About Me (You, too.)

Now that the "About Me" and "My Lenses" modules have been retired, here's another way to help your readers learn more about you.

In the custom bio box on the top right of the lens, add a "call to action" at the end of the custom bio you write for each lens.  Simply ask readers to "Click on my picture to learn more about me and see what else I've been writing about."

That's how I'm going to start updating my custom bio boxes.

I like this idea.  Should have thought about it before!

Completing the Circle

I read lots of "newbie" lenses on Squidoo.  A few are really great, some are awful (they just are, what can I say) and others are written by newbies who need a little instruction but show so much promise.  Those are the ones that I really get excited about.

I love writing short comments of encouragement to new lensmasters. When I do, I think back to people who encouraged me in the early days and how much that meant to me.  I want these new newbies to smile when they read my note and turn to their friend or significant other and say, "Hey, someone at Squidoo thinks I'm special!"  If the smile stays on their face for more than a few seconds, then I've done my job. 

Later on, when I encounter some of these same new folks on RocketSquids, it's my turn to smile. I always hope that my note had something to do with fueling their desire to learn more about how to improve and make their lenses better and better.

Two smiles, theirs and mine.  Circle complete. 

SquidPeer Pressure

When I was a young squid with little experience and even less confidence, many of my best lensmaking habits were developed from watching what successful lensmasters did and then adapting their methods on my lenses.  It's a great way to learn, one I recommend often.

Occasionally, though, there would be practices that I didn't feel particularly comfortable with.  More often than not, though, I jumped on those bandwagons anyway.  After all, those people had been around longer and had more lenses and more success than I had at the time, so they must be right, right?  Not necessarily.

Peer pressure is a very powerful motivator for doing the wrong thing, even in a writing community like Squidoo.  The trap, however, lies in doing something simply because everyone seems to be doing it. 

Here's what I learned: Instincts rarely lie.  If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. Just don't.