I don’t often feel like writing.
In fact, writing might be the last thing I want to do.
But it’s morning, and I committed to create and publish something.
Often, if I’m moody or off, unable to reach the depths of my creative potential, I go to list-writing.
And, as I’ve seen, especially over the last couple of years, my list-based articles and newsletters tend to do the best.
Part of me wishes it weren’t so. It seems a bit shallow that most people gain more value and pleasure out of several snippets of information rather than to go deeper on a single point or two.
That’s not to say the latter can’t work, but it’s interesting how lists can do well.
For example, to borrow the header format from my friend Dakota Robertson, I can write out a list of single sentences on a specific topic, like one I wrote recently:
21 sentences that make you mentally stronger than 98% of people.
Granted, it’s a little over the top, and I have a large promise to fulfil, but people love it.
And it’s easy and quick to write, especially if the information is already to hand, sitting on the shelf of your mind.
It’s fun because the process for writing such a list post is essentially brainstorming - one of my favourite creative exercises.
A list is like a public free-writing session.
I often start with the header and ensure it’s a pretty heady promise, wrapped up in what I call a ‘high concept’ idea.
For example, here are some I might run with off the top of my head:
10 subtle behaviours that make people respect you more. 9 personal branding mistakes that stop you from growing.
9 strange things I learned about making money from a mango seller at a railway station in Delhi.
14 ways to gain an unfair advantage in life no one tells you.
11 ways you can make money from your knowledge online within 10 days.
8 simple tips to take your writing from flat to engaging.
8 terrible mistakes I made in my twenties that improved my life.
9 cheeky hacks you can use today to embody your inner badass chimp freak. 21 quick tips I use throughout the week to keep me calm and upbeat.
Based on personal experience, I’m almost 90% sure these will do well. They all speak to the deep desires we all have: more time, more status, more well-being, and more money.
You can see I have fun with many of these. They don’t all need to be super glum, serious or ‘expected.’
Of course, you can adapt to your own topics - mine tend to be online business, life lessons and motivation.
Then, I’ll write out all the points based on the header.
I’ll either go for a smaller handful of like six points and write on those. Or I’ll go for more surface detail and more points, like the ‘21 sentences’ article.
Often, I’ll drop a point entirely if it doesn’t resonate with me as I write it, and take the best few.
This is one of my favourite things about brainstorming listicles - you start with many ideas - many less good - and end up with higher quality ideas (when you’re willing to delete, which you must be).
Most of these ‘Reader’s Digest,’ popular topic-type articles are unlikely to win the Pulitzer Prize. But I mention them because they have always been there for me when I need a quick creative fix.
I often write these kinds of articles when I’m buzzing, too.
Once the list is done, I’ll often add a brief introduction to create some context and serve as part of the opening hook to the piece beyond the main header.
The introduction will often include some personal background and reveal my prior struggles, for example.
Demonstrating the problem and bringing it up close to the reader will make it more likely they continue reading because no one wants to read something for the sake of it.
They read to experience relief from a problem they are currently aware of.
So if you’re working on growing your audience or developing a writing or content-creation habit, and you’re not feeling it...
Write the list you’d enjoy writing.
What if you decided to master writing and make a career out of it over the next decade or two?
My new book shows you how I did it. It’s called ‘The Never-Retired Writer.’
It’s 62 short, actionable chapters on building a writing life that gives you income, freedom, and a body of work that compounds for the rest of your life.
Enjoy!
Alex