Living in a Clickbait World

At one time, the media was fairly straightforward. "Real news" came from legit media outlets. Unsubstantiated rumors were presented in this format:



Then came the Internet. Today's news can come in a variety of ways. You might learn a celebrity died on Facebook or read about a major event on someone's blog. Some "news sites" combine news with personal essays, where writers comment on news events or tell their own personal stories.



My mom and I were discussing it and she pointed out something I hadn't realized. These personal essays, which are all the rage now, are very similar to the stories that used to be published in these magazines:



My mom and I both wrote for those magazines at various times. (Yes, she's a writer, too!) The best thing about writing for "confessions magazines" was that we wrote the stories anonymously, so we didn't have to worry about reputation destruction.



Not so with essays. I have to write about fairly innocent things anyway, due to being a children's author. But even if I didn't, I just couldn't bring myself to give out personal information for money.



In the age of the Internet, what you write can remain out there for-e-ver. With your name attached. When people Google you four years from now, what will they find?



Would you ever take money for a personal story about your life? What secrets are off limits?