Home > Lensmaking Tips > Start Small To Achieve Big Results

Start Small To Achieve Big Results

Bonnie Diczhazy by on Mon, Jan 23rd, 2012

This weekend I decided that I was going to make a stellar Valentine’s Day craft with my daughter. I thought BIG, planned out the entire thing down to the last detail and wound up with a fabulous mess of wasted paper and yarn. Needless to say the project got scrapped and we decided to make hot chocolate and watch a movie instead.

After a little thought I realized where I failed. I thought too big, too fast and ended up overwhelmed and exasperated. This is exactly what happens when you think too big with a lens. You often times end up with a disorganized and puffed up catastrophe.

So what’s the answer? Start small.

Instead of dreaming up a lengthy masterpiece lens do these 5 steps instead.

1) Pick your topic and write it down.

2) Choose a large brilliant intro photo that will engage your audience.

3) Choose 5 modules that you want to use to craft your lens. I love using the Text Module, Amazon Spotlight Review Module, Poll Module, Duel Module and Guestbook as my first 5. You can add more later but start with just 5.

4) Fill up those 5 modules with amazing original content that fits your topic.

5) Marvel at you BIG achievement.

Now that you have a tight and targeted start on your lens you can go ahead and add more content. What’s so great about the “starting small” method is that you create a fantastic foundation for your lens that can be built upon in an organized and well thought out fashion instead of starting BIG then ending up small and chaotic.

If you’re up for the challenge start a lens today with just 5 modules. Then as you organize your thoughts and ideas add to the lens during the rest of the week and share your BIG results here on this thread.

Related Reading:  Catch up with a few more of our recent Lensmaking Tips: What’s Missing? Your Intro Photo, On the Value of Contractions and The Do’s and Don’t of SquidLiking.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/isolino/3454715972/

Bonnie Diczhazy (bdkz) is a community organizer here on Squidoo. She is Chief RocketSquid and manages the Giant Squid VIP Writers program.

Comments:

  • Mera Banlos

    Thank you for the brilliant advice. As a newbie , it will help a lot for the improvement of my next lens .

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/David-Warner/1246053548 David Warner

    I usually make small projects into gargantuan activities lol. This article really hit home, thanks for writing it :).

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Minnie-Webster/100003155466249 Minnie Webster

    Thanks for advice

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HQSUM7ARRTB2VCOH7PXU623KD4 mykingcomforter

    You make it sound so easy, but if you break it down like you said, it makes sense.  I always start with a couple of text modules myself, put in some good information, and then take it from their.  Breaking your information down into different segments, and then adding to them works best for me.  Thanks for the great tips!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/cweshen1 cweshen1

    I find that when I get an idea for a lens I write it down and then expand on it in one of my word processing apps, that way I can see how it looks before I commit it to a lens. Thanks for the good info.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/paperfacets paperfacets

    This is good advice. Throughout the month, and year I will come across something I need to add to a lens. Now in my Squidoo career I usually start small and fill in those details later. Some lenses have developed into niche without even any real hard thinking. The process grows on its own.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Xine Xine

    I’m new to Squidoo and very happy to read this. I’ve only build three lens so far – one I still haven’t published but I was a little concerned after viewing some other people’s lens.  I’m a firm believer in taking things or making in them in smaller chunks.  Thanks for the great advice!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Jillynn Jillynn

    Step by step – just the way I like it. Thanks for the len!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/manlalakbay manlalakbay

    I agree with you Bonnie. We must think atleast twice everything we write. Make sure that you achieve this presented goal, start small to achieve big results. :)

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/101cupcakeideas 101cupcakeideas

    Thanks for the great article. When you see the steps broken down so simply, it really takes the stress out of creating a lense.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/eeone5b eeone5b

    Good advice but I find that I just get the message that my lens is too short to be published unless it is about 3 miles long … 

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/cajkovska cajkovska

    Thx for advice

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Carina99 Carina99

    Good advice,thank you very much!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/kaazoom kaazoom

    it is so easy to feel you have to do everything in one sitting. I like your idea of starting small.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/BPCFE BPCFE

    Basic and valuable advice. Thank you!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Stacywilliams201 Stacywilliams201

    Good Advice! Thanks for sharing it…

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/systoro systoro

    Thanks for advice. This is advice that I need to start making a better lens. Very good.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/VickyBlake VickyBlake

    Think big, start small.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Saint-Therese-Little-Flower Saint-Therese-Little-Flower

    Boy that make sit simple…Thanks!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/cdecosta cdecosta

    pretty cool

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/citycat citycat

    Great idea. Starting small is better than not starting at all. :)

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/BusyMOM BusyMOM

    A great way to start! I am constantly thinking, “oh. i could write a lens about that!” and then I forget it. So, I started to go to Squidoo and start a lens with the title of my new subject  and then save it as a draft to come back later. I have 5 new lenses in the making that I’m having fun going back to, to complete. Great advice from you, thanks!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/mj9963 mj9963

    That advice goes for every aspect in life not only here.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/mikebozanoff mikebozanoff

    thanks

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Airyu2011 Airyu2011

    Excellent info!!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/giesickd giesickd

    check out my lens at http://www.squidoo.com/brotherlylovebydg and leave comments in the guestbook at the end. Also click on the link to my Facebook group and like it so i can reach my goal of 200 likes and people.

  • http://eternaljoi.com Barbette Joy Watts

    Bonnie, thank you the information.  I’m really learning a lot about lens and how to create content that will attract more traffic.  Thanks for the advice.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Centavo Centavo

    Bonnie, thanks so much for advice and the lens. You are so right–if you would take small, baby steps in most things you do, they will all add up and you will reach success in your endeavor. I try to approach my golf game like this–not worry about the score, only one hole at a time.  When I do this my round is usually very successful.  Wishing you the best in 2012. 

  • Anonymous

    very goo advice

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Hotbite Hotbite

    Thank you ! this is really good advice

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Amor77 Amor77

    Great info…thanks Bonnie

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/anasminhas anasminhas

    thnks for nice advise. its gd for newbees

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/webdevelopmentservices webdevelopmentservices

    Nice though Bonnie, i will try my best to write a small lens for coming valentine’s day. :-)

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Cheap-Divorce Cheap-Divorce

    All you need to do is take the first step, after that it’s easy. Far to many projects get put aside and dismissed just because the person was too lazy, ‘did not the have time’ or was scared that they did not know how. 

    Any action is better than no action.  That’s my view anyway.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/SeniorLiving SeniorLiving

    Thanks Bonnie

    • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/bdkz bdkz

      You’re Welcome!

    • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/bdkz bdkz

      You’re Welcome!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/SeniorLiving SeniorLiving

    Thanks Bonnie

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/CrazySnake513 CrazySnake513

    Thanks for this great advice. Since I’m new this will help a lot.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/CrazySnake513 CrazySnake513

    Thanks for this great advice. Since I’m new this will help a lot.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/youprintcoupons youprintcoupons

    Thanks

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/youprintcoupons youprintcoupons

    Thanks

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/TheGourmetCoffeeGuy TheGourmetCoffeeGuy

    Great advice: to the point, practical and easy to understand.  Thank yo for your insights!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Theycallmedramaqueen Theycallmedramaqueen

    Thanks for this easy to follow advice on the benefits of starting small. Your five suggested modules were so helpful. I’m now feeling less overwhelmed about making a second lens.

    • http://www.squidoo.com Kimberly Dawn Wells

       Yay!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Sebas69 Sebas69

    Thanks for the tips, Bonnie!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/ZariaandBellas ZariaandBellas

    Nice Tips, Bonnie

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/soroiuf soroiuf

    great tips dear

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/nutrasique nutrasique

    hey great stuff

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/bettyblog bettyblog

    Great!

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/a-i-m a-i-m

    Alright, I’m in. But why do I always start this stuff right before bed. Ok. let’s seem how my small lens goes. I already have an idea

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/cutedevil308 cutedevil308

    thanks for advice…….

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Amor77 Amor77

    very helpful…great

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/TheOdessaolga TheOdessaolga

    very good advice….it inspires us who are still beginners!!! have a nice day to all of us :)

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Pangionedevelopers Pangionedevelopers

    great advice

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/rajuginne rajuginne

    thanks for share  
    Airtet

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/DollarTycoon DollarTycoon

    Great Info! Thanks

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/WarrenWhitlock WarrenWhitlock

    I love how you took us from idea to finished in a step by step fashion. Every great project starts with an idea

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Recess123 Recess123

    Great advice, really helps.

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/marcosouza marcosouza

    nice advice, im a newbie and always learning. Keep up the good job! 

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Rentthings Rentthings

    Thanks for sharing the info. I’m sure it will be usefull;-)

  • http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Ursel001 Ursel001

     Very good advice! Thank you!

  • http://www.vouchersmate.com/ Gifts to India

    Nice advice keep it up man.

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