Book Idea: "The Digital Ambassador"

“The Digital Ambassador: Connecting possibilities.” It would be about brand you, and how the Web can be used to discover and define yourself, to serve, connect, lead, and learn with your people and potential.

How well does your online presence represent you? Most people don’t even show up. Some people show up as random, occasional participants. A few people have bothered to represent themselves and have a compelling Web presence.

And then there’s the Digital Ambassadors. They are fully engaged with living online and off, leading the pack, and making the most out of the brave new world wide Web of people and possibilities.

Jimmy Fallon (though I am not a particular fan) and his Twitter pic are what spring to mind. Who else? Buster Benson, Chris Sacca, Gary V, Chris Brogan,  Seth Godin. These guys (of whom I am a big fan) get that being online, taking the time to share yourself and connect with your communities is the best way to a full life and meaningful work.

So the book would be part philosophy and ideology behind Web presence, a manifesto for the brave new world party, and part how-to manual for utilizing all the amazing free and ubiquitous connection tools that the Web is becoming.

These are the game-changers, having fun with the fact that the future of the Web is about how you live in public, not being afraid of it, but embracing it, with all its telescopic connections and crazy post-modern irony.

These digital ambassadors are determined not to be the tools of the new tools and are constantly bringing the WWW back into the service of exuberant spirits, human complexity, and the explosive potential of connectivity.

I am determined to be one of these people. I am well on my way. I will write about it, share it, and connect through it. The term, I believe was coined by my mom calling me the digital ambassador, for helping her to use her computer and the Web. But for me it’s my WWW heroes.

I’ve thought of starting a user-centered social-media tech-support type venture (should I ever leave my day job) that would be a natural extension of what I spend most of my time doing for myself and everyone around me anyway: helping artists, educators, non-profits know themselves and do cool things with the Web.

Now I’m thinking “book.” Print, .pdf, free, whatever…it’s about thought leadership, sharing my breadcrumbs of wisdom, experience. I want to articulate what I seem to spend most of my life doing. For now I think the book is a good start. What do you think?