A Giant Squid is a Lensmaster who Squidoo is in love with. The minimum requirement to become a Giant Squid is 50 really great lenses.

50 REALLY GREAT lenses. Original ideas, beautifully executed, that you are proud to put your name to.

Once you get to 50+ great lenses you can submit your name to Squidoo HQ by emailing them at giants@squidoo.com.

The Single Biggest Reason You Need To Be A Giant Squid:

The Lens Templates.

As a Giant Squid you get to have your own Lens Templates. Which means when you are creating a lens you can choose which pre-set palette of modules you want to add to your new lens. I have a template for amazon product review lenses, one of just 20 text modules for content-heavy lenses, one with my favourite mixture of modules, etc etc, you get the idea.

You have no idea how much time this saves! You get the inspiration to start a new lens, and usually spend about 5 – 10 mins beating the modules in to position before you even put ‘pen to paper’.

Advice: Become a Giant Squid on Squidoo, become a giant squid on squidoo, become a giant squid on squidoo!!

It will seriously speed up your ability to make great lenses, which means more time to spend:

a. with your family
b. making more lenses
c. making more lenses
d. making more lenses

Lewis
P.S.

Here are some things Megan says will help you become a Giant Squid. She has put a load more info up at www.squidoo.com/giantsquids

* Make lenses about things that interest you.
* Write good introductions.
* Have intro photos.
* Upload a photo of yourself (or your avatar) while you’re at it.
* Try out a bunch of different modules.
* Replace the default module titles, like “New Guestbook.”
* UUU – Unique, useful, updated content rocks!
* Don’t copy. Don’t cut and paste. Don’t plagiarize.
* Keep an eye out for style. Junky lenses send readers running.
* Stop by the SquidU forum and get feedback. Ask politely.
* Stay relevant on your lens.
* G-rated or R-rated, please.
* You’re an author: act like one. Don’t publish half-baked lenses.
* Watch for typos.
* Be kind to fellow lensmasters and your readers.
* Don’t spam.
* Sure, sell stuff; but don’t sound like a snakeoil salesman when you do.
* Invite readers to participate. Or not.
* Recommend things you know.
* Explain your topic to new readers.
* Experiment with “front doors” like SquidWho and SquidSports and SquidBoo and SquidFlix, but don’t ONLY make those lenses. (It’s often easy to pump those out without adding much “you” to them).
* Own a niche and make lots of lenses in it. But don’t repeat yourself on the same topic. 40 lenses that say the exact same thing aren’t kosher.
* Diversify.
* Link to and feature other people’s lenses. It feels good to give back.
* Be passionate. Be you.
* Be honest and straightforward and creative.

Related posts:

1. Another reason why I love Squidoo
2. #1 Most Important Thing… About Guestbooks
3. The New Lens Workshop: A Review

Lewis Smile is a Writer, Blogger, Web Geek, and very much a daydreamer.

He builds custom blogs and custom lenses, he helps people for a living, and works online.

See the Contact Info page to say hi

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