The “How-To” Group Writing Project generated 44 qualified entries. Now the bloggers who participated will determine the winners. Entrants have a week to post a list of their choices for the top 3 entries. Sarah at BlueJar.com will review the list, tally the results, and announce the winners.

Narrowing down my favorites to three proved to be a challenge. It was fairly easy to dismiss some of the entries.

1. First, I eliminated posts that told how to do something I personally found morally objectionable or questionable.
2. Then, I marked off the posts that contained numerous grammar errors or that were confusing and difficult to understand. That might be unfair, as the advice may have been useful. However, as an editor, I was too distracted by the errors and trying to understand the blogger’s point to recognize the value of the advice.
3. Next, I removed from consideration posts that seemed light on useful information, because, in my opinion, they either skimmed the surface of the topic or repeated conventional wisdom without giving me new information or a new perspective.

Obviously, all of this is completely subjective. Information that seemed light to me may be exactly what someone else needed to hear. Advice that I find morally questionable may be perfectly acceptable to another person. Poor writing and errors may not bother someone else if the information is useful. But we each have to come up with some way to reduce 44 qualified entries to 3 top picks, and that’s how I chose to begin the process.

After I culled the list using the above criteria, I reviewed the remaining entries (more than half of the original list) and evaluated how well the post explained how to … whatever, how easy the instructions were to understand, how enjoyable the post was to read, and how much useful information it provided. That led to a list of nine entries that I found especially useful and interesting. I re-read and re-evaluated those posts to come up with my final list. Sarah said we could list runners-up, but only the top three will count in the final vote tally. My top three and runners-up appear below, each list in the same order as the final list of entries.

Top Three:

• How to Successfully Switch Your WordPress Theme Without Throwing Your Computer Through the Window by Steven Snell - I wish I’d had this advice before changing my theme.
• Beginners “How to” Guide for SEO by Steve - Although I’ve read good SEO advice (probably much of what’s here), I haven’t been motivated to learn it and put it to use.
• The Client Cycle Explained by James Mitchell - This post reminds us that clients are continually progressing through the cycle from prospect, to proposal, to project and points out how to build relationships at each stage of the cycle.

Honorable Mention:

• How To Promote Yourself (When You Don’t Want To.) by Dee
• How To Nail That Job Interview In The First Thirty Seconds by Martin Stoddart
• How To Deal With Angry Customers by John
• How do you track your comments? by pelf
• How to become a better writer in 30 days by Writing Nag
• How to Sleep on a Plane by Sheila

Thanks Sarah, for sponsoring the contest, and thanks to all the entrants for participating.

Do you agree with my choices? Share your favorite entries in comments.

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