Choose your topic. This can be one of the more difficult aspects of writing a persuasive essay. Choose a topic that is gripping and has strong emotional appeal to a wide audience. Good persuasive essay topics may cover issues of an ethical or religious nature, or they can cover legal or health-related issues. Topics of an ecological nature also tend to be compelling issues.
Research your topic thoroughly. In order for an essay to be persuasive, it needs to have substantial basis in fact. Facts provide supporting material or evidence that validates the main thesis of the essay. Even essays that are largely based on emotional appeals need supporting material to balance them out.
Write your main thesis and organize your supporting material in an outline that will provide a point-by-point argument in support of the thesis. Your thesis should be a strong affirmative statement that decisively argues one side of an argument. For instance, the statement "abortion should be banned for moral and medical reasons" is much stronger than "moral and medical concerns over abortion make it a questionable practice." The thesis statement should drive home your argument from the outset.
Write the body of your essay. This will be based on the outline that you establish. It provides the supporting argumentation to validate your thesis. If your essay is about why abortion is wrong, the body of the paper tells the reader why it is wrong. The body of the essay should consist of three to five main points, each one about one paragraph in length and loaded with factual material. For instance, cite statistical data in support of the notion that abortion is psychologically damaging to the woman having the abortion. Citing a study that shows a large percentage of women seeking psychological help after getting an abortion would be one way to make a case for the idea the abortion is psychologically damaging.
Write a definitive conclusion that drives home the main thesis. The conclusion should summarize and reiterate the findings of the paper. In essence, tell the reader what you have already told them in the paper. You are indicating to them that your argument is so persuasive that you need to mention it one last time.
Proofread, revise and complete the final draft of your essay. The best essays are rarely written in one draft. Instead, revise the essay until it has a polished and definitive feel each time you read it. Read it to a classmate who can provide you with some constructive criticism. This may necessitate yet another revision, but it can be worth the extra work if it helps you make a good grade on the assignment.