Measured Updated dailyMarkdown copy

Dull version, then strong version, back-to-back

A viral culture and creative format on TikTok and Instagram

Show or perform a weak example and a strong one right next to each other so the contrast teaches the rule.

4

accounts it worked for

7x

median, times their usual

#39

of 63 in culture and creative

Editing trick

Slideshow, Talking head

Why it works

Viewers see or hear the exact edit instead of reading an abstract tip. That makes it feel concrete and easy to copy.

Hook formulaHere's [flat example] vs. [strong example] of [skill]

How to make it

  1. 1State the skill in the hook
  2. 2Show the flat version (❌ / Before)
  3. 3Show the strong version (✅ / After) immediately after

Examples

Best first, one per account. Each links to the original post.

  • @laurenkaywrites

    158K followers, Instagram

    “How to write funny dialogue (an SNL Weekend Update masterclass)”

    16x their usual likes, slideshow, books and writing

  • @editorforwritersover50

    6K followers, TikTok

    “Examples of hooks”

    9.7x their usual views, talking head, books and writing

  • @aspace2write

    38K followers, TikTok

    “Highly specific writing advice you've never heard before”

    5.2x their usual views, talking head, books and writing

  • @pen.and.polish

    47K followers, Instagram

    “How to end a chapter so readers can't put your book down”

    3.9x their usual likes, slideshow, books and writing

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More culture and creative formats

What’s working in culture and creative this week

How this is measured

  • Every post is compared with its own account's usual reach, not with other accounts. "14x their usual" means the post got 14 times the median views of that account's recent posts.
  • TikTok videos and Instagram Reels are measured on views. Instagram carousels have no view count, so they are measured on likes against the account's usual likes, and say so.
  • A post makes the library at 2x its account's usual or more. A format is a repeatable move (what is said or shown, or how it is edited) that several accounts used in breakout posts. It is listed here once it worked for 3 or more different accounts.
  • Formats rank on how many accounts they worked for and how far above usual, damped so a fluke on one tiny account cannot outrank a format that worked for ten.