I have written 11 articles (this one makes 12) for Odyssey. I am also a full-time student and have a part-time job. Sometimes, I just can't think of anything to write, my deadline getting closer and closer all the time.
The answer? The Listicle. Sure, Listicles have a little bit of a bad reputation, but I'm here to tell you why they're still being written.
You know you're reading a Listicle when the headline sounds like one of these:
"5 Amazing Book-Inspired Gifts"
"21 Times 'Jurassic Park' Perfectly Described Life With Younger Siblings"
"26 Things Every Disney Fan Knows"
Those are some of my Listicle pieces. They're relatable, easy reads with a lot of GIFs. And if you ask me, they're pretty funny, too! That's why list articles are so popular, and that's why you see them everywhere. We don't always have time to read the longer pieces, whether we're in college or not. Listicles let you read anywhere from 5 to 100 things in just a few minutes. Those 5-100 things might be on a funny subject or a serious one, but the Listicle works for both.
Plus, they are actually tons of fun to write. (Who doesn't like surfing for funny GIFs?)
For Odyssey writers, I think the appeal of the Listicle goes a little further. We are student writers, so we have a lot of writing to do for school before we even get to our Odyssey articles. I have an article due every week, and I know some people have two due a week. I also have three or four papers due at a time for school. So for us, the Listicle is a little saving grace. I don't always have enough brain power to write something lengthy, but I do want to write something meaningful. The Listicle lets me do that in a short but fun way.
Often, I find myself writing Listicles right before my deadline when I've had writer's block all week. It's the perfect cure. For instance, when I wrote the 'Jurassic Park' one, my thought process was, "Hmm, what's something I like? Oh, 'Jurassic Park' is on TV. I like 'Jurassic Park.' What's something that reminds me of 'Jurassic Park?' Aha, my younger siblings. They're like those pesky velociraptors."
Instantly, I went from this:
To this:
So, if you're an Odyssey writer and you feel like you're pressed for time, but greatness is on your mind, turn to the Listicle. The key is to find something you love and make it into the funniest / truest list you can think of. Your readers will have fun reading it, too. It's a good break from wordier pieces, and you can still get your point across. Happy listing!
