When I attended the Glorieta Christian Writer’s Conference, one of the seminars I attended focused on magazine writing. One of the tips: include two sidebars, one of which is a list (or checklist) related to the main article. For instance, an article on travel might include a checklist titled “5 Must Haves in Your Carry-on!” Using a number is highly recommended. An exclamation point is optional.
People love lists, hence the popularity of David Letterman’s Top 10 feature. Checklists are especially appealing. Checking items off a list, even relating to items on a list, releases endorphins, and some days every little bit of feel-good therapy helps.
Longer lists can serve as a stand-alone article. These proliferate on the internet, which allows for much longer lists than print:
- Lindsay Lohan Mugshots: The Complete Set
- The 30 Hottest Athlete WAGS Who’ve Posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
- Top 10 Everything of 2012
- 100 Greatest American Movies of All Times
- Procrastinating Tips: 9 Reasons to Slack Off
But I digress. Without further procrastination, here are the top 5 reasons that today’s weblog is late:
1. I could not come up with a clever April Fool’s Day hoax. I’m sure I will come up with a splendid idea tomorrow or perhaps Wednesday, then forget it by next April 1st, which won’t occur on Monday anyway.
2. I did not want to post about basketball three weeks in a row. (Although I would like to point out that three out of four winners last weekend were the lower ranked team!)
3. It is spring break and I have enjoyed spending time with my kids. Even helping Laura prep for the ACT was fun. I also had a lovely Easter – my favorite holiday of the year.
4. It is more fun to surf the internet for interesting lists than to write my own. Unfortunately, surfing invariably takes more time than I think it will.
And 5. I decided I would rather post late than not post at all. I’m afraid of losing the momentum I’ve maintained since last September.
If I hit the publish button now, I will have three hours and seventeen minutes to spare. Til next time – Is it Monday Already?
