If you’re writing for your personal blog or to fulfill an assignment, pick something you’ve always wanted to write about. If you’re writing for publication, pick a topic that fits with their typical content but hasn’t been done yet. Remember, it’s okay to play around with a popular topic, as long as you bring a unique perspective.

Sites you might explore include Buzzfeed, Bustle, Tiny Buddha, HelloGiggles, Mic, Cracked, and Wired.

How do my prior experiences relate to this topic? What have I learned? Why am I interested in this topic? What would I like to learn about this topic? How is my relationship to this topic affected by my cultural background, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or other personal identity?

For instance, “7 Ways You Can Save the Planet. ” Avoid using a title that sounds like click-bait. [4] X Research source For example, a good title might be “5 Things Karaoke Taught Me About Life. ” On the other hand, “You Won’t Believe These 5 Things I Learned From Karaoke” sounds like click-bait.

If you use information from a source, cite it in your listicle either in the text or by including a link.

Try to find things that are unique or interesting! You should surprise your readers with at least a few things they didn’t know before they read your article. If you’re creating a long listicle, you might create a lengthy list of possible entries to narrow down later. At first, don’t worry if they fit the topic perfectly. For instance, let’s say you’re writing a listicle called “9 Reasons My Cat is Smarter Than I Am. ” You might start your list with these points: 1) She’s cautious around new people, 2) She gets me to clean her poop, 3) She steals my food, etc.

Your introduction can be as short as 1 paragraph, but sometimes you may need more paragraphs to set up your listicle. This depends on your purpose. A short introduction might read like this: “Living with a cat isn’t always easy. Not only is my cat a messy roommate, she’s also clearly in control of our household. While it might seem like a bad idea to have a cat be the boss, my cat is clearly smarter than I am. Don’t believe me? Here are 9 reasons why:”

For example, you might write this point for the article “9 Reasons My Cat is Smarter Than I Am”: 1. She’s careful around new people until she gets to know them. ” The reader can easily understand what the writer is trying to say, but there’s room for development, such as examples of how the writer has been taken advantage of in the past.

Since listicles get to the point, keep your explanatory information as concise as possible. Remember, it’s okay to include just your points if that’s what you want. For point 1 above, you could write: “Whenever new people come over, my cat always darts under the furniture and stays there until she knows they’re nice. I, on the other hand, am way too trusting. I’ve lost money, credit for an assignment, and my favorite jacket all because I trusted the wrong person too soon. "

If you do need to organize your points, put them in the most logical order, such as chronological or procedural order. You might also order your points according to importance. For example, you might decide to put the litter box point last, since it’s likely that people will naturally think of it. In this case, you want to put your most creative points first so people keep reading.

For example, you might use a photo to depict the point you’re making, or you might include a GIF to show an emotional reaction to that point. For “9 Reasons My Cat is Smarter Than I Am,” you might include GIFs of cats. For the point about trusting people, you could use a GIF of a cat running under furniture.

For example, “9 Reasons My Cat is Smarter Than I Am” might end like this: “As a cat mom, I’ve learned so much from watching my feline friend. Although I may think I’m in charge, she clearly has the upperhand in this household. Maybe if I can pay attention, I’ll be as smart as my cat one day. ”

You can present your list in paragraphs or as a collection of points. Similarly, you can number your list, use bullet points, or simply bold your points.

For example, “5 Things I Learned While Grieving. ”[15] X Research source

For instance, “10 Things All Anxious People Know. ”

As an example, “12 Ways Urbanites Differ From Country Folk. ”

Think of your listicle as an outline. Your points should be the main ideas of your listicle, with supporting the supporting text or bullets serving as explanation. For example, “7 Things You Need to Know Before Election Day. ”

For example, you might summarize your explanatory text using bullet points. As an alternative, you might provide suggestions in bullets to make it easier to read.

It’s okay if some points have more explanation than others. Don’t feel pressured to write more than you need to about a point just to make each point even.

For example, a listicle written in paragraph form might include 4-10 entries, while a listicle consisting of stand alone words or sentences could include many more. Similarly, an advice listicle usually contains fewer entries so it’s useful for the reader, rather than overwhelming. Conversely, a list of fun factoids can be very long without losing the reader’s interest.

For instance, “Why I Won’t Eat Cheese Again. ” This could be an exploration of the politics of animal rights, as well as how cheese is made. However, the writer can explore the topic in an easily accessible way.

You might write, “50 Reasons Why Cats Rule. ”

In most cases, the formatting requirements will be available on the website you want to pitch your article to. If you don’t see this information, try searching on the Internet. As another option, you can email the editor.