That it's bait is obvious, but the trap is worth it · 1:59pm Oct 11th, 2015
"How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps" isn't pony, but man if I don't think it, at under 1900 words, is worth your time. I don't actually know if it's fiction or not, and I don't think it matters, because was easily the best thing I've read so far this weekend.
What does matter is its excellent narrative and characterization, primarily of its protagonist, but also in a lesser way of his protagonist's friends, love interest, and even his ex, all nameless. The supporting characters necessarily aren't the deepest, given the length and focus of "4 Easy Steps," but what is there feels entirely organic and supports both the mental state of the main character and the actions he takes. It builds a story of overcoming heartbreak and reinventing a life, plus a romance, almost entirely from snippets of time at the gym, thinking about food, or related getting-in-shape flashes. The repeated use of puddles of sweat as both an accomplishment and a specter was a nice thread throughout, and the contrast set up between how the protagonist and another character interpreted the view of Los Angeles at night was a high point.
Added to all of that, is what strikes me as an implicit denouncement of clickbait and the lazy thinking at least one type preys on, the search for an easy way to reach goals without actually putting in the work you know is going to be required. And the structure actually enhances the story by (at least if you were coming from a blind link, expecting something close to what it said on the tin, like I was—in the end, I gave in and clicked the bait because I trusted the linker's judgement) putting you in a frame of mind that just isn't prepared for the punch that's coming instead of inane health fluff you've probably seen countless times before. That's how you embed an argument in a story, and have it work to its advantage. And despite its short span, I could readily see some readers forgetting that they're only on the third item in the list, which makes for a hell of a humorous decompression at the end.