A Squid is Born

In June of 2008, Sylvia aka boutiqueshops suggested to the members of a Small Business Forum that we check out Squidoo.

She explained about writing a lens and how that could be helped to promote our business and provide deeper backlinks for some of our pages on our websites. Her explanations were interesting and I came over to see what she was talking about.

Sylvia didn't stop with just an invitation. She encouraged me with reading my first lens, giving some tips and sharing her knowledge.

Her insight into the construction of a lens was helpful. I remember one of her comments was "I see the possibility of 3 other lenses that can be written from this one lens". Then she explained what she meant. I always think of her when I'm constructing an outline for a lens idea. Looking to see if there is another lens that can add to the one I'm working on.

She became my first fan, rated my lens, and left a comment. She has continued to give me support along the way and I so appreciate her nurturing my first attempts as a newborn Baby Squid. I would not have discovered Squidoo if it hadn't been for her. I would not have continued without her guidance in the beginning. Thank you, Sylvia!

On June 18, 2008, thanks to Sylvia, a new Baby Squid was born and named BevsPaper.

It takes a village to raise a Baby Squid. One thing I learned very quickly was that there were all of these wonderful Squids who were willing to take the time to read my work, comment on it, and rate it for me. Willing to nurture and encourage a young squid just as we do with infants.

A very important place to swim to is SquidU. You meet other Squids there who give you advice, encourage your efforts, and can learn some tips. I saw a big difference in my success after I swam over to those waters.

This is an elite group of squids to swim with and it is my hope that I will have grown enough to join this group at the next cut-off date of June 2009.

In order to swim with this group in the waters of the Sea of Squidoo, you must have at least 50 quality lenses. You submit your lenses to the group of greeters and they will decide if your ink is strong enough.

Sometimes a young squid doesn't make Giant Squid on their first attempt. From what I understand you will be given some advice on what you can do to improve your work and then submit it again by the next cut-off date.

The picture above was done by Steve Thompson (tagsforkids) who permits us to use his art with the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License attached. And a link back to his lens SquidArt

When you are trying to achieve the rank of Giant Squid there are Mentors who will help you with your quest.

They offer advice on things that you can do to improve your lenses. Cheer you on and help you use the strongest ink from your tentacles. They are very good people to know.

Squid Angels swim with us in the Sea of Squidoo. They give us blessings when they read something that they feel is worthy. Some will tell you they left the blessing, some will give one anonymously, and some will contact you with advice on what you can do to improve your lens before it is worthy of a blessing.

I always feel so humbled when I receive a blessing. It touches me deeply that they deemed me worthy. Their blessings encourage me to keep swimming and I thank them from the bottom of my little Squid heart.

While swimming around the Sea of Squidoo, a Rocket Mom asked me if I would like to join an amazing group of women from the internet waters in an 8 week course of study and fellowship.

Beginning in June 2009 I started swimming with this remarkable group of women who offer support to each other in the lensmaking process. We share tips on making our lenses look nice. There are tips on using different modules for our lenses to help with traffic and money making ideas.

Each and every one of the Rocket Moms should get a special badge for the encouragement they offer both veteran squidooers and the Baby Squids in our group!

The goal of these intelligent and talented ladies is to help to improve the quality of writing on Squidoo by working together.

Well, there you have it, my tales of swimming in the Sea of Squidoo and how it came to be. I'll continue to swim the waters, making new friends and growing stronger tentacles to produce better inked lenses. I'll let you know about my progress and add other tips for you to think about looking into as you swim the wonderful waters of this great Sea.

It is a wonderful place to swim in, but you must be careful. It is so easy to become addicted to the ink filled waters. Then again, there are much worse things to become addicted to.

The graphic of a Squidaholic was done by Steve Thompson and can be found at SquidArt.

July 2, 2009 I got the announcement e-mail. I am no longer a Baby Squid. Today I hold my head up high as a Giant Squid. I feel honored to have been accepted into this tremendous group of swimmers!

Sure, I worked hard and I was able to create 68 lenses instead of the needed 50 for application. However, I would have never made it without the inspiration, encouragement, and friendship of my fellow Squidooers!

Seriously, if you think you would like to be a Giant Squid there are many of us who are willing to help you on that journey. Swim around some of the places that I've suggested above. Get to know people and most importantly WRITE.

If I can help you with ideas, proof-reading, or anything; please don't hesitate to use the "contact me" button on my profile. I was helped along the way by so many lensmasters and I'm ready to play it forward for Giant Squid hopefuls.

The baby squid who started this lens has grown along the way, swimming in new waters and meeting new Squids along the way. I joined the September 2009 challenge to try to become a member of the Giant 100 Club.

On October 5, 2009, I received the e-mail letting me know that I had passed the test and was now an official member of the Giant 100 Club here at Squidoo.

Woot!

In September 2009, Bonnie and Robin who are the Giant Squid Organizers contacted me to ask if I would be interested in becoming an official Giant Greeter. I can't tell you just how excited I was to get this invitation! What an honor!

I'm so pleased to be a part of the Giant Challenges and to be able to officially encourage new Baby Squids as they hone their lensmaking skills and try to become a Giant Squid or a new member of the 100 Club.

Now, I get to pay it forward for all of the help and kindness that was shown to me when I was new and swimming in the waters of Squidoo.

I'm now officially a retired Giant Greeter but I still like to help the new Giant hopefuls when I can.

Copyright: May 15, 2009 by BevsPaper (Beverly Owens)