No matter how good of a writer you are, it's impossible to form a good essay if you don't fully understand the topic. Analyze your topic title word for word to ensure you know the intended meaning and then develop a plan of action for how you want to address it. If there is any question on the nature of the assignment, don't take a wild stab and write the essay anyway. Instead, clarify with your instructor or, at the very least, your fellow students.
The stance you take in your paper, as well as your writing style, is largely dependent upon who will read the essay. If it's a college essay assignment, your peers and professor are the most likely audience. With that in mind, decide what tone you will use in your essay. First, consider the purpose of your paper, whether it's to persuade readers to your line of thinking or merely to inform them on a subject. When you gear your essay specifically to your audience, the content becomes more effective.
An academic essay often takes on the nature of its thesis statement, so if the thesis is weak, the paper is weak as well. Develop a strong thesis to serve as the foundation of your essay before you begin the writing process. This statement is the main point of your essay succinctly summarized in one or two sentences to tell your readers exactly what is your purpose for writing. After creating your thesis, the rest of your essay should expand exclusively around it.
Getting started on an essay project is often a daunting task but it might help you if you know from the beginning that your first draft is just the start. This takes the pressure off to turn a blank sheet of paper into perfection. Organize your research and prepare a preliminary draft that focuses mainly on the ideas rather than on technical aspects like diction and formatting. From there, you have the opportunity to polish your work over the course of numerous drafts until it's a finished product ready to turn in.