Buzz
In case you haven't heard, Mytour has officially hit its teenage years. This milestone might explain its unpredictable mood swings, its ever-present sarcastic tone, and rumors of its rebellious side. Nonetheless, producing daily lists for over 4,700 days is a remarkable feat – especially when you consider that, objectively, most online lists tend to be quite subpar.
The real success of this site – and the reason I’m drawn to it as a writer – lies in its commitment to quality over quantity. Mytour consistently prioritizes thought-provoking content over sensationalized, clickbait-style articles. Sorry, but your 10 Celebrity Dieting Secrets have no place here.
But Mytour hasn’t just converted listicle skeptics into loyal fans; it’s also refined my writing. Through working for this site, I’ve become a more focused, inventive, and overall better writer. Let me share the skills I’ve honed while writing for Mytour.
10. Digging Deep Into Your Research
To borrow a famous line from Tyler Durden in Fight Club: “You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake.” As a writer, this usually means that the fresh, brilliant idea I’ve just had for a Mytour article has already been covered multiple times across various platforms – including Mytour itself.
One of the inherent hurdles Mytour presents to aspiring writers is the sheer volume of content it has accumulated over the past 13 years. With topics ranging from the utterly mundane to the deeply fascinating, the site’s extensive library means that there’s a solid chance your ‘new’ idea has already been explored and published.
This is especially true for Mytour’s well-worn specialties. Topics like horror, murder, unsolved deaths, crime, and strange coincidences are areas Mytour has long covered. So if you're planning a list about serial killers, be warned: it’s highly likely that everything you intend to write has already been explored in depth on the site.
Over time, I’ve learned to shift my pitches away from the well-trodden topics and focus on areas that haven’t been overanalyzed. The most engaging lists take familiar subjects and put a fresh spin on them, or dive deep into an obscure niche to uncover new perspectives.
9. Facts: Verify, Re-verify, and Then Verify Again
Writing for Mytour continually reinforces the reality that while the Internet is a goldmine for valuable information, it is also a minefield filled with misinformation and skewed half-truths. Distinguishing genuine facts from fabricated news requires diligent sourcing, careful cross-checking, and, on occasion, debunking myths.
I’m not just referring to the obvious cases – the fraudulent websites that exist solely to perpetuate biased, politically-driven narratives. These distortions serve a clear agenda: to influence public opinion or sway elections. Unfortunately, this is a common trend in the digital world.
What I’m talking about are the sites that spread misinformation simply out of carelessness or ignorance.
There have been times when I nearly fell for the fake news trap. While researching a piece on strange coincidences, I came across a claim that Abraham Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy had one named Lincoln. I typed out a few sentences before deciding to dig deeper. Turns out, it was completely false.
What also keeps Mytour writers on their toes is its readership. I’ve contributed to many publications, but Mytour’s commenters are in a league of their own when it comes to pointing out errors. When my piece is published, a mix of pride and nervousness fills me as I prepare to see which facts, if any, I’ve accidentally gotten wrong this time.
8. Keep It Brief
As a writer who has contributed opinion pieces to prominent daily newspapers, I've come to appreciate the importance of brevity – usually learned through heavily edited drafts by section editors who enforce strict word limits of 600 or 700 words per article, no matter the subject matter.
Writing concise introductions, detailed body sections, and impactful conclusions for standalone articles is already a challenge in itself. It becomes even more difficult when working within Mytour’s format, which essentially asks writers to craft ten themed, separate mini-stories that, when combined, form a greater narrative.
Unnecessary transitions, off-topic tangents, and filler words must all be stripped away to produce the kind of thorough, yet easy-to-read articles that Mytour has become known for over the years. I often find myself looking at a 15-word sentence and wondering, 'Can I express this in 10 words without losing any meaning?' That’s a question every writer should ask themselves, no matter the publication.
7. The WGAS Test
I have a passion for writing. Whether it's history, pop culture, or writing itself (like this piece), I’ll immerse myself in any topic that piques my interest – time allowing. I’m not known for grand speeches; my thoughts flow best through my fingers on the keyboard.
Like many self-driven writers, my struggle isn't coming up with ideas, but figuring out WHY they deserve to be written. This brings us to the WGAS test, which forces an honest reckoning with the timeless question: “Who gives a shit?”
The importance of this acronym was particularly evident before I became a regular contributor to Mytour. Before I built the rapport with the editorial team that allows me to clear ideas before diving into a 2,000-word article that might otherwise remain unpublished. Mytour’s distinctiveness can be both an advantage and a challenge; if an article isn't accepted, there aren't many alternative sites where it would fit (I can think of one, but it remains unnamed, and it neither compensates nor performs as well).
For every concept I pitch, there are at least ten more that never leave my laptop. Mytour has helped me refine my internal editorial process, not by stifling creativity but by ensuring there’s a genuine baseline interest before I move forward with ideas like “Ten Fascinating Facts About Shoelaces.”
Simply put, if no one is going to read it, it shouldn’t be written.
6. Resist the Allure of Tangents
Researching Mytour articles often feels like peeling back layers of an onion, revealing fascinating side stories along the way. For instance, while researching a recent piece on the modern death penalty, I stumbled upon the disturbing fact that Thomas Edison used to hold press conferences where he electrocuted stray animals – something I definitely didn’t learn on my grade school trip to his Menlo Park laboratory.
In such ‘WTF’ moments, a writer might be tempted to wander down historical rabbit holes, exploring exactly why America’s greatest inventor felt the need to publicly electrocute animals. But when dealing with a broad topic like the death penalty, and with only about 200 words per entry to cover it, you have to pause and ask yourself how relevant those extraneous details really are. In this case, I briefly mentioned Edison’s gruesome hobby but chose to focus the bulk of the piece on the history of the electric chair.
Writing for Mytour has taught me to resist the urge to chase every tangent. Now, when I write for other outlets, I find myself drawing clearer, more direct lines. The fewer digressions, the better.
5. Learn to Take Criticism in Stride
My writing journey has made me realize that the comment sections of many websites are filled with the kind of people who spend way too much time in comment sections.
Some niches are worse than others. As someone who has struggled with alcoholism and clinical depression, I’ve contributed to several websites about sobriety and mental health. You wouldn’t expect those comment sections to be hubs of rationality, and you’d be right. I’ve endured more misguided, pompous lectures about my most cherished accomplishment – nearly nine years of continuous sobriety – than I can count.
Parenting websites are just as bad, overrun by easily offended, participation-trophy-wielding soccer moms who impose standards of parenting perfection that they themselves would fail. Simply using my first name is enough to trigger readers, ready to pounce on any hint of ‘toxic masculinity,’ no matter how trivial the message.
Mytour readers have their own particular brand of critique. They are expert nitpickers, pessimists, and scolding experts, for whom fault-finding is practically a fetish. History-based lists are dissected down to the smallest details, while more subjective lists (like “Ten Funniest Movies of All Time”) are met with passionate, preference-driven criticism.
What I’ve come to understand is this: I can’t please everyone. So I’ve stopped trying, I’ve developed a thicker skin, and I approach reader feedback knowing that for many, debating for the sake of debating is the real thrill – and this contrarianism is part of Mytour’s charm.
4. Embracing Useless Knowledge
If I weren’t as blind as a bat, I’d definitely try my hand at Jeopardy. Mytour has served as the perfect platform for sharing my endless stockpile of trivial facts and eccentric passions. It’s given me the opportunity to dive deep into countless topics that have fascinated me, some for decades.
Take my uncle, for example – a die-hard JFK assassination conspiracy theorist. His obsession with Dealey Plaza photos, pinned below a magnifying glass to spot the elusive “Badge Man” lurking in the shadows of the fateful grassy knoll, sparked my own macabre curiosity about that day. Over the years, this intrigue has only intensified, especially with the rise of digitally-enhanced footage. After extensive examination, I’ve come to largely support the controversial but well-intentioned conclusion of the Warren Commission: Oswald did it.
Then there's my obsession with 9/11. Just out of college, I was switching commuter trains below the North Tower when United Airlines Flight 11 struck it. I was among the first to evacuate the doomed buildings, and ever since, I’ve felt this compulsive need to understand the events of the next 100 minutes. I’ve even developed a disturbing interest in those who chose to jump from the upper floors rather than burn alive.
Sharing these obsessions has become a kind of therapeutic release, untangling thoughts and engaging readers in the process – a win-win for writing that brings a sense of closure, connection, and even empathy.
3. If It’s Not Fun, It’s Not Worth Your Time
[Related: Top 10 Tips For Perfect Happiness]
I typically write my lists in chunks. Over the span of a week, I dedicate an hour or so each day to knock out two or three points toward that magical ten. To some, this may sound like another task on an already-packed schedule – a 50-hour workweek professional and a dad to a toddler who always needs something.
But for me, it’s not a chore. It’s a reprieve. For that hour each day, I can push aside the usual middle-age burdens of daily life and dive into something that genuinely interests me. It’s a refreshing break, not a burden.
What I’m saying is this: Writers enjoy... well, writing. If you think a 2,000-word list is like a stuffy college term paper, then this probably isn’t your gig. If you tend to procrastinate rather than dive right in, then you’re not truly a writer. You might be someone who can string words together, but that’s not the same as being a writer.
Choosing a topic that doesn’t resonate with you can really take the fun out of the process. A good Mytour piece is typically written by someone who either has a solid foundation of knowledge on the topic or a genuine curiosity that turns researching, absorbing, and crafting the piece into something enjoyable rather than a task. As a regular contributor, I’ve had the privilege of being honest when a proposed topic might be better suited to someone else – and that honesty has made me more discerning when choosing assignments elsewhere.
Do your homework, enjoy the writing process, double-check your sources, and for heaven’s sake, run a spell check. Best of luck, future Mytour writers.
2. Throw in Something Outlandish
I’ve discovered that the best lists often feature at least one entry that’s truly odd, surprising, or bizarre – something that hits readers with a genuine 'wow' factor. The test is simple: if it leaves you stunned, chances are it’ll leave your readers in awe too.
For example, I recently put together a piece on tragic ironies. I had a few compelling examples that, after diving into Mytour’s archives, I realized hadn’t been featured in any major pieces on the site. With those, I had the makings of a pretty solid list.
But it wasn’t a GREAT list yet. I needed that one last perfect touch. When I found it, I knew instantly. In 1994, one of the first major pieces about a then-nascent terrorist group, al-Qaeda, featured an illustration of Beavis and Butthead flying planes into the Twin Towers. Seven years later, when that eerie prediction came true, the first official casualty was FDNY Chaplain Mychal Judge. And who created Beavis and Butthead? Mike Judge. What a staggering coincidence.
An offshoot of this idea applies when crafting subjective lists – like the best rock bands of all time. The trick here is to include an oddball pick that you love but know won’t sit well with everyone. Cue the comment section riot, where you’ll be crucified, as I was, for daring to suggest that Hole belongs in the top 20 bands ever. Keep in mind: the point of a compelling list isn’t to win universal approval.
1. Another Word For…
As Stephen Wright cleverly quipped: “What’s another word for thesaurus?”
To succeed in writing for any platform – be it a magazine, newspaper, or website – requires a rich vocabulary. Word choice is crucial, especially when working within tight space constraints.
Writing for Mytour adds an interesting twist to this thesaurus-driven mindset. The site often operates on a 'crush a micro-topic' approach, where writers are tasked with producing over 1,800 words on a very specific subtopic. Take, for instance, 'controversial movie trailers.' To make such a piece shine, a writer needs to dance around ten closely-knit themes while avoiding the repetitive use of words like movie, trailer, banned, and controversy.
To avoid creating a piece that feels robotic, Mytour encourages writers to ask, 'what’s another word for…?' If thesaurus.com were a sitcom, I’d be the regular at the bar by now. This ongoing exercise in word variety has expanded my vocabulary, equipping me with a broader range of terms to tackle any subject.
