Decide what to write about. Whether the essay will be assigned by a teacher or submitted to magazines, it’s important to know the topic. If there is a word or page limit for the essay, then choose a topic that will work within that limit. Anything too expansive will lead to an essay that is too long. Anything simplistic will lead to an essay that is too short. Choose the appropriate topic based on the assignment's specific needs.
Research the essay. The type of research the essay will need depends on the genre in which it is being written. For instance, a personal essay might not require any research at all. However if specific places, names, etc., are mentioned in the essay, then fact-check names and correct spellings. Other types of essays, whether they be argumentative or comparison, require a certain amount of facts that will need to be thoroughly researched.
Take notes. Note taking is helpful because it helps a writer pull different threads of interest together in order to create a well-written essay. If the essay is a class assignment, refer to notes taken during class for ideas. If the essay is being written as a submission to a magazine, look at notes or journal entries made in the past that could provide ideas on interesting topics.
Brainstorm. Brainstorming before writing an essay is effective in organizing your thoughts, especially if the topic you’re planning to write about can be written from several different angles. Brainstorming will also help in determining which angle will provide the richer and more detailed essay topic.
Write an outline. An outline is a simple and effective way to organize thoughts. The outline can begin with the introduction, using bullet points beneath to outline the topics in the body of the essay. After the introduction, then write the body, again using bullet points to outline each topic and subtopic. Do this until the entire essay has been outlined. This will be the blueprint for the essay.