On Becoming a Giant 100 Squid

Although I was certainly not new to the Internet, Squidoo was completely unheard of to me. A friend of mine had joined Squidoo in early 2007 and was working hard to build lenses. She would talk about it and I admit my curiosity got the better of me.

At first glance I wasn't sure what to think! This was certainly something much different then what was already being done (and done to death) and the idea of everyday people building a lens and talking about something they loved or knew about seemed similar to a website but far easier. I was familiar with websites and coding HTML but the ease of Squidoo was too good to be true!

So I signed up on September 4th, 2007, and haven't looked back since!

I instantly immersed myself in the co-brand SquidBoo. Halloween is a favorite holiday of mine and writing lenses about costumes came pretty easy. I also tackled some of my favorite musicians and bands, a couple of my favorite movies, and other interesting topics I thought readers might enjoy.

Pretty soon I had about 20 lenses. Some I worked hours and even days on; others wrote themselves they were so simple. By the end of the year I had nearly 30 lenses and had established myself comfortably. My first four months on Squidoo had hooked me!

Through the early part of 2008, I was pretty much swimming along with 30 lenses under my belt. Lots of changes (most for the better!) came to Squidoo and the site was growing by the day. Although I maintained my lenses, building new ones wasn't priority.

Don't get me wrong -- I was making a lens here and there. In fact I had started to notice the Giant Squid badges on peoples' profiles and thought it would be kind of neat to make 50 lenses. But other things had taken precedence in my life and Squidoo was sort of on the back burner.

In June I received an email asking if I wouldn't consider working towards the level of Giant Squid. I was certainly flattered someone thought I had the potential to reach that status, that my lenses were quality content. Although I had gone back to college in March I undertook the challenge and worked hard. Pretty soon I had 50 lenses and sent in my application.

On July 2nd, 2008, I received an email congratulating me on making Giant Squid!

Reaching Giant Squid was hard. I knew a few people on Squidoo, but I wasn't an active participant in the SquidU forums, and those I knew were merely acquaintances. I was pretty much swimming alone in the dark a lot of the time, learning by trial and error. Although it was a hard won accomplishment, sometimes I wish I'd had a mentor to guide me.

By the end of 2008 I was hovering just below 60 lenses. I had gotten a bit burned out -- working towards Giant status had exhausted me of ideas and I was going to school full-time -- and I didn't do much more then make a few costume lenses for Halloween 2008.

Although I kept my lenses updated when I could, I was growing frustrated with Squidoo. I'd spent a lot of time working hard and pouring effort into my lenses but I seemed to swimming in circles out in left field. Occasionally I'd receive a comment on a lens from another Lensmaster but I was pretty much doing my own thing. I felt awkward at the SquidU forums, as jumping into conversations can be tough, especially when you don't really know your fellow Lensmasters.

One night in July I poured out my frustrations into a post on the Chatter Box. If I was good as I was occasionally being told, then why was I not getting noticed? What was I doing wrong? How could I stop being frustrated and feeling like all my efforts on Squidoo were wasted?

Thankfully, lensmaster AJ2008 contacted me and asked if I might consider joining her team on the Giant Squid Challenge for September 2009. After a few emails, I signed up with the Jolly Judicious Jetsetters-2 and was assigned under AJ's Jugglers. We had a small group within the JJJ-2 and we were all experienced lensmasters who got on very well. For the first time in ages I felt like I belonged on Squidoo and quickly set to work on making batches of new lens in preparation for applying for Giant 100 status.

I ended up making a total of 50 lenses in roughly two months. Looking back, I can see where I might have bitten off more than I could chew at times; I only needed 38 lenses when the challenge started in August 2009, but I had several ideas I'd been working on plus there's always the inevitable "ooo that's an idea!" lens that pops up unexpectedly. But I certainly had the support of my teammates and benefited from working in a group where I know people visited my lenses and let me know I was doing good work.

It's certainly true that a little encouragement and praise can go a long way. I no longer felt like an outcast or loner, but more like a valuable member of the Squidoo Society. I learned that encouragement and praise are a two-way street; always pass it forward!

On my second Squidaversary I applied for Giant 100 status. On October 5th, 2009, I received an email letting me know I had indeed made my goal. Now I'm an official Giant 100 Squid!

As of the publication of this lens, I'm currently standing at 113 lenses (including this one.) Whew! That's a LOT of lenses!

During my time here on Squidoo, I've been honoured and recognized for my lenses, particularly several standouts. I received the Lens of the Day recognition for my Hairspray Halloween Costumes lens on October 13th, 2007. I've also received 3 purple stars: #1 The Goonies House; #2 Backyard Pumpkin Patch; #3 Gifts for True Blood Fans. Thank you for honouring my lenses with these awards! I am truly grateful!

I've worked to involve myself in the Squidoo community, by participating on the SquidU forums and also was granted SquidAngel status in October 2008. I hope to reach out to other lensmasters like myself, who feel alone and in the dark in the wilds of Squidoo and let them know I was just like them.

I would like to say THANK YOU to all of my fellow lensmasters who have left comments and rated my lenses over the years, who have encouraged me to continue on making quality lenses. And I would like to say THANK YOU to those who operate Squidoo and keep it running, as well as fresh and exciting.