Decide on a controversial topic with clear arguments for and against for your essay. A persuasive essay is designed to help sway the reader to one side of an argument, so the topic must have two clearly designated sides. Topics such as capital punishment, abortion and birth control are examples of topics with two distinct groups of opinions.
Identify the people you will be writing for. Knowing your readers and their stance on the issue will help you shape your paper. If your audience is unclear on the subject, outline the issue and clearly describe it as you write your introduction.
Begin your paper with a strong opening statement to catch the attention of your readers. Starting a paper with a quote or other bold statement is much more interesting than simply opening with a line such as, "In this paper I intend to explain my position on recycling." If the audience loses interest in the first few lines, it will be difficult for them to finish your paper and understand your point of view.
Write the body of the paper, including at least three ideas that back up your opinion. Each idea should be placed in its own paragraph, with supporting evidence to back up each point. If one of your ideas is that not recycling paper destroys the rain forest, then use examples from reliable sources, such as studies done by the Environmental Protection Agency that show how many trees are needed to produce paper products.
Add a section to explain the main point of opposition to your viewpoint. State the opposing view, and outline the reasons why you disagree with it -- again, basing your viewpoint on facts. This section should be at least two paragraphs long to completely cover the issue and your stance against it.
Conclude the paper by again stating your opinion on the issue and briefly reviewing the main points of your essay. The final sentences of your paper should encourage the audience to follow up on the issue, and should clearly restate your views on the subject so the readers remember your paper long after they've finished reading it.