Internet Marketing

UpWorthy’s “Crappy” Editorial Process

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I just had to share this with you. While researching how to better arouse a reader’s curiosity, I came upon a post that referenced UpWorthy’s editorial process for headlines.

This is the exact wording of what they tell their writers and it humorously illustrates just how important headlines are:

Upworthy’s Editorial Process

  1. You HAVE to crap out 25 headlines for every piece of content.
  2. You WILL write some really stinky headlines.
  3. Once you start getting desperate, you start thinking outside the box.
  4. So you HAVE TO WRITE 25 HEADLINES.
  5. #24 will suck. Then #25 will be a gift from the headline gods and will make you a legend.
  6. Accept that not every headline will be perfect.
  7. Then write 25 headlines.
  8. With practice, you’ll be writing 25 in 15 minutes. Then I will give you permission to lower your limit.

SO PLEASE WRITE 25 HEADLINES

Incidentally, this list comes complete with a picture of a toilet.

No joke.

Why so much focus on writing 25 headlines?

Because the more headlines you write, the better the odds you’ll discover the headline that is almost literally irresistible because of the curiosity it inspires.