This LINK should open in a new tab or window. (Use either tabbed browsing, or another browser window, so that you have this blog page open while you are creating your first lens.)
(Joining Squidoo using any other link will void your opportunity to make a bonus $5.00.)
You're going to see a screen that might alarm you. Right away, it is going to ask:
Step 1: So, what's your lens about?
Don't be afraid. Your very first lens, your practice page, is going to be about a subject you know pretty well. Hopefully. YOU.
This page will be a little "about me" page that you can edit as we go along, and eventually delete once you're squidding like a pro—if you so choose. I rather enjoy my profile lens. It isn't bound to make me a lot of money, but it's quirky—like me.
So in the box, enter "About Me: your_nickname" and click Go to Step 2 (quick, before you chicken out).
Now you have to make another life-changing decision with little or no notice:
Step 2: What do you want to do with your lens?
Once again, do not panic. I've tried several of the options, and my favorite remains the last option: I just want to do my own thing.
(Don't be fooled by option 2 ... you're still going to earn $$ ... just probably not so much with THIS lens.)
Now bravely click on Go to Step 3.
It's going to ask more of you than ever before. There are four things to consider on this page.
- What is your lens title? (About Me: XP is fine for me.)
- Pick your URL: (if you're pretty sure you're not going to want to use it for anything else, just go with your username; otherwise, you're on your own—I'm using xp here)
- Pick a category for your lens: (if you're not sure, you can double-check, but I think most of us can choose People for this)
- Please rate your lens: Finally on this page, you're going to choose if your lens about yourself is G, R or X rated. (For the sake of my continued innocence, please select and conform to a G rating for this exercise.)
(NOTE: if your lens URL has already been claimed, you'll have to select a different one. Sorry.)
We've arrived at a very important step:
Step 4: Help people find your lens
You may not care so much for THIS lens, but in the future, you're going to care VERY MUCH about tags. Tags are what help people find your page. This is a GOOD THING. On this page, you'll only need to enter between one and four tags, but later you'll learn where to go to add more—lots more. Every possible relevant combination of words that should lead to your lens.
For today, entering biography or resume or rockstar should suffice.
One more itty bitty thing before you launch into the lens creator: don't forget to enter the Captcha (goofy word) so the computer knows you are a living being and not a pesky automated spambot from Hades.
Then you can click Done.
(Next: Your First Lens)
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