Write an essay about an interesting topic. If the essay topic is open-ended, take the time to research something that is of interest. When a writer is interested, it tends to be obvious in an essay. If the topic is assigned, try to pick an angle that is of interest. Narrow down the topic so that it is not too broad to develop a thesis. For example, if the topic is "dogs," narrow the essay focus down to one breed or one element about dogs. Tweak the topic so that it is more interesting and easier to write about.
Research is vital to any essay writing project. Without research---done beforehand---the essay comes along slowly. The writer should always do ample research so that they have a good deal of information to write about. The more research, the more the writer understands their topic. The more understanding, the easier the writing process actually will be. A common ratio teachers use is 4 hours of research to every hour of writing.
Research should be done using legitimate sources, such as encyclopedias, academic journals and books. According to Inside Higher Ed, Wikipedia and similar content sites that are created by non-professionals are not considered legitimate for research and many teachers do not accept them.
Follow the five-paragraph rule. When in doubt about how to start an essay, begin with the introduction. Create a thesis statement---a general idea or point that the essay elaborate on. Introduce the reader to the topic in the first paragraph. Then, use three following body paragraphs to show the reader more information or provide evidence to back up the thesis statement. The last paragraph should contain a summary of the entire essay. If the length requirement is longer, the the content comes from the body.
It is a good to show the teacher or professor a rough draft of the essay, so they can provide the writer with suggestions or point out errors in structure, logic or grammar. A writer can then go back and make any needed corrections.
Starting the work last minute does not allow any time for editing or expansive research. It is important to start the essay as early as possible. Create a calendar to track the progress of the essay. Assign days to research, writing and proofread. Keep the calendar and make sure that all work gets done on schedule.