What I Learned From My Purple Star Lenses

Today I completed an exercise of going back through all of my purple star lenses, adding each of them to a new lens, a purple star lensography of sorts. After I was finished, I realized that I had learned something very important about myself and about crafting lenses.

What I learned isn't anything new. In fact, it's something that many of us offer as good advice to new lensmasters on a regular basis. That advice? Make lenses from your heart.

Another way of stating it is to write lenses on topics you're passionate about, things that mean something to you. The reason that is good advice is that the end result is meaningful and, almost always, of a higher quality than when you write about something to which you have no personal connection.

Of my 14 purple star lenses, almost all of them are what I would judge as very good to excellent lenses. There are a couple that, frankly, I'd place in the "good" category; I'm not so sure they quite measure up to "very good." And it turns out that the best of the best are on topics that I felt passionate about or had a strong personal connection to at the time they were written. The just "good" lenses, not so much.

Of course I know that I'm not able to judge my own lenses totally objectively, but after three-plus years on Squidoo I know an excellent lens when I see one, even if it is my own. I know how to recognize a "good" lens, too.

My point, which I'm not sure I'm stating very clearly, is that if quality matters to you, if you want to make a truly great lens, then put the money motive on the back burner and choose a subject that is really, truly close to your heart. If just "good" is good enough (and sometimes it is good enough), then settle for a subject that will meet some other goal or objective, such as increasing your earnings.

As for me, from now on I'm going to weigh more carefully my passions and my motives when I choose a topic for a lens and do my best to make each lens purple star-worthy by injecting into it a little piece of my heart.

Purple Star Quest

I'm exhausted.

You already know that I've been serving as Purple Star Queen this week. That means I had to find 20 great lenses worthy of the Squidoo purple star award.

It was easy to find good lenses. It was hard to narrow them down to 20 great lenses!

But I did it.

And I wrote about it on this new lens, a fairy tale in real life.

This queen is worn out from having so much fun. She's happy to retire her crown. She'll cherish the memories and all the amazingly wonderful comments she's received.

If you find a lens that is purple star-worthy (here are the rules), be sure and nominate it. It'll make the full-time queen's job much easier.

Who's the Latest Purple Star Queen?

A few days ago, I blogged about the Purple Star contest going on over Memorial Day weekend at Squidoo. I was excited because during the contest non-Giant Squids were eligible to receive purple stars for their lenses. We have so many talented almost-Giants and this would be a great opportunity for them.

I also mentioned that one purple star recipient's name would be drawn from a hat and that person would become Purple Star Queen (or King) for the week. Royal duties would include choosing the week's 20 purple star lenses.

Well, guess whose name was drawn.

It was mine! Can you believe it? I just found out and I can't stop smiling!

For the next week I will wear an imaginary crown (unless there's another perk I don't know about - I'll be watching for a package) and search for 20 of the best lenses in the Squidoo kingdom. Ooh, what fun! Oh, what work! In fact, how will I choose?

It won't be easy narrowing the best down to 20, but I'll manage. I can't wait to get started.

Let the royal festivities begin!

A Purple Star-Studded Opportunity

What are you doing this long Memorial Day weekend? I hope you have something fun planned, but I also hope you can fit making a new Squidoo lens into your schedule. Here's why.

Full details and rules are on the Squidoo blog but, bottom line, if you make a really great new lens between now and midnight Monday, May 31st, 2010, you can also nominate it for a purple star. Then, if the lens is deemed worthy, not only will it receive a purple star, but your name will be entered into a drawing to become Purple Star Queen or King for the week of June 7th and you will get to choose all 20 purple-star lenses for that week. What fun!

The exciting part is that this challenge is open to all lensmasters. It's a rare occasion that non-Giant lenses are considered for purple stars, so if you're not a Giant yet this is a golden, well actually a purple, opportunity for you to get your new lens noticed.

Not familiar with the purple star program on Squidoo? Read all about it here (but remember that you don't have to be a Giant for this event) then put your very best work into a new lens and maybe, just maybe, your lens will receive some of that magic purple stardust.

Giant Squids can play too, of course, but it's particularly exciting that this challenge is open to everyone.

Remember, read the rules first, then get started on your next, or maybe your very first, purple star-worthy lens!

Watch the (Purple) Stars Come Out On Squidoo

Have you noticed that "purple star" label on the left side of your lensmaster dashboard? It's been there for a very long time, always with a little mouse-over message explaining that purple stars aren't working yet, but they will be soon. Well, soon has arrived and the purple star program is now active, and was it ever worth the wait!

If you're not a Giant Squid and this program doesn't motivate you to make those 50 lenses and qualify for Giant, then I don't know what will. Only Giants are eligible for the purple star award and, indeed, only a few giant-made lenses will receive a purple star each week. When you see a purple star on a lens, you will know that it's a top-notch, high-quality lens, quality worth emulating. Purple star lenses will be showcased, announced on Squidoo weekly, so they won't be hard to find. If you're still trying to learn what makes a quality lens, seek these out and study them to learn what makes a really, really good lens.

Want to see the first group of recipients? They're included in this SquidU forum post, along with a link to the Purple Star lens with more details about the program. If you're serious about succeeding on Squidoo, this is material you will want to spend some time with. Enjoy!