Before you can begin to write an essay, determine the exact nature of the essay. Is this a college admissions essay? If so, your style will need to reflect your personal voice and personality while remaining professional and concise. Is this a persuasive essay for a high school English class? If so, your style must be decidedly persuasive but as objective as possible. Determining the exact format of the essay will help you in the development process.
Brainstorm ideas for the essay's topic. List topics you are interested in to choose from. Spend time researching a few of your favorite essay ideas, and develop an outline of each topic. A great essay always delves into the underlying beliefs behind any issue, so probe into the topic with insight and inquisition.
Many students are nervous about the prospect of writing an essay; as a result, they put off writing until the last minute. Unfortunately, writing an essay in a few hours is much more difficult than writing an essay in a few weeks. As daunting as the task might be, start writing your essay early. Plan time to brainstorm, to find a good topic, to develop your points thoroughly and to have peers edit and review your essay.
Make a plan before you write. Do not waste time writing from a flow of consciousness; the result will likely be a disjointed and incoherent essay. Instead, focus on the topic at hand, and create a thesis you want to prove with the essay. Spend time finding two to four solid points for your essay, and thoroughly research and develop each point.
As you write your essay, continually return to your thesis. The essay's thesis should always be the central focus, and every sentence should connect in some way to the theme. Avoid excessive editorial remarks, and keep sentences complex but succinct.
An essay should begin with an introduction, and then move from general to specific and appropriately introduce and outline the topic. It should end with a conclusion, briefly summarizing the essay's contents and making final notations or key observations.
Always plan several days for revision. Once you finish the essay, give it to friends, teachers or others to proofread. Allow these editors the freedom to provide their honest opinions of your work, and take their insights to heart. Make changes where appropriate; restructure your essay if you need to. Read through the essay several times yourself, eliminating unnecessary information. Finally, check for spelling, grammatical and structural errors.