Listverse crime articles are a popular genre on Listverse. These articles detail the most shocking, bizarre, and unusual crimes that have ever occurred in our world’s history.
The problem with publishing on Listverse is that many people struggle to come up with ideas for articles because they’re so difficult to brainstorm. You are expected to develop topics covering the most fascinating and rare gems of human knowledge.
If you are one of the writers who find it challenging to write Listverse crime articles, here is your chance to learn the tricks. Today you’ll learn the 7 simple tips used by experts to write Listverse crime articles that get published.
Tip 1: Come Up With a Unique Angle
One of the most important aspects that you need to remember when writing a crime article for Listverse is that it’s not enough to simply recount the details of the crime itself. You need to develop a unique angle or perspective on the crime. Listverse likes unique articles as they are considered interesting for readers.
Some of the questions you should ask yourself to come up with creative angles for Listverse crime articles include:
- What makes this crime particularly strange?
- What details did not make it onto the news or into police reports?
- How has society changed since the crime?
- How was the criminal brought to justice?
- What is their life like now?
- Who was the criminal before this crime occurred?
The information you get by answering these questions will help you develop a unique hypothesis for the crime you want to write about.
For example, one article on Listverse is based on the hypothesis that visiting cemeteries at night, ghosts aside, is quite unsettling. When you read this article, you will realize that it’s proving the hypothesis that visiting cemeteries at night is terrifying.
Furthermore, you will get crucial information about the criminals and the crime to help prove your hypothesis. The reader should see that your hypothesis is proven through your article.
You can search for information on Google but craft it uniquely for your article to stand out. If you find articles that have the same angle as yours, check how they have been written and take note of missing information. Include the missing information in your article to make it informative and in-depth.
Tip 2: Research the Crime Thoroughly
Doing thorough research into the crime you wish to write about will prevent you from straying too far from the facts of the case. You can also use this research to help you answer the questions posed in tip 1.
Thorough Research Procedure
- Find as many sources of information about the crime as possible. The sources can include newspaper clippings and reports from police officers or detectives.
- Gather all relevant information and details about the crime itself.
- Try to find out more information about the victim or victims. If they were killed, try looking up their obituaries online (often, these are available from free public records like the bureau of justice statistics).
- Look for other sources written during or shortly after the crime. Such sources will play an important role in verifying the facts of your Listverse crime article. However, you should cite any source used in accordance with Listverse’s hints and tips to authors.
- Find out more about the criminal’s motives or what possible factors may have played a part in causing them to commit the crime.
- Look for accounts from any witnesses who might give you additional information, especially if they were close enough to be able to identify the perpetrator(s).
After thoroughly researching your article, you will have a lot of information to go with. What you need to do is draw together your findings and organize them in an orderly manner.
The information should be organized in a way that will make it easy for your readers to follow. Start by introducing the crime, followed by the different aspects of it that you will be discussing.
Readers should understand how the crime unfolded, who the victim was, what happened to them, and finally how the criminal was apprehended.
Tip 3: Don’t Make the Article Too Lengthy
It’s important that you don’t make your Listverse crime article too lengthy. Instead, try to stick with the facts and keep it as concise as possible. Articles ranging between 1,500 to 2,000 words have higher chances of getting published on Listverse.
Keeping your article within the word range ensures that readers can read through the entire article in one sitting. Readers get bored and distracted by unnecessary details that are not relevant to the crime.
Tip 4: Use Quotes if Possible
When writing Listverse articles, you should try to include quotes from people directly or indirectly involved with the crime in question. These can be police officers, detectives, victims, witnesses, and so on.
However, only include quotes relevant to the crime and make sure they provide additional information.
Additional information about your quote should tell the reader why the quote matters to the events of the crime. For example, in a quote like “He came and hit him on the forehead,” you can tell the reader that the hitting is what caused the fight.
Quotes will improve the authenticity of your crime article, which will make it more relatable to the readers. The audience will be more interested in reading your article if it feels like they’re getting an inside look at the crime itself through real quotes.
When quoting someone, be sure to adhere to the following guidelines:
- Include the full name of the person you are quoting, as well as their title (if any).
- Cite the source of the quote immediately after it appears in your article.
- Give the date of the quote.
Tip 5: Proofread and Edit Your Listverse Crime Article
The common saying “To err is human” holds even in writing Listverse articles. Nobody is perfect, and therefore, you are bound to make typos. The problem comes when you fail to identify and edit these mistakes before submitting your work.
Proofreading your article helps prevent errors that you may have missed while writing the piece. It also gives your article a more polished finish, which is always welcomed by readers and editors alike.
It’s always advisable to get someone else to proofread your work as an extra pair of eyes can pick up mistakes that you may have missed. If not, then at least read your article out loud so you can hear the mistakes and correct them accordingly.
Dr. David Taylor dives into more techniques to proofread articles in the video below:
The table below illustrates the comparison between a good and poor Listverse crime article:
| Excellent Listverse Crime Article | Poor Listverse Crime Article |
| Informs the audience | It does not contain any meaningful message for the audience |
| It’s neither too lengthy nor too short | The article is either too long that gets the readers bored or too short that it leaves the readers in suspense |
| Well formatted, proofread, and to the point | It contains many grammatical errors and typos, and is ambiguous |
| Contains factual details that serve as evidence of the crime | Doesn’t have any factual details or proof the crime actually happened |
| Contains multimedia, graphs, links, videos, and infographics | Plain. It does not contain multimedia to keep the readers engaged |
Start Earning a Living on Listverse Today
With these simple tips to help you write Listverse crime articles, you can rest assured that your work will be more successful.
However, you can learn more about being a successful Listverse writer at Small Revolution. We are a community that helps writers from all walks of life improve their writing skills and earn a decent living working from home.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who are the editors on Listverse?
Listverse has a team of talented editors selected from among the best writers. These editors are selected by Listverse through a rigorous process that ensures that only the best editors are picked.
How long does it take to get my work accepted?
There is no set timeframe for getting your work accepted. It largely depends on the quality of your content and how well it conforms to the editorial guidelines. Generally, you can expect a response within a few weeks or months.
If your article is accepted, you should expect payment within 20 to 30 days.
Can I submit more than one article at a time?
Yes, you are welcome to submit multiple articles for consideration at any time. However, you must understand that there is no guarantee that they will all be published. Therefore, it’s always best to focus on one article at a time.
