Since my last blog post, I have thought more about what I wanted my genre to be. I originally was thinking that I wanted to create a blog and do a blog post, however I did some research and came across the idea of doing a “best of” list. I’m sure most all of you have seen lists that are comprised of the best restaurants in a certain geographical location or the best bars or drinks. I haven’t exactly decided what my list will include, but one idea I had was creating a list of the best food trucks in Austin. Food trucks are where (in my opinion) some of the best food can be found. Not to mention, they attain a ton of Austin culture.
After researching and finding countless “best of” lists on the Internet, I started to gather information about the elements and purpose of this genre. I concluded that all of these types of lists always incorporate pictures. For example, after each item listed, the author would include a picture of whatever the topic was: restaurants, food, drinks, etc. This is an important element that provides the reader with a visual and idea of what the author is talking about. Another aspect that always occurs in this genre is a description of each item that they list. I found that these descriptions can either be brief or lengthy, depending on how much detail the author wishes to go into. Sometimes, like one of the sources I have listed below, a heat map is utilized in order to provide the address of geographic location of the destination. Another feature that is sometimes shown in this genre is a specific item on the menu that the author believes is the best. If I were to choose the topic of best food trucks in Austin, I think that this would be a very useful tool to include.
The purpose of this genre is not only to highlight the best of the best, but also to urge the reader to try these items or restaurants by providing helpful information. In a sense, it is almost like a list of brief reviews. What would you guys be interested in reading? I’ve had the idea of food trucks, but also was thinking some type of drink would be fun to make a “best of” list for. Also, do you think each item listed should include a brief description or should it be more lengthy with several tips and aspects?
Sources:
20 Excellent Margaritas in Austin