The NPR program On The Media (@on_the_media) reports that professors at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania have been meticulously studying what kinds of articles make the “most emailed list,” specifically at The New York Times.
They've combed through more than 7,000 stories using computers to check The Times homepage and most emailed list every 15 minutes for months. What they've found is surprising. The list does not look like Google News. It’s not heavy with Justin Bieber or top 10 Victoria’s Secret models or “Your air conditioner is killing you.” Instead, according to Professor Katherine Milkman, what gets most shared is what most inspires awe.
As publishers and authors, are you looking for manuscripts that “inspire awe”? Would what motivates people to forward emails also prompt them to buy books?