How To Write a Persuasive Essay that Actually Does the Job of Convincing the Reader

Persuasive essays can be a tricky one to write. This is because the main goal of these essays is to end up converting the reader into something you believe in, which is what you are ultimately writing about.

That is basically what a persuasive essay is supposed to accomplish, right? This can sound quite daunting to a lot of people, and it makes perfect sense why.

Sometimes the topic itself can be quite controversial, so you will want to tread lightly but also try to persuade the reader into thinking like you do.

Convincing the reader to support what you are arguing against or for is truly an art, but it is not an impossible one to accomplish.

In this article we will cover all the important bits and pieces that will help you nail a persuasive essay so that next time you get one, you actually look forward to writing it.

Picking a side

For most persuasive essays, you have the freedom to choose which side you want to be on and then write the essay accordingly. This is the first step, and perhaps a very important one as well.

When deciding on the side, you want to make sure that your argument is packed with a lot of material, basically meaning that you should have enough thing to talk about to make the reader feel convinced. You can also get a writing helper to assist you with this part.

If you keep talking about the same two or three things throughout the essay, it won’t really accomplish much.

Be emotional 

When you want to convince the reader of something that you believe in, you want to strike the right nerve, which means you need to move them by being emotional.

By emotional, we don’t mean that you start making them tear up. It simply means that you make them relate to what you’re writing about, and appeal to their emotions.

However, keep in mind that you do it while also being rational because in the end it is an academic essay. So you will need to back your arguments up with some evidence and quality sources.

Prepare counter arguments 

You will want to think of all the possible counter arguments that the reader could come up with, and also reasons that would refute those counter arguments.

You can find out about these counter arguments by doing an extensive amount of research, and then also figuring out ways where you can rationally counter them.

This is usually done by presenting a stronger set of evidence that obliges the reader into thinking that they have no choice but to be persuaded.

The main takeaway when writing a persuasive essay is to be educated on both sides of the arguments, so that you can effectively convince the reader. By having the right type of ammo in your arguments, you will be able to persuade the reader but you also want to do it in a way that doesn’t come off as too irrational or passionate.