Persuasive Writing Tips

Persuasive writing is a skill that you’ll need when writing essays in colleges and universities in the UK. You might be brilliant at convincing people that your ideas are right in person, but it’s a different skill entirely when arguing your point of view in writing. 

In this article, we’ll go back to basics to help you understand what persuasive writing is and why it’s important. We’ll also give you a few simple tips and techniques you can follow to supercharge your powers of persuasion.  

What is persuasive writing? 

Most of the essays you’ll write at university are to share information and demonstrate your understanding of a particular topic. Persuasive writing is a bit different. Here, you’ll be asked to write an essay with the purpose of persuading the reader to agree with your point of view.   

You’ll typically be asked to write about a serious issue and present logical arguments, supported by personal experience, and express your views and opinions. Persuasive essays are more conversational in their tone than other forms of writing and allow you to research and write about a topic you’re passionate about.  

Why is persuasive writing important? 

Persuasive writing teaches you how to research topics thoroughly, frame arguments and develop your critical thinking skills, all of which are valuable skills when studying and in later life. Persuasive writing can also improve your writing ability overall, teaching you how to use facts and research succinctly while communicating your main points clearly and presenting a compelling argument.  

Speeches, newspaper columns and advertising campaigns are all examples of persuasive writing in practice.  

Tips to help you improve your persuasive writing 

1. Set out your stall clearly from the off 

   
   

Rather than leaving the reader to guess what your view on the topic might be, hit them with it straight from the off to remove any confusion. Once you’ve set your views out in simple terms, you can then spend the rest of the essay persuading the reader that you’re right to feel that way. 

2. Understand your audience 

   
   

Before you can argue your point effectively, you need to take some time to understand your audience. Think about: 

• Who your audience is 

• What point of view they’re likely to have 

• What their view is based on 

Keeping the answers to these questions in mind when you’re writing will help you frame your argument and appeal to them on an emotional level. 

3. Research both sides of the argument 

   
   

To write a good persuasive essay, you only need to set your own view out in your writing, but you should also have a thorough understanding of both sides of the argument. That will help you preempt counterarguments and see the issue from other points of view.  

4. Be empathetic 

   
   

Once you understand both sides of the argument, you’ll be able to use empathy to show that you can relate to others and their experiences. A reader is more inclined to believe your side of the story if they feel you understand them. You should then provide a logical explanation to explain why their views should change.   

5. Use emotional language 

   
   

Unlike other forms of academic essays, persuasive writing gives you the opportunity to use emotional language, vivid imagery and personal experiences to help the reader feel connected to your argument and see your point of view.   

6. Use facts and figures to back up your points 

   
   

While evoking emotion is an important part of persuasive writing, it should always be backed up with facts and figures to support your views. Your whole argument can fall apart if your supporting evidence isn’t reliable, so always cite authoritative, credible and unbiased sources. 

7. End with a clear conclusion 

   
   

End your essay with a clear conclusion that provides a brief overview of your arguments along with some of the key evidence you have presented. You should also restate your claim from the opening paragraph but rephrase it in line with your essay’s findings.