is real, even if you’ve got a swirl of wonderful ideas. It’s possible to get it all down. I can help with your website copywriting. Whether you need to polish a rough draft or mold your dictation into captivating copy, we can meet at any stage. Tiny edits are free. Let’s open up your world of magic.

Getting There

Photo by Dunamis Church on Unsplash

Spring is here, more or less. Some release is here, more or less. Energy previously pent-up or consumed with survival — for some — is ready to burst forth. Whether you’re an aspiring Music Row artist, updating your Bandsintown manager, or doing something else entirely, there’s a sense of increased activity and momentum. Toward what, and why? What, exactly, is unknown. It’s always been this way, but that awareness is so intense now. The future is fuzzy. The why? Let’s get a little closer.

When considering all of the different ways to approach website navigation, sometimes there’s a tendency to focus around the main thing instead of on it. Ease, certainly. Appropriateness for an audience or “dream client” absolutely. Mobile-friendliness, no doubt. But there’s more to it.

Purpose. Or, telos if you will. And I wonder if that telos is twofold. First, a visitor gets a sense of your unique gifting — how you serve. Second, the visitor travels through your site and finds what they need with minimal interference. Both of those processes lead to an incomparable connection with you. Not just getting sucked into an impersonal sales funnel.

The key: This won’t look the same for everyone! The difference: the real things (yes, IRL) that you want your audience to connect with will vary according to you. If you’re a young musician launching your first website, the navigation should take visitors on a completely different journey than if you’re well-established and seasoned. All too often, I see websites for creatives that don’t reflect their particular stage and depth of artistry. The ones that do are a gift, and all too rare.

Your site can. It takes care, it takes intuition, it takes deep consideration of your telos.

The Long View

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Arabia Mountain by C. Statella

The days are getting longer, the light is growing stronger.

I see more people out — masked elders skipping by with bright eyes. Cars getting washed. Gardens getting tilled. Glimmering hope. Maybe we’re getting closer to the end of this unspeakable time. Looking outward… not just downward at the next fragile step.

Your art or service might have an original online presence, or not. Perhaps you’ve relied on social media to do your heavy lifting, especially during the past year.

Looking outward: If you’re a creative, do you want to keep the majority of your revenue? Do you want your site to present not just buzz about your newest, but a well-organized, striking rendering of everything you’ve created — together? A unified gift to your friends, fans, and the curious? A compelling reflection of who you are and what you offer?

You’ll need a website for that. Yes, social media is still powerful. But it’s not yours — and in the seismic changes that have occurred since 2020, who knows what’ll happen? Meanwhile, here’s how 2021 trends for Facebook are going. After you read a bit, take a few deep breaths. I’ll wait. Quite a few discerning people are saying no, or less.

The best scenario: Your website shows up first when someone searches your name. It immediately feels like a warm welcome into your “home,” so your visitor bookmarks it and goes exploring. They return often because it’s compelling and dynamic, not a separate, bare-bones silo that looks nothing like your unique artistry. Rather, it ties everything together. Elegantly.

It brings you face-to-face with people who are searching for you.

“Only Connect!”

— E.M. Forster

The Past, Unbound

Photo of Maria Muldaur by Ed Yourdon

As another year and era turn, I’m thinking about age. And representation online.

My social media interactions are down, way down. There are thoughtful accounts I follow, and some fruitful exchanges take place. I get inspired by beauty and ideas I can apply to design, too. Regarding real-world issues, a respect for truth, for dialogue, for one another. Constructive action. The rest… Basta. I’d rather hear a voice, see a face, or at least read an email or text. Many of my contemporaries feel the same way — there’s little time to waste on depletion.

Speaking of my contemporaries, remember the heady early days of the web? DOS! The Mac Classics that looked like little toasters! Sidebars! “You’ve Got Mail!” and the fun(?) of LiveJournal and Geocities. And the backgrounds, the backgrounds! Not to mention all of those wild Java effects.

Things have changed. A cleaner aesthetic. I do think, though, that there are ways to bring the best of a more seasoned look into the present. Web design for Baby Boomers, Generation X-ers, or the Traditionalists can be beautiful, functional, accessible, and carry a nod to the past. Yes, optimization for usability is crucial. So is credibility and sincerity — tone matters.

By the time you’ve reached your fourth or fifth decade and beyond, there’s a singular history and atmosphere inside you that radiates — and should be part of your online presence. It shouldn’t look like anyone else’s. One of my favorite parts of the design process is to get a read on the person in addition to their art or service. Sometimes as we talk, a song will come to my head, or a movie palette. Then we get started. It’s the best feeling to help bring the whole of you together.

Thank you, Maria.

Awaiting Light

This is the time to be slow,
Lie low to the wall
Until the bitter weather passes.

Try, as best you can, not to let
The wire brush of doubt
Scrape from your heart
All sense of yourself
And your hesitant light.

If you remain generous,
Time will come good;
And you will find your feet
Again on fresh pastures of promise,
Where the air will be kind
And blushed with beginning.

~ John O’Donohue

---

Advent — waiting. All… waiting.

At a loss for words mostly — why write, why plan?

A day at a time: Focus, Presence, Love, it says.

I returned to the Monk Manual this week because I longed for its color(!) and loved the texture of the pages, the way the ink sinks in. Is that enough? Yes, in a year in which I’ve often written HAAAAAA across my weekly planner pages.

Yes, it can hold plans. But the best-laid and all of that. Right now, it’s a chronicle. It already looks rawer than the last ones did, but I hold it a little closer.

It’s an analog counterpart to the web design for musicians and other creatives that I do, and feeds it, somehow.

It also reminds me to slow inside — especially now, but always.

Come, light.

Below the Surface

C. Statella, 2016; Charlotte Pike

“I’m seeing the hidden things of my heart more than ever before,” he said in our weekly Zoom group.

Indeed. So much being unearthed now. Here, a need for both rest and movement — outdoors, away from screens.

Dance is a longtime love. Ballet when young, a few disco contests in the 70s, modern dance during college, a couple of Atlanta hotspots in the 80s(!!!) Nia and barre…

Yoga’s often a touchstone, too — my way in. But since Everything, I’ve been revisiting youth and finding professional ballet dancers online. Kathryn Morgan, previously a soloist with the NYC and Miami Ballet, is a master teacher who gives video classes like this one. All levels, all wonderful.

She has a ballet / beauty / lifestyle website, where she brings a holistic, joyful approach to dancers and lovers of the lovely. Even video classes in real-time that are super-easy to sign up for. Kathryn also has a powerful story of healing. The site’s so much like her — feminine, elegant, warm.

Which leads me to think… If the greatness of, say, Suzanne Farrell, Mikhail Baryshnikov or Gelsey Kirkland’s lives and works could be presented on their own dedicated sites, what would they look like? And why don’t they exist… yet?

Why are there relatively few fully-realized, comprehensive websites for ballet dancers? Especially those with long, storied careers?

Back below the surface. So, ballet is one world I’ve been rediscovering. What about you? How might it shape the way you show up online and the gifts you bring?

The Wonder

Twelve days of the indescribable, then my aunt called. I had been leaning over a big hole trying to retrieve fallen branches and was grateful for rescue. We spoke. We spoke words. We spoke in complete sentences. Her laugh — my mother’s ancestral line.

I told her how the moss felt, about the bird that just flew over my head, the tiny precious signs of life. She told me a story about water. Presence. No abstractions, accomplishments, or opinions. She told me never to forget.

It’s been much too easy to focus on the “what ifs.” To get tunnel vision. To get awash in abstraction. To go back over the past, attempting to find the key to how we got to this place, how I ended up here. To wonder what place music has in the midst of all.

In the throes of this time, keeping that precious part alive is everything.

I’m not sure what any of this has to do with the online world, except knowing when I have go to the flatlands of “social media,” that lately, here’s a place of breath and restoration — at least in comparison. Images only.

But nothing compares to living.

Audiobook Narrator Websites: Less Is More

Another month of cataclysmic change, surreal strangeness, and clawing for solid ground. The unveiling is ongoing.

Faces are comforting. So are voices.

Though I’d mostly listened to podcasts and music on my walks before this era, audiobooks have lately come alongside me — companions. Entering their world, they enter mine. Being a former radio announcer and fascinated with the field, I’ve discovered several voices who are like their own being.

Here’s one. Edoardo Ballerini’s voice is instantly memorable.

His website is similarly striking, immediately establishing his experience and artistry. Elegant and inviting, too — it needs nothing more.

Websites for audiobook narrators (and voice actors) don’t need to be complex or tech-y looking. Just as recorded voices require a sense of space around them, so do their owners’ images and words.

Other fine websites I’ve seen have similar components; besides professional photography and press items, they contain images of the narrated books — plus brief sound clips, lists of mentors/skills and training, reviews, accents, and equipment. Everything a potential client would need to know. And space to breathe.

I’ve been surprised by the number of audiobook narrators who don’t have a dedicated web presence… yet. While the demo reel (sound!) is the most important consideration, I’d think a voice’s visual “frame” is important as well. Especially in a crowded market.

If you’re an audiobook narrator and need a website that’s spacious and looks like you sound, I’d love to hear your voice.

Adjusting the Year

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Here’s a note I sent out to clients and friends this week:

Peace with you. I really hope you and yours are well. We’ve been cautious... and also know people who absolutely have to be out in public during the COVID-19 pandemic, some on front lines. ​May​ this ​conclude​ ​as​ quickly​​ and completely as possible​ ~ ​

I've decided — and am excited — to adjust web design rates ​downward for the rest of 2020. As long as they launch by the end of December, all sites 10 pages or less ​by Statella Design ​will be $850, including ​optional ​Bandsintown integration [for performing musicians​: you set it up in BIT​] + domain transfer or connection.​ I'd like to keep the build times to 10 days (2 workweeks) if possible.​

(I was previously only offering this for readers of Peter Bowerman’s newsletter who are freelance writers, and wanted to extend it to all clients, including musicians.)

​The ​20% discount on Squarespace's annual plan for your first year still applies. ​To get the discount, I ​open up ​your​ site in my dashboard​ — then you pay Squarespace at launch or in 6 months, whichever comes first​. 

be well

warmly,
Carol

What's Your Platform?

The Ballet of the Red Shoes, Hein Heckroth

(Note: This essay’s featured in THE WELL-FED E-PUB, a monthly newsletter by esteemed freelance commercial writer and mentor Peter Bowerman. So, the tone and emphasis is a little different from usual. Enjoy the variety! Be well… take care.)

Your website is a 24-hour virtual assistant and the “front door” of your business. It needs to be functional, professional, and attractive. What’s important to consider as you’re making this crucial choice of which platform to choose?

To keep it simple, we’ll narrow it down to three types of platforms that content creators commonly use: WordPress, Squarespace, and The DIYs, and focus on their ability to customize (Bells & Whistles), learning curve, and cost.

OK, full disclosure: I’m a Squarespace designer and have fully embraced its user-friendliness, striking layouts, and simple pricing structure; once I went Squarespace, I never looked back!

WordPress: The grand dame. Some sources estimate that 20% of self-hosted sites use WordPress.

Bells and Whistles: Pretty much unlimited. From bare-bones to the highest level of sophistication, WordPress has you covered. Depending on your budget, WordPress can make your website look and function almost any way you want. Quite a few Fortune 500 companies use the platform.

Learning Curve: Medium to steep (if DIY). Though its WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor is improving, it’ll take some effort and education to get up to speed if you’re DIY-ing it — or even making updates. Plug-ins and separate hosting/domain services also add to the equation.

Cost: Low (DIY) to stratospheric (high-end designer). Using WordPress as a platform means you may pay anywhere from <$10 to thousands to get it up and running, plus maintenance (edits, updates, etc.). Unless you’ve got strong design and technical chops, you’ll likely get exactly what you pay for.

Squarespace: The designer’s darling (and yes, THIS designer’s darling). Among all-in-one website platforms, it leads in market share.

Bells and Whistles: Carefully curated, aesthetically pleasing choices. Whether you need a one-page portfolio or something more complex, it’s difficult to have a second-rate website on the Squarespace platform.

The templates have a signature clean design that also allows for light customization. Most FLCWs will find it to be an excellent showcase for their writing and image.

Learning Curve: Squarespace has a much easier learning curve than WordPress if you consider yourself low-tech. A Squarespace-focused designer can usually get you going in under a week and teach you how to update the site easily. If you’re doing it yourself, there’s an extensive knowledge base and award-winning customer support.

Cost: Varies (DIY vs. going pro). If you’re a DIY type, it’ll be ~$144-$216/year + tax for their all-in-one package, which provides a lot of style and performance for the money. If you’re going pro, Squarespace designer development fees usually run from under $1000 (more typical), to $2500 for top designers.

The DIYs: (Including Weebly, Wix, and Journo Portfolio)

Bells and Whistles: These types of sites are template-based; you can get basic copy, photos, and uploads online in a few hours. While each platform boasts a few great-looking templates, customization tends to be limited and/or clunky. That said, I still have my musician site on Weebly (it’s a sentimental thing).

Learning Curve: Gentle rise, unless you need to do something artsy, layout-wise. Level of customer support varies for this type of platform, but you can usually find answers to your questions on user forums.

Cost: Free to medium-low. If your outlay starts to approach $150/year, it’s worth it to investigate fuller-featured options — especially if you want a sophisticated design to make you stand out.

If you want to create a website that effectively and impressively showcases your copywriting practice—AND isn’t a major hassle to build, maintain, and update—the platform matters. Any of the above options can deliver admirably, but for the low-tech out there (even DIYers), Squarespace’s success speaks for itself.

Good luck!

********************

PB: I’ve checked out Carol’s work and it’s excellent. AND, she’s offering Well-Fed E-PUB readers a tasty deal on a Squarespace website, through the rest of 2020. The customized 6-page (max) site will typically include Home, About, How We Work, Portfolio (20 samples max), Testimonials, and Contact (no e-commerce).

Cost to design & build the site, PLUS two weeks of post-launch support: $850.

.. to set up a free conversation with Carol to get all the details.

Musician Websites: Three Ways to Play

Judith Leyster ~ B. 1609, Haarlem • D. 1660, Heemstede

I’ve been crawling around musicians’ websites for decades, receiving transmissions of inspiration. It followed naturally that I’d also start to experiment in the visual medium. Having a few strange sight issues (light/bright sensitivity, dizziness when things get too busy or animated) meant that I had to limit how I design a bit. Fortunate side effect — a style!

Over time, I’ve observed three broad types of websites for musicians — any genre. All have stunning potential within the Squarespace platform:

Simple Singles

Often gorgeous. These can contain all sorts of content, but each element’s got to have impact. One page, semi-short scroll. If you’re a touring musician, it can function as a press kit. The photo professionally rendered and strikingly beautiful, the copy succinct and compelling — magnetizing your visitors right away. 1-3 of your very best music clips, and a quick Bandsintown integration if that fits for you. Otherwise, a simple calendar suffices. If I have all of your elements on hand, it can be ready for you in 1-3 days.

Five Pagers

These are the most common, and my favorite to create. Though the wording varies, the menu’s something like: Home, About, Music, Blog, Contact. You can get fanciful. If I receive all of your lovely photographs and copy for each page by the Friday before our design week, the creation process starts early Monday, we view it together around Thursday, and it’s finished by the following Friday. How does that happen? Planning beforehand that’s pleasurable and thorough! I help you streamline and simplify your choices and easily upload them, plus send you a colorful questionnaire well in advance that helps me know all of your preferences.

Legacy Sites

A wild card, anywhere from six to 10+ pages. “Legacy” can certainly mean that you’re still here and active! The commonality — maturity and a substantial body of work. From a simple portal site that points to an artist’s varied output to one that is sort of a holistic reflection of everything s/he is (think artistic visuals, blog/journal, workshops, an extensive online store, multi-medium work), a legacy site takes an intentional, organic approach that may result in a website that looks a lot like a Five-Day Design, or is much more extensive. The commonality: a great deal of energy and care.

Online presence is a fluid thing, especially for musicians. Thankfully, our method can flow right along with you.

Time and Identity

Photo by Alex Guillaume on Unsplash

Full bleed. Endless scroll. Conversational interfaces and brutalism. Forms and trends of website design — ever-changing. Twenty-five years from now, the look and feel of our online spaces may well be unrecognizable. But I’d like to think that some things will stay the same.

I’m currently immersed a project that is not only an expression of current work, but also will serve as archives — and eventually, legacy. How to design so that the online identity flows smoothly with the current, yet is timeless?

A few things I’m considering:

First, an artist’s works and presence should drive the aesthetic. Not the other way around. While making decisions, I’ll wonder: Does experiencing this website design feel similar to being with the person and their music? Their art? Their being? The goal: To bypass the capriciousness of trends and time!

Second, basic principles of design and written expression apply, no matter who’s the audience/participant - ease of navigation, skillful use of negative space, and sincerity of tone are a few time-honored principles of good craft. Simple adjustments can make a website design accessible to every generation.

Third, transcendent qualities radiate through the ages, and a beautiful, functional website design can express these transcendentals in compelling ways. Take a look at this site, and this one. They both rest on sophisticated platforms (Squarespace and Drupal), and carry the DNA of their subjects. Yet they also point to something beyond themselves.

I dream of sites being platforms for pilgrimage into actual, visceral encounters with creators and their legacies. Not simply online islands of promotion. May this ever be in mind and heart.

Font ~~ Essence

Photo: Kris Krüg

From Merriam-Webster:

font (fänt):

1a: a receptacle for baptismal water
b: a receptacle for holy water
c: a receptacle for various liquids

2: SOURCE, FOUNTAIN
a font of information

3: an assortment or set of type or characters all of one style and sometimes one size

History and Etymology for font

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin font-, fons, from Latin, fountain

Noun (2)

French fonte, from Middle French, act of founding, from Vulgar Latin *fundita, feminine of funditus, past participle of Latin fundere to found, pour — more at FOUND

Malcolm Gladwell’s distinctive book covers use the Caslon font. The Declaration of Independence — Caslon. Finally taking on his David and Goliath, I’m reflecting on font — how it mirrors essence when a design expression is unified.

Gladwell’s literary artistry brings the timeless into new ways of seeing and beholding. So does his print identity, and indeed, almost everything about his visual presentation, if you look closely. There’s an intriguing combination of minimal modern and old-school that’s consistent. That consistency almost feels like a brief digital handshake, pointing to the real instead of only the virtual.

Looking ahead to font trends in 2020, I’m seeing something called “humanizing serifs.” “Classical influence,” too. Though it reminds me of the endless corridors of millennial “folk” and “provisions” storefronts lining my life, I like the feel. Maybe our fonts — and their sources — will humanize in the coming year.