What is it about all these Top 10 lists? | Retro Junk

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dalmatianlover 6 years 11 months ago Posts: 83	A common article theme I've witnessed is that people like to make Top 10 lists. In each one I've seen (especially the ones I've done) people have been arguing and complaining about items that didn't make the list. Is that just something that people do all the time?

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knuclear200x 6 years 11 months ago Posts: 5947 Account Disabled	oh yeah, there will always be some critic who disagrees with something then says something shouldve been on there. a problem that isnt that much of one, is that the creator of the article may not have experienced that one item or just doesnt think it belongs.

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ProphetSword 6 years 10 months ago Posts: 29 Account Disabled	The problem with putting things on a "Top 10" list is that you are basically saying "These things are the best, and this is the order that they are the best, with the item at #1 being the best one ever, no contest." Why bother with a Top 10 list at all? Personally, I'd rather someone just do an article that says something like: "Hey, here's a bunch of (fill in the blanks) that I liked, listed in no particular order." Why does it need to be in the form of a Top 10 list anyway? It's limiting, and most people won't be happy with your list. But, if you just list some things related to your post in no particular order, nobody can say you're playing favorites. They can still suggest some things you missed, but they won't have reason to argue things like: "Hey, you're nuts...you forgot XXXX, which is obviously better than anything you have in your Top 10," etc.

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Celeste 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 963	I've only ever done top 5 and top 10 lists. My most recent article entitled "Animated Crushes" was seen as an "Enough Already" article that two smart asses voted down. But thankfully there were a few people who liked the article enough to keep it on the front page and I'm happy for that. I never went in with an intent to force what I'm thinking on other people. It's that I wanted to show my appreciation for animated guys.

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velcrohead 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 586 Globally Banned	I think in most cases a top 10 list is a lazy way to conceptualize an article. It's also an easy hook, because people are going to read it, if only to find out whether their favorite stuff actually made the list (which then shapes their opinion of the article in general.) Based on what I've read around here, I feel like there are a lot of inexperienced writers who use the top 10 format to sort of see what they've got. If you MUST do a Top 10 article, I think it has to be something no one has done. (I'm seeing a lot of repeaters, plus ideas that have been blatantly ripped off from ToyFare and other magazines.) The "animated crush" one was fairly clever, though it's been done in Maxim magazine before. I'd like to see people steer away from these sorts of articles and pick a good topic and really flesh it out. Do something that makes us REALLY misty-eyed for the past, not just give us a momentary thrill that we could've picked up flipping through an old Sears catalog.

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mlw1984
6 years 9 months ago
Posts: 1438
Account Disabled
My article wasn't exactly a top 10 list.
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shiroihikari 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 1751	Making a list is an okay foundation to build an article from, I suppose, but I personally don't like doing "top XX lists" because I don't like putting things in order from worst to best or what have you. Plus, it is kind of a copout. Lists can be entertaining when done right, but that's rare.
	Coming Soon to Nostalgia Junkie: Nostalgiathon 2009!
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velcrohead 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 586 Globally Banned	I think when you're writing an article, you need to do something that makes you stand out from the others. If you look through the first couple of pages of articles...well...those kinds of articles are almost exclusively all we have here! I agree. It's a cop-out.

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mlw1984 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 1438 Account Disabled	Well, don't worry. I will be writing a long article on my childhood and several underrated game consoles.

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velcrohead
6 years 9 months ago
Posts: 586
Globally Banned
Good. Can't wait to read it!
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System 6 years 9 months ago Posts: 74809	i've made only one top ten list so far, talking about some of my favorite games of the 90s. i want to make a sequel article to it sometime

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Videogamenerd 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 1207	i'm thinking on wht to put into my article any ideas
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velcrohead
6 years 8 months ago
Posts: 586
Globally Banned
Just don't do a top ten list. That's automatic thumbs down.
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Videogamenerd
6 years 8 months ago
Posts: 1207
i'll try not to
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dalmatianlover 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 83	By the sounds of your guy's voices, it's sounding like eventually "Top 10" articles will no longer be accepted...along with "TV Sucks Now", "My Favorite Crushes", and "Nickelodeon's Glory Days" and all that crap.

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velcrohead 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 586 Globally Banned	Well, it's just that Top 10 has been done over and over again. Seriously, do a search for it, and see how many results pop up. Plus, most top 10 lists just seem to pander to people who like the glut of stuff that are included. I mean, think about it. If I gave you a list of my top 10 favorite flavors of candy, chances are I'd hit at least six or seven you really liked too. To me, it's just a lazy way of writing. As a professional writer, there's no way I could get away with as many Top 10 lists as there are here. That said, what I would really like to see writers start doing around here is picking ONE subject and digging deep into it. You like video games? Fine. Pick your favorite, research it, tell us more about it, and give us something we didn't know before, rather than just saying "hey, I liked this, and so did you." Those are neither informative nor memorable.

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Videogamenerd 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 1207	Basicly like a report.
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velcrohead 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 586 Globally Banned	Yeah, pretty much. Sorry, I write professionally. I just come here for fun. But it rides all over me when I see the half-written stuff that passes for articles here. I think that I've seen maybe one or two that my editors wouldn't have balled up and thrown back into my face while simultaneously issuing me my last paycheck and having security escort me out the door. I'm beginning to think that writing quality articles here is sort of like casting pearls before swine.

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ShaggE 6 years 8 months ago Posts: 29	The article I posted here wasn't much, but I'll be damned if I delve into Top 10 lists or TV Sucks Now territory.

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mattratt 6 years 7 months ago Posts: 173	this is why i have never written an article or done a top 10 list,someone's gonna whine about something or the topic will change or get locked. i don't know if i can take that.
	The Mall Of Memphis 1981-2004? i will never forget you.
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