Last Night I Graduated from Rocket Squids on Squidoo
I didn't make as much use of he Rocket Squid program as I could have. I only read some of the articles posted for us and I didn't comment very much, or make an effort to meet more than a couple of people on Squidoo while I was there for mentoring. However, I don't think I wasted my time being there and I don't think it was a waste of time to join and be a part of Rocket Squids.
In fact, now that I've graduated I'm surprised to feel a bit like I'm missing something. I will miss the extra quests which came from Rocket Squids, also the bonus of seeing some of the new features on Squidoo first (along with the Giant Squids). But, because I do have over 25 featured lenses, I have applied to become a Giant Squid (kind of like being a Brownie and 'flying up' to become a Girl Guide). I hope I get accepted, but, of course, there is no guarantee. I may have left a few uncaught typos in my wake. I have always tried to write original and creative content.
Maybe I'm a little arrogant to think I didn't really need the Rocket Squid program. I have been writing online since 1996 after all. I've been freelance writing long before that. I'm not a kid, by far. I know how to write. Not that I'm perfect. I will say that to my nephew but he knows I'm joking.
I do have more to learn. Everyone does. The more I do learn the more questions I find to ask. So, the Rocket Squids did help me, yes, even me with all the experience I have had as a web writer, directory editor, forum moderator, newsletter diva, blogger, copywriter, network writer and so on. You can always learn more - if you take yourself a bit less seriously and listen to what others have to tell you.
Independent Blogger or Network Writer?
Is blogging still worthwhile? Is it worth the extra time, energy and resources to put into creating, maintaining and promoting your own site? Or, is it simpler to write for Squidoo (or other online networks) but only have a share of the profit from your work?
Do you have your own blog or site outside of Squidoo? If so, leave a comment with the link(s). I will visit your site and likely others who stop here will too.
If it were possible to add a third option here I would say the best option is to do both - run your own sites for the experience and be part of a network for the communicaitons and company. But, there are downfalls to each option. Being part of a network community and running your own sites too can burn you out. (I've been burnt out a few times over the years I've been publishing online).
Which is better: being your own blogger or working as part of a network of writers?
Writing for the Web...isn't Always Blogging But, it's a Place to Start
Don't get too tangled up in SEO, writing for Google. Writing online should be writing for people to read and search engines to pick up. Actually, even the search engines (Google and Yahoo) are noticing how much more important the social media and socializing in general are than the marketing. Marketing is all about sales, so often it misses the target entirely because marketers are trying to catch the attention of Google instead of actual human people. People are the ones who read your posts, leave comments and pass along links they valued or found interesting.
Are you on Twitter?
You can find me on Twitter. My username is @thatgrrl
I won't claim to be a Twitter addict but I do especially like Twitter as a way to connect to other writers, find new resources and ideas and the odd laugh too.
Don't be shy or intimidated by Twitter. It is simple to use, if you give yourself a chance to start. One thing which seems to bother people about Twitter (and a lot of social networks) is missing something when you aren't there. Get over that. Get over it quick!
Yes, you will miss some stuff. Some of it will be good. But, you will catch some stuff too and that is enough. Don't become obsessed. Just sit down, type a bit and enjoy the rush, flow and ebb of information.
There are Twitter groups for writers. They have scheduled get togethers on Twitter. You need to use a hashtag (each group will have their own - #writerstalk for example). People who run the groups can help you get started. But, mainly you just need to use Twitter to search for the hashtag the group uses and then you can read all the posts. When you reply use the same hashtag so everyone else will see your post too.
Write in Your Own Style and With Your Own Voice
How do writers write?
Anyway, here I am at the end of one path and maybe the start of another. Either way I will keep writing. I love writing. I especially enjoy the new lens format for reviewing items on Amazon. The fun is coming up with ideas around whatever I'm reviewing and making a fully robust post from the original item. There is a trick to it. Create layers to the original idea you are writing about. Don't go far off topic into some never never land... but, build up the topic with extras, layers and bundles of new and relevant ideas. This also works great for fiction writers.
You need to bundle ideas together in a way that makes sense and has flow! I think of it as having a conversation with someone I don't know. I also like to give readers extra information, a new spin on something and something else to think about or read about or study or research - new ideas to explore. It doesn't always work, but I do my best. I like bringing my own ideas, experience and opinions to something that could have been kind of bland just lying there flat on the page.
Writers all have their own style though. Each of us has our individual voice as well. So, if a writer is actually using their own voice, in their own style no two of us will ever have the same post even if we write about the exact same thing.
Writing Style Matters and Can be Developed ... but working on your writer's voice is more fun.
Writing style is about how you write, the more practical things. Some people write in a casual way with a lot of flow. Some people write in a reporter style, with the facts... mainly the facts. Some writers write like a sales pitch, not always a bad thing.
Then there is your writing voice. This is more about what you say than how you write. It's how you say it. Have you had a conversation with someone really connects with you versus someone who really seems to have nothing to say but keeps talking anyway? Your voice is important. It's how you connect to your readers. Your writer's voice is your personality typed onto the page.
Curated Content for Web Writers
Web publishing is always changing in small and less subtle ways. One upcoming idea is content curation. Based on the idea of art and museum curators who display stuff (for lack of a better word) in art galleries and museums for the public to come along and have a look.
On the web, content curation is still mostly about finding and displaying content. Finding the content can be the simplest part. Keeping the content displayed takes some extra work for those who do it well. Using a site like Scoop.it does help because the software is set up to upload the link, add an image and just let the curator fill in the blanks (mostly). One very good thing which Scoop.it does automatically is give a link back to the source of the content. Linking back and giving credit is very important. It is one of the important ethical issues which we face as web writers.
So... What did I learn from being a RocketSquid?
I learned about Squidoo. I learned about the people behind Squidoo - I'd already known about some and even bought a couple of books written by Seth Godin. Not because of Squidoo but because I wanted to read more about his perspective on web writing and publishing.
The Scroll of Originality
Content is king. You've heard the saying. But what kind of content? Is some content not king (or queen)? Is there a standard for great, high quality, remarkable content? You bet.
We at Squidoo believe that original, handcrafted, written-and-loved-and-tended-by-you content is not only the most enjoyable to write, but also the most useful for readers to discover, and the most likely to get spread to other people.
Even better, let's put a face on the word 'content.' On its own, 'content' is a broad, generic, vague term. What we've found works best for our Squidoo writers is opinion content. First hand reviews. Recommendations. Storytelling. Experience sharing. As we said 5 years ago when we started the company, Squidoo is an opportunity for you to share your point of view, your take on a specific topic. That's why lenses are called lenses -- they snap your point of view in to focus.
This is a handshake, a thank you, and a reminder to keep writing original lenses. Lenses that no one else could have written better or more uniquely than we know you can. It also comes with extra tips, to save you from spending time and energy on a low-quality, non-original lens that winds up getting removed.
The best rules of thumb for creating original content are:
Write about topics that interest you. When you're interested and have an opinion, it's easier to make a great lens.
Push yourself to create. Creation means building something from scratch. And it's extraordinarily rewarding when you do.
When you quote from or cite other sources on the web, link to them. Only quote small excerpts. Even ask in advance if you're not sure. And better yet -- follow it with your own unique perspective on that information.
Do the same for product recommendations. Even if you don't have first person experience with the product, you surely have an opinion about whether you wish you did, and what you might do if the item landed in your lap!
Achieve balance. If you hand curate and quote other sources, be sure to add plenty of your own original content to the lens at the same time.
"Duplicating content" isn't a great practice, and if there's too much duplicated content, that means it's not unique to your lens, right? It could get removed. If it's plagiarized (meaning, you use too much of someone else's content, or you don't cite even the smallest amount), your lens will get removed for sure.
Try original, with a twist: Be the editor in chief of a conversation on your lens. Even if you don't write it all yourself, moderating and adding context to other people's comments creates unique collaborative meaning.
This is an agreement to create, craft, build, bake, innovate, write, opine, talk, storytell, review, recommend, and stand out from the crowd. That's the magic of Squidoo. Thank you for being here.
By continuing to maintain and publish lenses on Squidoo, you are pledging to craft original, unique lenses. We at Squidoo are pledging to you in return that we will continue to support quality work and will help remove low-quality, aggressively non-original lenses.