Writing an essay can be really difficult. Sometimes you struggle to write a proper thesis statement. From time to time, you can find it difficult to find supporting evidence. Often, even when you have all the necessary materials, finding proper words for the introduction can be quite hard. And there are several essay types that have different requirements. 

• Argumentative essay
• Expository essay
• Descriptive essay
• Narrative essay
• Persuasive essay

The different types alone can make you want to use an essay writing service instead of writing your paper on your own. Even if you write it yourself, you may want to use one of the edit my essay services to make sure that you avoid grammar, spelling, and formatting mistakes. But writing an essay is difficult nonetheless. 

Still, when you know what every essay is about and the requirements of each type, things get easier. The most common problem with essay types is students confusing them. Writing a persuasive essay as a descriptive one is undoubtedly a mistake. So, let’s figure out what a persuasive essay is. 

Persuasive Essay Definition

A persuasive essay type requires presenting logical arguments with certain emotional appeal. The emotional appeal is crucial, as the main point of this essay type is to convince the reader that a particular viewpoint is the correct one. Or, at least, sway readers to that particular point of view. A persuasive essay can be a form of both personal and academic writing. 

Generally, a persuasive essay starts with a statement or a question that the author argues in opposition to or in favor of. The essay is dedicated to providing enough supporting evidence, like general data, opposing positions, research results, and various experiences that prove the author’s point of view. 

Writing a persuasive essay can be difficult, mainly due to its aim. Swaying a reader to a certain point of view is not easy. But you can do it when you know the main tips on writing a persuasive essay. So, let’s check them out without any further ado. 

1. Pick a Topic That You are Passionate About

The simplest way to make your persuasive essay writing easier is to pick the topic that you’re passionate about. The main elements of a persuasive essay are ethos, pathos, and logos. With ethos, you present the topic with credible knowledge, while with logos, you appeal to readers’ logic. But pathos is an appeal to readers’ emotions. 

You can achieve the necessary level of pathos only when you are passionate about the topic of your choice. Think, when discussing something with your friends, you are most likely to persuade your opponent when arguing about something you genuinely believe in. 

Thus, while you still have to do research for the essay, things are much easier when you’re passionate about the subject. If not, you will struggle in writing the essay. When you don’t have a strong opinion about something, it’s unlikely that you would try hard to convince the reader of something. 

2. Know Both of the Sides

Being passionate about the topic can lead to another problem. You may end up being focused on making the readers agree with you that you forget about the opposite side. After all, when there’s something to agree with, there’s something to disagree with. If you want to sway the readers to your opinion, you need to be able to bust the opposing opinion. 

In other words, when you want to convince the reader that, let’s say, the world is full of ecological issues that need to be solved, you need to bust the opinions of climate denialists. Thus, when doing your research, you need to study both sides, not only focusing on evidence that supports the existence of ecological concerns but what makes climate denialists think that way. 

3. Hook Reader’s Attention

When writing a persuasive essay, you need to attract the reader’s attention to your opinion. The best way to do it is to present your point of view with a declarative statement that expresses it. That’s why it’s better to start your paper with a fact or research findings. Use the information which serves as a shred of supportive evidence for your opinion.

Starting with a piece of evidence will hook the reader, as well as provide them with a clear idea of what your essay is about. Moreover, it expresses your position, which will make the reader continue reading to find more supporting evidence to your opinion in order to decide whether they agree with you or not. 

4. Empathy

Going back to the first point and the pathos as the element of your essay. When expressing your position, be empathic. Empathy increases the chances of swaying readers on your side. Mix your logical explanation with emotions. It will help target readers’ sensitivities. 

The emotional approach is crucial to persuasive writing, as it allows readers to relate to the subject. If the readers feel they can relate to the topic of your essay, they are more inclined to try to understand your side. Thus, they are more inclined to believe you and sway to your point of view. 

5. Rhetorical Questions

One of the most common misconceptions about persuasive writing is that only supporting evidence works when swaying the readers to your side. While it works well, don’t forget the emotional appeal. Pieces of evidence don’t always go hand in hand with emotions; they are part of the logos element. Pathos, on the other hand, lies in questions rather than in answers. 

Rhetorical questions are the best way to make readers consider your point of view. Don’t provide them with answers. Ask questions that they have to answer themselves. There’s a chance that your reader opposes your opinion. Rhetorical questions will make them doubt their contrary point of view. 

Final Thoughts

As you can see, writing a persuasive essay can be quite exciting. It can be difficult at times, but the idea that you don’t have to work with straightforward facts only, but with readers’ emotions as well, is intriguing. Just don’t forget to proofread and edit your essay properly. You don’t want to spoil the effect with grammar and formatting errors.