eHow has always required that each step of a writer’s article be “actionable.”  This means that every step that you write should contain “action” verbs, which a reader could act on (or act out).   But what qualifies as an actionable step?   There’s been some disagreement in the eHow.com forums lately.    With several people having their articles removed because their articles did not follow the how-to format (i.e., their steps were not actionable), the topic is tossed around in the forums at least once or twice a week.   So what does it mean to have an actionable step?

Use “Doing” Words.

When I was in elementary school, a teacher of mine referred to verbs as “doing” words.  Meaning, the words described what a person or object was doing.  Your articles should contain “doing” words (verbs) in every single step of your article, telling the reader what it is they need to do to accomplish what you’re telling them to do.  Run. Jump. Bounce. Sit.  Cut.  Trim.  Add.  Bend. Take.

Help Your Reader Achieve Their Goal

Your articles should help the reader achieve what your title tells them you’re going to teach them.  In other words, if your title is “How to Make Banana Bread,” your steps should include the step-by-step instructions that a reader would need to make your banana bread recipe.    Do not regale them with a personal story.  Of course, you can add in a couple of personal asides (as discussed last time), but the bulk of your article should be just you telling the reader precisely what they need to do in order to make this banana bread.

Word Order Does Not Matter

One of the biggest disagreements on the subject is regarding what exactly an “actionable step” should look like.  Bottom line: an actionable step should look like whatever  your style of writing dictates it should look like, as long as it contains those ever-important actionable words.  Some insist that an “actionable step” must begin with a verb in order to be considered “actionable.”  Not so.   Just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, a verb in any other order would still create an actionable step.  Take the following sentences as an example.

In the first example, I’ll start with the action words (indicated in red).

1. Gather your ingredients.
2. Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread.
3. Place the cheese between the two breads.
4. Preheat the pan on medium-high.
5. Toast the sandwich.

In the second example, I’ll use more creative sentences, while still using strong action words (indicated in red):

1. Every good grilled cheese sandwich starts with great ingredients.  You should gather all of your ingredients within your reach before you start to cook the sandwich.
2. Because buttering both sides of the bread just adds unncessary calories, just spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread.
3. Classic grilled cheese uses American cheese, but you can place your cheese of choice between the slices of bread.
4. Cooking the sandwich on a too-hot skillet will burn the bread, so heat your skillet no higher than the medium-high setting.
5. Everyone has their own idea of what a “perfectly toasted” grilled cheese looks like, so watch yours carefully, and remove it from the pan when you’re happy with the way it looks.

Both examples tell the reader how to end up with the same end product (a grilled cheese sandwich), but both are very different.  Some people who write for eHow.com prefer to write in the no-frills style of the first example, while others like to add a more personal and creative touch (as in the second example).  Both are fine, and both are perfectly correct.

Because every single step must be actionable and relevant to the article, eHow writers should NOT include final steps such as, “That’s it!”  or “And that’s how it’s done! Wasn’t that easy!”  or   “Please rate and comment on my article if you enjoyed it!”