Fresh Squids Swim to Become Giants!

First of all, I wanted to let every single newbie on Squidoo know that success here is possible and reachable! After you read a story about these Fresh Squids you'll see that it doesn't have to take too long to reach your goal to become Giant Squids!

Second, I wanted to put extra spotlight on these excellent lensmasters! They certainly deserved it! Their commitment to goal to become Giant Squids is something everyone can learn from!

Third, I expect to see many more Giants coming from Fresh Squid group since over time many really great and unique and technically splendid lenses were featured there and many of lensmasters that were newbies once, learned really fast and really successfully how to make lens that stands out!

CCGAL joined Squidoo on September, 13th 2008 after hearing a lot about how fun it is from her friend (another Giant Squid) Joan4. In her own words: "I decided to give it a try, and before I knew it, I was one hooked Squid. Totally Squidicted."

CCGAL was one of first Fresh Squids since she joined on September, 19th and group was released on September, 15th.

Only 15 days after joining with Squidoo, her lens Heritage Heirloom Cutting Boards was featured on Lens of the day blog!

Attitude that made her a Giant Squid: "The more high quality lenses I look at, however, the more I find myself wanting to improve mine, so I think not being so critical of myself is the hardest thing for me, personally.

A word of advice from formal Fresh Squid: "Only build lenses about things that you are actually interested in! I got the idea to build a lens on each of the 10 hardwoods my husband uses in his cutting boards - and I have 2 left I am having a hard time finishing because I'm not really a wood-worker, and I'm not all that interested in hardwoods. So finishing those is not as much fun as some of the other things I want to do.

The other thing is don't give up, because we all learn and grow at different rates, and participate in as many of the Squidoo activities as you have time for. The most wonderful thing about Squidoo is the people - there are more loving and caring lensmasters in Squidoo than I have ever encountered in any group or forum in my entire life.

Difference in becoming Giant Squid is setting your goals and fulfilling them! CCGAL wrote on November, 3rd 2008 about her goals on Squidoo: "The next thing I want to do is make Giant Squid in the next round Dec. 31, then I want to have 100 lenses. Beyond that, I don't know, although I suspect Squidoo is going to continue to play a large part in my life because it's such a good fit for my personality.

Well, she successfully managed to become Giant Squid in deadline she put in front of her!

TheGreenerMe is one of my favorite lensmasters on Squidoo since we share a same passion - making a world a bit less crowded with trash! Just a bit greener! What's amazing is that she has all of her lenses on same subject!!! Or better said - same niche: Green living! I don't think I know of any other lensmaster developing so many lenses in single niche!

She says about what motivates her to make lenses: "I love the sense of community at Squidoo. Lensmasters go far out of their way to help out on the forums and by making such helpful tutorial based lenses. Squidoo makes it incredibly easy to make a great lens that will actually be found!"

TheGreenerMe about success on Squidoo: "The more lenses you make, the better you'll get at it. The better you get at it, the more money you'll make, and the more opportunities you'll have to make money from all of the lenses you have."

And as if she hasn't done enough on her niche, she made a group collecting all great lenses on same topic: A Million Ways to Go Green!

Another Fresh Squid that became Gant on December 2008 deadline is WebSplintress... In her own words: I'm known as WebSpinstress, because I spin my own webs of elegant Gothic images and decor in both real and virtual worlds. I aim to poison others with inspiration and creativity through unique self-expression.

This is how she ended on Squidoo: I noticed that links from Squidoo.com were appearing on the first page of Google results frequently. I didn't know what a Squidoo lens was, and decided to take a quick peek. The "Build Your Lens" button captured me immediately and I haven't been seen in the real World often since that day...

She made this:
Ode to Squidoo
"Squidoo is addictive, or so they had said,
the first thing to do when you get out of bed.
You log in real quick while the coffee is brewing,
check your ratings to see how they are doing....
... Read the rest at Addicted to Squidoo - A Very Lensy Day

WebSpinstress's recipe for success: Work hard, build quality lenses, maintain them often, and don't give up! :-)

All that is good in the world has come out of a want, a need, a goal, a dream. Is not Giant Squid an admirable dream? Must the value be diminished simply because there are many that aspire to reach the same goal? Aspiring to reach and reaching are two separate things. Is not the whole point of becoming a Giant Squid to have BOTH quality lenses and the numbers? Without numbers, you are simply a great lensmaster and that alone is certainly a feat in and of itself. Without quality, you are a mere lensmaster who has many lenses. What inspires us to go for Giant is that we realize the greatness that is the combination of both quality and quantity and we want to reach the standard set by those who are already Giants.

Making lenses for me is an expression of what I'm feeling and what I'm interested in at the moment. I believe in each lens that I publish and I believe in my ability to reach people through words and entertain with my point of view. Why should a lens master choose to either make lenses because of abilities and beliefs or to reach a goal in which they have set for themselves? Why should anyone impose limits on themselves as to how and why they create if the end result is the same, a collection of quality lenses? To despair because there are many who aspire to reach Giant Squidom is to despair Squidoo gaining exceptional lenses to add to the ones that are already here.

Not all of us will reach our goals the first time around, many will not reach it at all. It is the competition and high standards that make the endeavor worth the effort.

Words of luvmyludwig