The Purple Star Program!

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 130 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #1,223 in How-To, #11,969 overall | Donates to Planet Gumbo

Just for Giant Squids

Some things are worth the wait. That includes the new Purple Star program.

Giant Squids, please meet your newest perk.

Anyone who hopes to be a Giant one day soon, meet your latest reason to roll up your sleeves and keep trying.

Here's how it works: the short version 

short and sweet

All Giant Squids (and only Giant Squids) are eligible.
Your Giant Squid Organizers will pick about 20 lenses a week to bless with purple stars.
You get a pretty little star on your lens.
And a small lensrank boost.
And you get entered into a lottery for prizes.
And an awful lot of bragging rights.
It's that simple.

How it works: the longer answer 

the ins and outs and overs and unders

There is no more longer answer. This is sweet and easy.

Purple Stars are fairy dust. They're magic. They're surprises. You'll never know when or where they'll arrive--but you'll get a special e-mail if you're bestowed with some Purple Star goodness.

Your Giant Squid Organizers will dust standout lenses, both new and old, at any time of the day or night, with purple stars. Masterpiece lenses. Lenses making a name for themselves. Lenses trying new things. And yes, even (and perhaps especially) the best lenses made as part of the Giant Squids Summer School!

The best way to get picked is to get yourself noticed for your incredible content, for trying new ideas and modules, for running conversations on your lenses, for standing out from the crowd. Do that enough, and the purple star fairy will find you. You can also drop a line about a stellar lens (your own or someone else's) to purplestar@squidoo.com.

And remember: in early August 2009 we'll be doing a big Purple Star Lottery, with some seriously fun giveaways. Each purple star lens you have under your belt = 1 lottery ticket. So make great stuff, get a purple star, and play the odds to increase your chances of winning the lottery!

But be patient

We're only giving out about 2,000 purple star lenses a year!

So what do you get? 

Purple star lenses are scarce and special.

1. If you earn one, you get a purple star badge right on the lens for everyone to see.

2. You get entered into a lottery for big gifts ranging from iPods to $1000 to charity to iTunes gift certificates.

3. Your lens gets a small one-time editorial turboboost in LensRank. The purple star turboboost is the equivalent of a few Angel blessings.

5. Last but not least, and perhaps the best benefit of all: You get a fun excuse to keep creating and innovating. A reason to keep making and playing on more new lenses.

Keep creating and innovating and exploring and learning

That's the real point, the whole point.

Why not give purple stars to EVERYONE who deserves them? 

Why is this only for Giants?

We agree. Lot of lensmasters out there create lenses that deserve attention and celebrity. And there are lots of other systems running to help them and reward them.

The Giant Squids program is a way to help us find and work with the real movers and shakers on the site -- the people who have both the gift of making great lenses, AND the dedication to stick around and make lots of them.

So purple stars are a way to give them something to keep working toward.

It's a meritocracy, sure. But it's still an open system. Anyone can become a Giant. They just need to earn it.

More about the Giant Squids 

here's a lens with a lot more info

featured lens THE GIANT SQUIDS (and how you can become one)

No, it's not a rock group (but it might as well be). It's the core group of movers and shakers at Squidoo. It's a gathering of influentials, the most dedicated lensmakers on Squidoo. Here's how this whole thing started. One day at Squidoo Headquarte...

Brought to you by The Giant Squid Organizers; sponsored by Megan Casey, Editor in Chief 

Bonnie, Patti and Robin

These 3 members of the Squidoo community know EVERYTHING there is to know about Purple Stars, the Giant Squids, making great lenses and lots more. They work directly with Megan@Squidoo HQ as your representatives and champions and go-betweens.