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Learn From Fresh Squids!

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Newbies Sharing Their New Knowledge...

This lens is kind of lensography for all Fresh Squid support and graduation lenses. I'm trying out new concept here and I hope you'll enjoy it! Throughout this lens there are quotes from numerous Fresh Squids - quotes selected from other places which share small pieces of wisdom about Squidoo and creating lenses.

Now, why I've chosen to present them in this way? I think their work and their words present them better than I ever could! All of them started on same place - pressing 'Build a lens' button, some of them won a LoTD, some of them became Giants and some are happy with few lenses they created!

What's in common to all of them? They learned! And they want to share what they learned!

Explore and Explore Again,
and Soon Enough You're Squidoo-ing !

How this little adventure started?

This particular group was created as a way of one little squid to try and help others who are similar to her - a little bit lost and a little bit drowning! Fresh Squid group was created on September 15th, 2008. Concept of this group was simple - to assist newbies aka Fresh Squids with some promotion and exposure...

What Brings People to Squdoo?

How they found Squidoo and what keeps them here?

I wanted to share my homeschool experience to encourage other wannabe homeschool moms and especially dads.
And Squidoo made it easy and fun.
If I can homeschool... anyone can... if I can Squidoo... anyone can.

I joined because I needed a new place
to promote my books.
But what I found was a Community
(with a Capital "C").

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...

I came here as part of my ever increasing (and self taught) efforts in SEO for my store, but I have stayed on because I have found what I believe to be my art.

Why I joined? I got carried away in the wave of creativity. I couldn't resist trying my wings in such clever company.

I have been blogging for over two years and started with Squidoo really as a money making test - to see if it was also possible to make money with lenses. Since joining I've come to realize there is a lot more to Squidoo than I first thought.

What I discovered was a great promotional tool, but also a fantastic platform for creative self-expression with all kinds of fun ways to combine words, art, using fun widgets and interactive tools!!

It is actually kind of a funny (not so funny for me) story... I decided to hire an SEO company to do some work (advertising) for a few of my websites. I like to do SEO myself too, but I had some extra cash and wanted to see if it would do any good. They charged $149 for this thing called a 'Squidoo Lens' which sounded fascinating. So I paid them to do the lens called 'Low Carb Diet' ...well I saw the lens and decided to give it a shot myself. Now I am ADDICTED and the lens that I paid for...well lets just say I don't consider it my best nor is it my highest ranked lens. But I don't really regret losing the $149, because that is how I found Squidoo which has become a great hobby.

First graduation class of Fresh Squids!

In its first 15 days, Fresh Squid group featured 51 lenses created by newcomers to Squidoo!

And Newbies Run To Difficulties!

Some of them are simple to solve and some a bit harder!

The hardest part was admitting I made some mistakes and asking for help. Grr! LOL! "I am a squidoo addict and I have officially checked myself into the squidoo forum".

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.

What's hard is staying on track; I'm so excited about so many subjects, and making the lenses that it's not even funny! Focus. Focus. Focus.

I was totally new to all this and didn't even know what a link was let alone how to create one! And all the html stuff was total gobbledegook! And I didn't understand modules! It took me about a week to create my first lens. I found the forum really helpful. I was able to ask questions and get answers. I still don't know what all the modules are but at least now I know enough to be able to create a lens and can just keep learning new things as I go along.

It's been a steep learning curve for me. Lots of information to go through, navigation discoveries, creative techniques, etc. But now that I'm no longer a stranger to it all, it's become much easier and the world of possibilities has now become apparent.

I think the most challenging thing about creating lenses--other than coming up with what I hope is worthwhile, well-written content--was learning to use pictures in a variety of ways ... not to mention do so "legally."

There is so much here on Squidoo that I felt a little overwhelmed at first but once I started playing around and exploring a bit it was really fantastic, getting sidetracked a lot with all these fabbo lens' probably was not really helping my productive side but it helped me to get around and fun and enjoyable.

The most difficult thing I found was finding my way around Squidoo and how it worked. It took me about a month to go to the forum for the first time. After asking a few questions, and browsing a few how-to lenses, I started getting the hang of it.

I found it easy to make lenses, of course, but I've had to go back and seriously edit them. I started by just shoving too many pictures up and not having enough words!

The biggest graduation class so far!

During October 2008, 94 lenses by 94 new lensmasters were featured on group's page!

What's Hard for a Newbies?

And some of these quotes might surprise you! :)

Probably the hardest thing is to leave the completed lens alone!

The hardest part is generating traffic without going overboard in terms of time spent in Squidoo.

My biggest problem was getting into the forum and trying not to do something wrong there. Forums frighten me a bit because I always feel like an outsider, although everyone here has been nothing but helpful.

Figuring out how to keep track of all the wonderful lenses, especially all the fantastic tips I need to make great lenses.

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.

I came and had a look and thought I am no writer, I could never do this, but I looked around and thought nobody knows me, I WILL GIVE IT A TRY! It has been liberating for me, I had recently lost a pet of 12 years, and thought I would do a private tribute to Angel, I wrote, I cried, I wrote I cried, when I WAS DONE I got the nerve to click publish, I HAVE TO SAY, I had so many caring people comment, I feel very fortunate to be a part of such a caring community.

November 2008 graduates

30 new, fresh lenses were featured during November 2008 on Fresh Squid group lens.

Some of My Favorite Lines Coming From Fresh Squids!

Don't you just love them?!

Squidooers are a great group.

They know how to swim together in the same pond.

The downsides to navigating Squidoo: Alas, I have no clone to read all the wonderful lenses out there that I know I am missing, nor sow the seeds of ideas that evaporate in the morning light.

I love how helpful and supportive the community is! Far from being a cut-throat, competitive bunch, everyone seems to be more than willing to offer advice, critique a lens or give some encouragement. The fact that you can make money actually pales in comparison to the connections and friendships you can form here.

Last graduation class of 2008

Just before end of the year 2008, 31 Fresh Squid was featured on fron page of Fresh Squid group! And that brought us to total of 250 featured lenses and lensmasters from September, 15th to December, 31st 2008.

There Are Things People Love About Squidoo!

And here are some of Fresh Squid favorites:

The endless possibilities. While making a lens I already have an idea for another. Other people's lenses give me even more ideas!

I don't like Squidoo, I Love it! I love the fact that if you don't know something, there are thousands of people on the forum that have the answer, all you have to do is ask.

When I created my first lens, I was amazed at how quickly people visited it. Getting visits from people from all parts of the globe is amazing and I get a real kick from knowing that I am part of a world wide network.
However the best thing is that everyone is willing to help each other, that is priceless.

Other than feeling great when I get a high lensrank, I love it when I get kind & generous comments on my lenses from my peers & those wonderful Squid Angels. I also REALLY love it when I get paid for doing this fun stuff, and can send it along to NAOC in Malawi.

Squidoo is one of the few online communities where being nice and NOT focusing completely on your own lens/site benefits you more than the Me! Me! Me! routine.

The functionality of the pages, the people here, and the accumulated knowledge base. The lenses are easy to build and maintain, and you can do practically anything you want with them. The people here are really nice, helpful, and supportive. And smart. I learn something new every time I have time to roll through some of the lenses I haven't seen yet (which of course is the vast majority).

Creating Squidoo lenses is cheaper than therapy.

New year brings new Fresh Squids

And during January 2009, another 30 newbies were accepted to Fresh Squid group!

Some of Fresh Squid Ideas for Improvement

And there is always space for making things even better!

A few glitches here and there. not made me lens of the day yet...

I like to try to make quality lenses. It's not incredibly hard to make a good lens here, but it does take a lot of time to make quality lenses. Searching for the right photos, making sure my writing is strong and geared to each lens, etc.

I think the area in which I have grown and improved the most through Squidoo has been in social networking. I had previous experience in copywriting, editing and html code, but I didn't know as much about how to be part of a community. How to interact, reach out, accept advice and pass it on to others -- that's probably the most important thing I am continually practicing and learning here.

February brings a lots of love on Squidoo

And also 25 more Fresh Squids into Fresh Squid group!

We All Share Theses Thoughts

and keep them in our hearts!

Art can be found anywhere. Self expression is about a vision, the media which one uses to scream at the world through, just depends on the glasses they wear.

I have "listened" to people open up their wounds and their hearts. I have seen folks' heads crack wide open and I've gobbled up all their delicious ideas and notions. I've asked myself some challenging questions. I've been blessed, rated, rolled and faved, and offered kudos in kind.

I've learned a lot about some technical stuff from clever folks with a way of wording that doesn't make me want to bang my head on the desk repeatedly, nor reduce me to a drooling zombie entrenched in code. But most of all I've learned that you have to put it out there, to swim with the other squids in the ocean.

It doesn't get better than this folks! Even if you have no HMTL skills whatsoever this place makes you look like a pro. "Easy" doesn't even describe it.....more like "super simple" My seven year old wants to start building her own lenses and with Squidoo it's totally possible.

Beggining of Spring....

34 newcomers landed on Fresh Squid group and were featured on front page!

What Keeps Them Squidooing?

You'll find yourself here also!

I like that you can do a one-page lens on any subject you find interesting. I have a blog, which I like doing, but I feel restricted with it because I need to keep my pages related to my blog title. At one time, I thought about starting more blogs because I have more interests, but squidoo lenses will give me more freedom. On squidoo, I can write about hundreds of subjects.

Being able to meld my writing styles into a high quality lense atmosphere is perhaps one goal. Learning is an ongoing life process and this is another thing Squidoo provides.

Squidoo showed me the way - my expectations were fulfilled to over-flowing. This site is a great experience (look at the folks that have been around and STAY around) and a continuing vehicle for expression, learning and professional use.

My favorite thing about Squidoo is that it is an outlet for writing. It helps me hone my skills, and quite frankly, making a few cents here and there is a bonus. I still have a lot to learn, but I know there will be someone around who can help me. Squidoo is almost like family.

April 2009 graduation class

Many thing to learn and explore as these 27 Fresh Squids found out after coming to Squidoo!

Helping Fresh Squids Get Started

And pushing them into right direction....

Lens featured here was created as guideline for creating quality lens and also as collection of rules for acceptance to Fresh Squid group. It was expended with recommended reading and links to many helpful resources on Squidoo.

Special Thanks!

To man behind all graphics for Fresh Squids:

Contest Just for Fresh Squid Group Members!

Montly contest...

... where every month Fresh Squids who joined Fresh Squid group previous month automatically enter! If you're a member of Fresh Squid group, you get exposure, visits and votes! And you might win yourself cool badge!

Other Lensmasters See Hard Work...

... Fresh Squids put into their lenses!

And that's a reason many Fresh Squids won Lens of the Day in the past or became Giants! And there will be many in future! For Fresh Squids learn and apply what they learned!

And Thank You!

For help in keeping Fresh Squid blog updated!

Fresh Squid News Blog

Showcase of Fresh Squid group members

and their lenses! It's a further step in promotion put into Fresh Squid group and all the wonderful lensmasters who joined this group over time!

Do You Agree That You Can Learn From Fresh Squids?

Have you found anything useful and helpful here? What is your experience with Squidoo? What do you love about Squidoo?

Reply

nosajreef Dec 12, 2010 @ 6:53 pm | delete

Its nice to read about others and know I am not alone .....YES I AM A SQUIDOO ADDICT...okay I have admitted it what do I do now........ Nice lens

Reply

callinsky Jun 13, 2010 @ 1:49 pm | delete

I love the "It's cheaper than Therapy." Very funny. You all have been such a wonderful help to me. You are all very intelligent, helpful, and wonderful. I still have a long ways to go, but I would be a lot further away from anything stellar if I had never met this group.

Reply

luvmyludwig Oct 11, 2009 @ 12:00 pm | delete

This is beautiful!

Reply

mbgphoto Sep 19, 2009 @ 11:34 am | delete

Wonderful quotes. I think so many of us here at Squidoo, ending up getting a lot more from Squidoo than we were looking for when we started. What a great community of people!!