Written by Donna H
If you want to write for a site where you submit the same type of material with every submission, where you can put a different, interesting or even humorous twist on your submissions and one that pays regularly, ListVerse is possibly an ideal site for you to write for.
ListVerse proclaims itself as the “original Top 10 site,” with over 8 million monthly readers. Director Jamie Frater gave up his life as a software developer, abandoning it to pursue postgraduate studies in opera at the Royal College of Music in London. But that was not satisfying his “insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts,” so he again abandoned his career and studies and created ListVerse. Interesting (or not) details of ListVerse staff members is available on the site so writers can see the faces of those who gave up their former lives to pay writers to make a “10” something list. The eclectic staff makes for great opportunities for writers who, like ListVerse staff, enjoy the bizarre and unusual, or trivia that makes for great reading.
ListVerse is exactly as the site name indicates – all lists. Write about the 10 Best Cities and then tell why they rank as the 10 best cities in the USA or the world. List the 10 worst jobs in a specific career field or 10 strangest-looking animals in the world. Potential writers should take note that the site says they “publish lists that intrigue and educate” and that the site is “specializing in the bizarre or lesser-known trivia.” That is the first bit of information that writers should take note of before submitting their first list. If you can write weird or even gruesome “Top 10” lists, that is even more likely to grab the attention of the decision makers who decide whether your hard work is worthy of ListVerse publication. If gruesome and morbid is not your cup of tea, stick to writing about subjects like “10 Celebrities who were sent to rehab.” But to make your list more likely to get accepted, title it “10 Celebrities who were sent to rehab and skipped out before completing treatment.”
The requirements for ListVerse are few, but they do require strict adherence to those requirements. For instance, your list must contain a minimum of “10” something. You can create more than 10 items on your list, but it seems that those who stick closer to “10” are more likely to get published. You must also meet the 1500 word requirement, so your list will require some thought. There are only so many words you can use to describe 10 well-known mummies or 10 movies that flopped.
ListVerse gives the writer a break from SEO and keyword requirements of other sites. You know you are always going to write a list and you decide what type of list you are going to write, so there is no wading through assignments, reading all the details and deciding whether you want to accept it or not. You do not have to worry about bidding on assignments for very low pay or if you will actually get paid. Another great relief in writing for ListVerse is that there is no lengthy sign-up process and no writing test. You just give a few identifying details, like your name, email address and PayPal address so you can get paid. The pay is $100 if your list is published, paid via PayPal. You can submit as many lists as you wish.
The worst part of ListVerse as a writer is the wait. Not a wait in getting paid, but a wait of up to two weeks after you submit your list before you are notified whether or not it is accepted for publication. You are always notified by email whether your submission is accepted for publication, so keep your email address current with ListVerse at all times. If you do not write for another site or do not have a blog where your list can get published in case your list is rejected by ListVerse, or you do not have the patience to wait 2 weeks to learn if your submission is accepted, ListVerse may not be right for you.
A link at the bottom of the home page easily gives writers the link to submit their lists. Read the author guidelines first or you may not get paid, because mistakes are easy if the guidelines are not thoroughly read. Staff strictly adheres to those guidelines and even minor deterrence may result in a rejection email.
The reputation of ListVerse is steadily growing. Although some writers may not have heard of the site, it has been featured on the BBC Radio and BBC Television World News, Alabama Radio, New York Times, PBS and other media sources.
I really like ListVerse because of the uniqueness of the site as well as set $100 pay for submissions. No writing tests or lengthy signup makes it even more attractive to write for.
ListVerse sets itself apart from many other sites. The easy submission process, constant “list” style submissions and casual, fun atmosphere makes ListVerse an ideal site for writers who are looking for a different style of site to write for.
To learn more, visit their submission guidelines.
