Do you like the idea of being paid to write? Well, you’ve come to right place. In case you hadn’t heard: Listverse is on the lookout for new talent. If you’ve got an idea and a knack for putting words together, we want to pay you US $100. No joke. Our submissions page is completely open, and anyone can enter. That means you.

Yeah: you. See, unlike most big sites, Listverse doesn’t require you to have a degree or previous experience or anything like that. When I submitted my first article, I’d never written ANYTHING before. All I had was a cool idea, which the editors liked enough to publish. That article led to more and more work, until eventually I was earning enough to become a full-time writer. How great is that? Since then, I’ve been swamped with emails from people wanting to know how to get on the Listverse bandwagon. So here’s the deal: I’ll tell what I’ve picked up writing 40-odd articles, if you promise to try writing one too. Interested? Then read on:

This is it: the golden rule of writing. Yet, for some reason, it tends to worry newbies. Lots of people read ‘write what you know’ and worry they don’t know anything—like maybe you need a degree in ‘Listology’ before we’ll let you tackle certain subjects.

Well trust me, you don’t. Not only that, but I guarantee you’ve got an idea in you right now. See, the great thing about list-writing is your topic can be as broad or as narrow as you want it to be. So let’s say the only thing you know about is Chinese culture. Great! Write a broad list like 10 Bizarre Aspects of Chinese Culture. Or let’s imagine you love space photography: you could try your hand at something ultra-specific like 10 Astounding Examples of Pareidolia in Outer Space.

Both of those examples got published because their authors followed this golden rule. Whatever you’re into, there’s a list in there. So come on: what do you ‘know’?

Once you’ve found your topic, find an unusual way of looking at it. The more unexpected your take is, the more likely it’ll be published. Just this month, we’ve had 10 Medicines That Made Things Worse. Something like that instantly gets attention because it turns our notions of medicine on their head. Or try something unusual, like 10 Bizarre Theories About the Earth that People Still Believe. And don’t be afraid to be controversial.

Yeah: we’re not shy about controversy. One article that caused a recent storm was 10 Reasons Creationism Should be Taught in Schools. An article like that not only challenges accepted wisdom, it invites the reader to form their own opinion. Which people did: that particular article racked up over 750 comments within days. So look for your angle—that little twist that will make your article on North Korea stick out from every other article on North Korea. With a good topic and a good angle, you’re halfway there.

All websites have editorial guidelines, and Listverse is no exception. Before you start physically writing, you need to have a look at them. You might be a kickass writer who gets rave reviews on another website, but mimicking their ‘house style’ on a Listverse piece will just make the editors wonder why you bothered sending it here.

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I’ve been guilty of this. My second-ever article was an absolute train-wreck and should be held up as an example of how not to write for Listverse. Where did I go wrong? Simple: I didn’t follow the guidelines and just wrote what I wanted. Big mistake: doing that is insulting to the editors and readers and makes you look pretty dumb. So take it from me: download and read the rulebook before you write a single word. It may be time consuming, but you’ll be glad you did it.

It’s widely acknowledged that the best English is simple English. George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Cormac McCarthy and Hunter S Thompson all wrote about big complex things using short, simple sentences. No excessive sub-clauses. No ‘ten dollar’ words. They wrote so any casual reader could understand them, and so should you. Keep it short, keep it punchy and don’t overload sections with information. There’s a simple reason for this: people are here to kill time. They’re sitting at work or the back of some classroom and want to be entertained for five minutes. That’s why lists like the 10 Greatest Benefits of Capitalism will break their complex topic down into short, easily-digestible concepts. It allows us readers to feel smart—like we’re learning something new—and keeps your writing from veering off into academic territory.

You may have noticed most lists on here are pretty informal. Writers drop in the odd-joke, use occasional slang and basically do their best to keep it sounding like a conversation. Why? Because that’s what it should feel like: a casual chat with an entertaining friend. A friend you might disagree with, sure—sometimes even a friend you kind of hate. But still a friend: someone on your level who you can imagine talking to in real life. Reading writing that goes the opposite route and becomes too formal is like listening to a lecture. It can be interesting, you learn a lot, but it’s not something you want to spend your spare time doing—especially if you’ve just got back from a long day at college. Listverse should be a place to unwind and learn some trivia; an informal(ish) tone will really help that.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: your title is kind of a big deal. As the first thing readers see when they hit the homepage, it can make the difference between them reading your article or thinking ‘can’t be bothered’.

So what makes a great title? Simple: it’s something that shocks the reader, grabs their attention and explains the entire concept in around 5 words. Need an example? One of my favorites is 10 Things the Nazi’s got Right. How could anyone resist a title like that? It sums up everything that’s great about Listverse: the promise of obscure information, controversial opinion and a weird take on a well-known concept. Fit a title like that to your piece and you’ll be ahead of the game.

So you’ve found a topic you know, a great angle, written it up in an entertaining way and given it an awesome title. You press send, sit back… and get a polite rejection email a few days later. What happened?

Well, it could be anything. Maybe your angle wasn’t as interesting as you thought it was. Maybe a near-identical article was published three months ago. Maybe it just wasn’t right. Whatever the reason, don’t take it personally. No, really, don’t. It’s easy to get upset when you spend hours working on something only for someone you’ve never met to say ‘nah’. Trust me, I know. When I first started writing for Listverse I had about one rejected article for every one published. But here’s the thing: it’s not personal. Honestly, it isn’t. Just because your first submission got declined doesn’t mean your second, third or fourth will. The thing is: we want you to succeed. If we publish your article it means we get an awesome piece of content to stick on our front page. So we don’t turn down stuff just for the hell of it. If you get rejected, figure out where you went wrong and try again. Then keep trying till you get it right.

The comments section is the curse of the internet writer. If it’s too complimentary, you run the risk of believing your own hype. If it’s too negative, your confidence can take a heck of a beating. But it’s the name of the game: if you’re getting paid to write, you have to take all the stuff that comes with it—and every writer has their own method of dealing with comments.

Personally, I never read them. Ever. I just figured it was easier that way: but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to. Some writers enjoy getting below the line and having an argument. Others just skim-read them as a way of figuring out what they’re doing right and wrong. But just remember this: even if all the comments on your article are violently negative, that can only be a good thing. Whenever I cause a reaction in someone—good or bad—I know I’m on the right track. After all, what’s worse: scrolling down to find 600 comments all calling you a jackass; or finding no comments at all?

A final piece of advice: consider leaving a contact email so people can get hold of you. Not everyone does this, but I’d strongly recommend it. Put simply: it’s one of the best things about the job. Every day I log on to a slew of emails from Listverse readers—some good, some bad, but all interesting. And here’s the thing: they’ll say things you’d never see below the line. Over five months I’ve had people write to me about their struggles with depression; their own writing careers; odd opinions about topical events and little stories from their own lives. And I love it—even if I don’t always reply, just logging on to find them there puts me in a great mood.

But best of all are the ones from people your work has somehow affected. I recently wrote an article that touched on the horrific siege at Sarajevo. A few days later I got an email from someone who had been there and survived the massacre telling me I’d done an amazing job. Getting something like that in your inbox reminds you why you’re doing this in the first place. It reminds you why you want to write. So yeah, maybe consider leaving that email address. Just in case.

So that’s it: 40 articles’ experience squashed into one quick list. Now it’s your turn. If you’ve ever wanted to be a writer, I want you to follow this link and give it a shot. Just try it, because I promise you will never, ever regret it. Aside from the $100 every article gets, and the knowledge that over 8 million people are reading something you’ve written; you may just find that it’s one of the most-rewarding things you’ve ever done. So what are you waiting for? Get writing!

So you want to be a writer? If you even bothered to click on this list, you’ve already admitted it to yourself. Maybe writing is your passion. Maybe it’s your hobby. Or maybe you’ve just run into an awful article somewhere on the Web and thought to yourself, “Hey, I could do better than this.” Well, if you can come up with an incredible Top 10 list, then we here at Listverse will publish your work for all the world to see. How many people exactly? Try one million visits per day.

We’ll even give you money for your hard work: US$100 to be exact (paid via paypal or bitcoin). Interested? Then check out our submissions page. Or perhaps you’re not convinced yet. Maybe you need more than 100 portraits of George Washington’s green mug to persuade you that Listverse is worthy of your blood, sweat, and tears. Not sure? Let me convince you.

6 You’re Totally Qualified

Breaking into a new field can be challenging, especially if you’re a writer. Lots of sites are looking for folks with “experience only” which is pretty discouraging for newcomers. But here at Listverse, we’re just like famed rocker Billy Joel: We love you just the way you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring novelist, an attorney, a filmmaker, a guy who thinks he’s a car, or a ’70s rock star who played with Joan Jett and the Runaways. All you have to do is follow the guidelines and get busy typing. Seriously, it’s so simple that, well, even I can do it. Before submitting my first Listverse article, I hadn’t written anything other than college papers and long-winded Facebook rants. I just had an idea and a computer and then boom! I was on the front page of the site. And that’s a very empowering experience.

5 You Can Show Off Your Smarts

You’re a unique individual with your own amazing experiences. Wouldn’t you like to share them with the world? Maybe you’ve traveled the globe, and you’ve seen things most people wouldn’t believe. Then why not write an article about your experiences like 10 Bizarre Aspects Of Chinese Culture? Maybe you’re a political junkie who’s spent your life studying international affairs so you could write a list like The 10 Worst Diplomatic Faux Pas By Famous Politicians. Or maybe your encyclopedic knowledge of movie trivia would put Quentin Tarantino to shame. If so, share it with the rest of mankind and write something like 10 Obscure Films Memorialized For All The Wrong Reasons.

As for me, I’ve spent the last three years teaching English to South Korean students, a job which provided plenty of interesting tidbits for a list like 10 Awesome Facts About South Korea. And as a teenager, I knew a couple of paranoid nut jobs which provided plenty of fodder for lists like 10 Crazy Catholic Conspiracy Theories. So what do you do for a living? Where have you been, what have you seen, and what do you enjoy talking about? Put it in a list and send it here. The world wants to read it, and we want to pay you for it.

4 Access To The Writers’ Forum

Did you know Listverse has a forum dedicated especially to its writers? It’s specifically built to let writers work directly with the editors, connect with other writers and people who know people, and get a glimpse of the fascinating little ins and outs of the business. And we want you to be there, too.

Once you’ve had your first article published, you’ll be given access to the forum. Every day, the editors post amazing factlets they want to see turned into lists—you claim an idea, and away you go! It might be the closest thing to free money this side of a broken ATM. If you can cut the mustard, we want to help you cut it harder (and write strong metaphors).

(Note: If you have been published on the site, but haven’t received your invitation, let the bosses know. They’ll get you set up.)

3 You’d Be Writing For One Of The Best Sites On The Web

Maybe you’re in the writing game for the prestige, and you don’t want to sell your work to just any Top 10 website. Fair enough. We aren’t going to name names, but there are plenty of places that publish subpar articles riddled with typos and the latest tabloid headlines. But that’s not going to happen at Listverse. Not only do we have simple, straightforward guidelines that’ll show you the ropes, but we have a crack team of editors who will make your articles all the more professional by catching your typos and dispensing sage, Yoda-esque advice. The stuff published here is the best of the best.

Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it. The folks at Time magazine know a thing or two about lists. After all, they write them all the . . . time. And in 2011, they compiled a list of the 25 best blogs on the web. Care to guess which Top 10 website founded by Jamie Frater made the cut? Not only that, but Listverse has been featured by the BBC, New York Times, National Geographic, and PBS. Imagine telling your friends—or future employer—that you’ve written for a website like Listverse, all because you clicked this link. At the very least, your mother will be proud.

2 Your List Could Show Up In A Book

Did you know Listverse is in the book business? As of right now, we’ve published three books of our content, and the fourth one is already available for pre-order. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your list showed up in the fifth? Our books are chock-full of the best articles Listverse has to offer. If you can make it on the site, you might make it into a book, a book that’s going to end up in libraries, stores, and coffee tables around the world. And assuming it’s kept far away from moisture, book lice, and fascist firemen, it’s going to last a long time. So think about it like this . . . you’ve read the guidelines and sent in a $100 list for millions of people to read, and as an added bonus, your work might end up on a Barnes & Noble bookshelf. If nothing else, they’d make cool Christmas gifts for your friends, or an excellent way to introduce yourself at parties. “Yeah, I’m a published author.”

1 Now Just Go Do It

Have I totally convinced you to get started on your first mind-blowing list? Maybe you feel ready to jump in right now. You’ve been reading the site for a long time, and you know what we like to read and publish. In that case, double-check your sources and dive right in.

But maybe you take things a little slower. Maybe you want to read 10 Tips for Getting Paid to Write for Listverse. It’s another great article full of solid advice from a guy who knows all the tricks of the trade. If you’re thinking about giving Listverse a go, it’s definitely worth your time.

+ Don’t Forget About KnowledgeNuts

If Listverse is a cup of caramel macchiato, rich and full, then KnowledgeNuts is a shot of espresso. The site is full of micro-articles charged with concentrated doses of interesting info. Not only is it a blast for readers, it’s an awesome opportunity for writers.

Maybe you know one cool fact about Japanese history. That’s not enough for a list, but it’s perfect for a Nut! Throw together a few hundred words about something like The Ant-Walking Alligators Of Hiroshima, and you’ll make an easy 10 dollars! Do you always correct your friends on The Difference Between Hades And Satan? Well, there are plenty of people who don’t (people like me) so turn that tidbit into a KnowledgeNut. Or if you grit your teeth whenever people mention a brontosaurus, explain how The Brontosaurus Never Existed and pull down a quick 10 bucks. If you can keep it short, strong, and entertaining, then you should give KnowledgeNuts a try!

Nolan Moore is an ESL teacher who spends his spare time writing for Listverse.

If you want to send him an idea for a list, offer him a lucrative writing job or just send him hate mail, shoot him an email at [email protected].