Read a piece of literature or one assigned to you if you're a student. As you read, take notes or annotate the text in pencil to identify literary devices that the author employs and themes carried throughout the work.
Develop a thesis for your paper that revolves around a particular idea you would like to address. The thesis should include the author's name, your perceived intentions of the author with regard to the main idea of your paper and the methods you observe the author using to achieve those intentions.
Write an introductory paragraph to your analysis. This should start with a few general statements that catch the reader's attention, identify the work you are analyzing and give some background information on the work. Each statement should be progressively less general and more specific, drawing focus to the last sentence of your introduction which is your thesis statement.
Write several paragraphs in support of your thesis that give concrete details from the work --- including quotes, paraphrases and specific literary methods the author uses --- to substantiate your claims. Comment on each piece of evidence you present that illuminates how it supports the main idea of your paper.
Write a conclusion. This portion of your paper should summarize the main points of your analysis and restate your thesis in different words. The conclusion should end with a final piece of commentary that leaves the reader contemplating the implications of your paper and the work of literature you analyzed.