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Squidoo, with its cute squid logo, has become a popular way to promote your interests, career and try out new ideas on almost anything. But what can it do for you, an aspiring - or already established - writer? If you already know about blogs, social networking and self promotion, can Squidoo offer more? And if you are just starting out, can Squidoo help you get known?

The answer to both questions is yes. The key to Squidoo is its flexibility. You only get one page for each `lens' you create - as personal Squidoo websites are called - but you can do so much with that one page, and can create so many, that the possibilities are almost limitless.

Most social network pages, such as Facebook and MySpace, put you in touch with people, but the creative possibilities are limited to the applications these sites allow. The best blogs tend to become cluttered up with archived material that few web surfers have the patience to trawl through. Sites like Helium showcase your writing abilities, but again, it takes time and effort to seek out a particular writer's work, and you have the usual writing limitations, such as word counts.You cannot illustrate your work or present it in formats other than the standard.

But with Squidoo you can let your imagination and creativity run riot. You can mix and match images and text, provide links to your writing on the web, add videos, sticky notes, talk bubbles and even polls. On top of that, you can create a lens on any subject you please, including yourself (and never get flagged for self promotion!) and make some money. What's not to love?

Getting started is simple. You just sign in to Squidoo and click on Make a New Lens. It's all free, and the hardest part may just be coming up with a title no one else has thought of - you will be given a Workshop page to work with, with many options to add to your lens. When using Squidoo to promote yourself as a writer, use your imagination. Whatever your specialty or niche(s), create another lens to cover it. Create as many as you want, on different aspects of your writing life. Squidoo actively encourages its members to create as many lens as they want. If you create 50, you become a Giant Squid.

Squidoo-ers are a helpful community. They have published many lenses on helping you to create a great lens, and even on getting ideas for lenses. The forum will also answer any questions you have. But honestly, the template is so simple, anyone can do it.

Let's start with your basic writer's lens. You can put up writing samples in the text boxes (and add images if you wish), add links to your published writing on the web, offer your services as an editor, ghost writer or content writer, put two versions of a piece to the vote, add an RSS feed, show off your images and art on Flickr, and add a Table of Contents to make your lens easier to navigate - and that's just with the starter package. There are many more additions (just click on Add Modules on your Workshop page).

But why stop there? Lenses are only limited by your imagination. For example, I have created lenses about my Lulu bookshop, my home town, to promote my flash fiction, and even a fun one on history called Travelling Timelines. You can back up your blogs, share your favorite videos and link to Amazon and Ebay to generate some income.

But be warned - as many people have pointed out, Squidoo-ing can be very addictive!

Learn more about this author, Gail Kavanagh.
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