Determine the type of essay that you are writing. Consult with an educational instructor if you are unsure of which type of essay is expected. Be completely sure about whether your essay should persuade, present information or provide a personal experience.
Jot down the main ideas you want to present over the course of your essay. Develop the thesis of your essay based upon the ideas you have jotted down, as these are the ideas most likely to be at the forefront of your mind when you begin writing.
Choose an appropriate voice for you essay. An academic essay should be presented with formal language that avoids slang and clichés. A personal essay that details an event in your life can be much looser with slang and be more creative with such literary elements as similes and metaphors. Avoid jargon if the essay will be read by someone unfamiliar with technical terms and incorporate jargon appropriately if the reader will be familiar.
Organize all your research materials if the essay is going to be a research-based essay. Organize the thoughts that you have jotted down if the essay will not rely on research. Look for the most important information and details in any notes or research material that you have in front of you.
Arrange an outline of the structure that your essay will take. This does not necessarily mean a formal outline, although creating a formal outline may make the writing process go more smoothly. The outline should include the overall thesis of your essay, the topic or argument for each paragraph within the body of the essay and at least a general idea of how you want to tie all your information together in the concluding paragraph of your essay.
Make sure that you are aware of the time allotted for a timed essay. Note the time at which your instructor allowed you to begin and double-check so that you know the exact minute when the allotted time comes to an end. Split into sections for preparation, writing and review to give yourself a much better perspective of your use of that time.