How Cracked Cracked the Comedy Code: A How To

If you’ve never visited Cracked. com, don’t. Because after even a cursory glance at some of their hilarious listicles (comedy articles using a numbered list format), you’ll suddenly wake up from a comedy-induced psychosis three hours later. They’re that addictive (Wired breaks down Cracked’s style comedy here).

Of course, Cracked doesn’t have a monopoly. One of my fav sites, Gawker, has an entire section for listicles. But how can you crank out a winning listicle and perhaps get your hands on some of that cash Cracked pays out for top entries?

Divide and Conquer: We live in a time when any abbreviation is a good one – hence “LOL” and “totes.” Divide your hilarious article into digestible bites to keep your readers following along.

Run, Don’t Walk, Down Memory Lane: Some of the best articles take your favorite memories from childhood, be it toys or cartoons, and add a hilarious twist.

Know Your Shit - The best listicles aren’t just hauntingly funny, they’re also terrifyingly well-informed. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to be a scholar, but your Google skills better be top notch.