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What Is Persuasive Writing? (Complete Answer With Examples)

No matter what you do in life, you will probably find yourself needing to master persuasive writing.

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing is a type of writing that is used to convince or persuade someone of something. It is often used in business and marketing contexts but can be used in any type of writing. Persuasive writing uses logical, emotional, and structural techniques to seek agreement and initiate change.

In this article, I will answer the most common questions related to “What is persuasive writing?”

What Is Persuasive Writing? (Detailed Answer)

Table of Contents

A more complete explanation of persuasive writing is that it is a type of writing that is used to try to change or influence the opinion of the reader.

It can be used in many different contexts, such as in business, politics, or marketing, but it can also be used in other types of writing, such as essays or articles.

These are the common characteristics of persuasive writing:

• Evidentiary support (facts, statistics, case studies, etc)
• Easy reading experience (transitions, word choice, etc)

In order to be persuasive, your writing must be well thought out, purposeful, and bookended with a strong introduction and conclusion.

Persuasive writing can be formal, informal, or even colloquial in style and tone.

As far as the point of view, you can use first-person, second-person, or third-person. No matter what point of view you use, keep the focus on the reader.

What Is the Purpose of Persuasive Writing?

The purpose of persuasive writing is to grab attention, compel readers to think differently, arouse emotions, challenge assumptions, facilitate agreement, change minds, and—ultimately—convince the reader to take a specific action.

For example, you can convince:

• Website visitors to sign up to your email newsletter
• Blog post readers to click on an affiliate link
• Your manager to allow you to work remotely
• Clients to buy your product or service
• A politician to fix a broken streetlight
• An artist to hire you as a ghostwriter for rappers
• A literary agent to represent your novel or book
• Your favorite writer to respond to your letter to an author
• Dissertation reviewers to give you higher marks
• Readers to positively comment on your Power Rangers Fan Fiction

3 Types of Persuasive Writing

The three major types of persuasive writing are ethos, pathos, and logos. In my opinion, the best persuasive writing includes all three.

Here are definitions and examples of all three types.

Ethos is the writer’s character or credibility.

In order to be persuasive, a writer must establish trust with the reader. One way to do this is by being transparent and honest about who you are and your credentials.

You can also build ethos by using credible sources, such as statistics, case studies, and expert opinions.

An example of ethos in persuasive writing is:

“As a lifelong resident of this community, I know the importance of keeping our streets clean. I urge you to vote in favor of the cleanup proposal.”

Pathos is the emotional appeal to the reader.

The persuasive writer must connect with the reader on an emotional level in order to convince others to agree with them.

You can use word choice, stories, and “emotional” language to trigger a guttural feeling response in readers.

Here is an example of pathos in persuasive writing:

“Please fix this streetlight. It’s been broken for weeks and it’s very unsafe. Our children play in this neighborhood and I’m worried about their safety.”

Logos is the logical appeal to the reader.

The persuasive writer must make a rational argument in order to be persuasive. You can use facts, statistics, and expert opinions to make your argument.

Here is an example of logos in persuasive writing:

“The national evidence shows that working remotely can increase productivity by up to 43%. My productivity is even higher at 47%. Please consider allowing me to work from home.”

13 Forms of Persuasive Writing

There are many forms of persuasive writing.

Here are 13 forms:

• Editorials —Opinion pieces that argue for or against a position.
• Letters to the Editor —Written responses to articles or editorials, often voicing an opinion.
• Print advertisements —Adversiting materials that try to sell a product or service.
• Sales letters —Written materials used to sell a product or service.
• Pamphlets —Flyers or brochures that promote a product, service, or cause.
• Songs —Emotional music-based lyrics to inspire unity and action.
• Social media postings —Tweets, posts, and pins that try to create agreement.
• Speeches —Presentations given before an audience in order to persuade them of an idea or course of action.
• Treatments —Proposals made to individuals or groups in order to influence them.
• Websites —Pages or sites that attempt to persuade the reader to take a desired action.
• Poems —Verses that try to convince the reader to believe in a certain idea or course of action.
• Email marketing —Messages that try to convince the recipient to buy a product or service.
• Personal essays —Narratives that argue for or against a position.

Related: Best AI Essay Writer (Tested & Solved)

What Is Persuasive Writing? (Examples)

One of the best ways to learn persuasive writing is to read actual examples.

Here are 5 persuasive writing examples to answer that question.

Example 1: Editorial on Car Accidents at an Intersection

It’s time for the city to take action and stop car accidents from happening at an intersection. There have been too many accidents at this intersection, and it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed.

The city needs to install a traffic light or stop sign to help control the flow of traffic.

This will help to prevent accidents from happening, and it will also make the intersection safer for pedestrians.

Example #2: Essay on Changing the School Mascot

The school should consider changing its mascot. There are many reasons why this is a good idea.

One reason is that the current mascot is offensive to some people.

Another reason is that the mascot doesn’t reflect the diversity of the school’s student body.

Changing the mascot would be a symbolic gesture that shows that the school values all of its students.

Example 3: Letter to the Editor about Gun Control

I am writing in support of gun control. I believe that we need stricter gun laws to prevent mass shootings from happening.

The current laws are not working, and we need to take action to make our schools and public places safer.

I urge you to join me in supporting gun control. It’s time for us to take a stand and make our voices heard.

Example 4: Advertisement for a Credit Card

Looking for a credit card that offers low-interest rates and no annual fees? Look no further!

Our credit card has everything you need and more. It offers 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers, and no annual fees.

Apply today and get started on your path to financial freedom!

Example 5: Email to Teacher to Allow Extra Credit for Class Participation

Hi Mrs. Jones,

I was wondering if I could get some extra credit for class participation. I have been trying to participate more in class, and I think it has improved my grades and helped the entire class feel more motivated.

Is there any way that I could get an extra point or two for my participation grade?

Thank you for your time and consideration!

What Is Persuasive Writing? (Famous Examples)

Here are a few famous examples of persuasive writing:

• Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.
• Tilbury Speech by Queen Elizabeth I
• Common Sense by Thomas Paine
• Ain’t I A Woman by Sojourner Truth
• Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States by Susan B. Anthony

What Is Persuasive Writing? (The Parts)

Persuasive writing is made up of several parts. To truly answer the question, “What is persuasive writing?” it’s helpful to understand these various parts.

Let’s explore the following four persuasive writing terms:

• Counterargument
• Call to action

What Is a Hook in Persuasive Writing?

A hook in persuasive writing is a technique that writers use to capture the reader’s attention. It’s a way to get the reader interested in what you have to say.

There are many different types of hooks, but some of the most common include:

Here is a good example of a hook in persuasive writing:

“Birth control is not about birth, it’s about control.”—Anonymous

This quotation is a good hook because it is provocative and makes the reader think. It gets them interested in the topic of birth control and makes them want to read more.

What Is a Claim in Persuasive Writing?

A claim in persuasive writing is a statement that you make to support your argument. It is your position on the topic that you are discussing.

Your claim should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. You should also be able to back it up with evidence.

Here is an example of a claim:

“Donating to Clean Water International will save thousands of innocent lives.”

What Is a Counterargument in Persuasive Writing?

A counterargument in persuasive writing is a statement that opposes your position.

It is an argument that the other person could make against you.

You should be prepared to address any counterarguments that the other person might raise. This will help you to strengthen your argument and convince the other person of your position.

Here is an example of a counterargument:

“Donating to Clean Water International is not a sustainable solution.”

What Is a Call to Action in Persuasive Writing?

A call to action is a request that the reader takes some specific action. It is a plea for the reader to help you achieve your goal.

Your call to action should be clear, specific, and actionable. You should also make it easy for the reader to take action.

Here is an example of a call to action:

“Please donate to Clean Water International today to help save thousands of lives tomorrow.”

Persuasive Writing Techniques & Tips

When writing to change hearts and minds, there are techniques and tips you can use to maximize your results.

Apply these proven persuasive writing techniques:

• Reframing —Presenting the issue in a different light.
• Framing —Using specific language to create a particular impression.
• Bandwagoning —Emphasizing that many people support your position.
• Pathos, Logos, & Ethos —Appealing to the reader’s emotions, logic, and association with authority.
• Figurative language —using creative language to make your argument more impactful (stories, analogies, similies, etc).
• Repetition —Using the same words or phrases to convince the reader. Repeating your claim.
• Language patterns —The artful use of phrases to subtely shift a reader’s thinking.
• Rhetorical questions —Asking the reader a question that forces them to think about the issue.
• Speak directly to the reader —Making a direct appeal to the reader.

When using these techniques, it’s important to be aware of your readers and their interests.

Tailor your message to match their needs, hopes, fears, and belief systems.

What Is a Persuassive Writing Map?

A persuasive writing map is a way to structure and organize your argument.

Here is a persuasive writing map that works well for me:

• Start with a strong and clear claim.
• State your reasons for supporting that claim.
• Include supportive evidence.
• Sprinkle in persuassive techniques.
• Address any counterarguments that the other person might raise.
• Finish with a short and simple call to action.

Using a persuasive writing map can help you stay on track and make sure that your argument is clear and easy to follow.

It can also help you to be more persuasive by addressing the other person’s interests and concerns in the most compelling way.

A persuasive writing map is also known as a persuasive writing outline.

How Is Persuasive Writing Different than Other Forms of Writing?

Persuasive writing is easy to confuse with different types of writing.

Many people ask me how persuasive writing is different from:

• Argumentative writing
• Expository writing
• Informational writing

Persuasive Writing vs. Argumentative Writing

Argumentative writing is a type of persuasive writing. It is a more formal type of writing that mainly uses evidence to support your position.

The big difference is that argumentative writing is based more on logic and reason.

Persuasive writing usually relies heavily on emotion-laden opinions.

Expository Writing vs. Persuasive Writing

Expository writing is a type of informative writing.

It is a less formal type of writing that explains a topic or idea.

The main difference between expository writing and persuasive writing is that persuasive writing attempts to convince the reader to take a specific action.

Informational Writing vs. Persuasive Writing

Informational writing is a type of non-fiction writing. It is a formal type of writing that provides information about a topic or idea.

Persuasive writing might inform but its main goal is to change thinking, feeling, and behavior.

Persuasive Writing vs. Narrative Writing

Narrative writing is a type of creative writing.

It tells a story and uses the writer’s own experiences to support the story.

The main difference between persuasive writing and narrative writing is that persuasive writing is non-fiction and uses evidence to support the argument, while narrative writing is fiction and does not have to be true.

However, narrative writing can include elements of persuasive writing.

Persuasive Writing vs. Technical Writing

Technical writing is a type of informative writing. It is a formal type of writing that provides information about a technical topic or idea.

Both types of writing are nonfiction.

One major difference is that technical writing is usually written for people who are already familiar with the general topic, while persuasive writing might be written for people who are not as familiar with the topic.

Technical writing also includes step-by-step guides on how to perform a specific task.

What Is Persuasive Writing for Kids?

Many kids start to learn persuasive writing in first or second grade.

As kids get older, their teachers give them more challenging persuasive writing assignments.

In high school and college, students often write persuasive essays, speeches, and arguments.

Here is a short video that goes over persuasive writing for kids:

What Is a Persuasive Writing Anchor Chart?

A persuasive writing anchor chart is a visual tool that helps younger students learn and remember the key elements of persuasive writing.

It typically includes:

• The 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, why)
• The 3 C’s (claim, clear evidence, clever reasoning)
• How to Appeal to Emotions
• How to Appeal to Logic
• How to use Persuassive Devices

A persuasive writing anchor chart might also give students sentence starters to help jog their creativity.

It serves as a kind of “Mad Lib” or “fill in the blank” template for students.

Why Is Persuasive Writing Important?

Persuasive writing is important because it can be used in so many different contexts.

It’s a great way to get your point of view across or to convince someone to do something. Additionally, persuasive writing is an essential skill for business and marketing.

If you know how to write persuasively, you can write better resumes and cover letters.

That can get you a better job— with more pay.

If you sell anything (and, let’s be honest, we ALL sell something), you can attract more clients. You can also convert more clients into customers.

In school, you can get better grades. As an employee, you can foster better teamwork and move people to action.

Persuasive writing can also convince funders to give money to worthwhile causes, such as feeding children or bringing clean water to people in need.

In short, persuasive writing can make the world a better place for all of us to live.

Can You Use Persuasive Writing in Any Type of Writing?

Yes, persuasive writing can be used in any type of writing. However, it is often most effective when it is used in business or marketing contexts, where the goal is to change or influence the opinion of the reader.

You can apply persuasive writing tips and techniques to:

• School assignments (reports, essays)
• Nonfiction books
• Grant proposals
• Reviews (movies, books, products, etc)
• Blog posts and articles
• Love letters
• Writing a Dungeons and Dragons book
• Internal newsletter
• Affiliate marketing
• And much more!

What Are Some Tips for Writing Persuasively?

Here are some good tips for writing persuasively:

• Know your audience : In order to be persuasive, you must understand who you are trying to persuade.
• Start with a strong claim: In order to be persuasive, you must make a strong argument that is not easily deconstructed or debunked.
• Support your claim with evidence : This is where the rubber meets the road. You must back up your argument with facts, data, and expert testimony (if applicable).
• Use deep reasoning to explain the evidence: Once you have presented your evidence, you must then explain why it supports your argument.
• Make an emotional appeal: People are often persuaded more by emotion than logic. You can use powerful words and images to create an emotional response in your reader.
• Be succinct: Don’t ramble on and on. Get to the point and make your argument understandable by everyone.

Persuasive Writing Topics

There are an almost unlimited number of persuasive writing topics. Below you’ll find a few ideas to spark your own creativity.

Here is a list of possible persuasive writing topics to consider:

• Education: Should college be free?
• Dating: Is it bad to give up on dating and relationship?
• Prosperity: How to achieve financial prosperity
• Politics: Is it time for a new political party?
• Lifestyle: Veganism – pros and cons
• Environment: Should we all become vegetarians?
• Morality: Abortion – is it right or wrong?
• Art: Books are better than TV
• Texting: Do guys like good morning texts?
• Science: Is cloning moral?
• Technology: AI will one day take over the world
• Food: Is our food killing us?
• Energy: Should we all live off grid?
• Health: Is organic food better for you?
• Pets: Should exotic animals be kept as pets?
• Transport: The rise of the electric car
• Religion: Is there a God?
• Parenting: Raising a child in the internet age
• Gaming: Can a DM cheat at D&D?

Best Persuassive Writing Tools and Resources

I’ve been writing persuasively for over 20 years.

Here are my favorite persuasive writing tools and resources:

If you only try one tool, I highly recommend Jasper AI (formally known as Jarvis and Conversion.ai).

I use Jasper every day to automatically generate thousands of original words for persuasive writing, blog posts, contracts, and more.

Final Thoughts: What Is Persuasive Writing?

The next step in learning persuasive writing is lots of practice. You’ll get better the more you do it.

There are a ton of helpful articles on this site about how to write better.

Here are a few related posts hand-selected for you:

• How To Write An Editorial (Your Expert Cheat Sheet)
• How to Write an Ode (Step-by-Step with Examples)
• Time Skips in Writing: 27 Answers You Need To Know

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In a world brimming with information, persuasion is a valuable skill. Whether you’re a marketer aiming to sway consumers, a politician seeking votes, or a writer hoping to engage and inform, persuasive writing is your secret weapon. It’s the art of crafting words and arguments that convince, influence, and inspire action, presenting many persuasive writing examples to underscore your viewpoint.

Have you ever wondered what sets persuasive writing apart from the rest? How does it work, and why is it so powerful? In this blog, we’ll delve deep into the world of writing persuasive essays, exploring its techniques, psychology, and real-world applications, including persuasive writing examples. When you finish reading, you’ll understand the fundamentals and have the tools to apply persuasive writing in your endeavors.

So, let’s embark on a journey into the realm of words and ideas, where the power of persuasion awaits. Join us as we uncover the strategies and secrets behind compelling narratives and convincing arguments and learn how to master the art of persuasive writing.

Understanding Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is an art that shapes our decisions, beliefs, and actions daily. Whether convincing a friend to try a new restaurant, supporting a political candidate, or buying a product, persuasive elements are ever-present. To master persuasive writing, it’s crucial to comprehend the underlying psychology that drives it.

writers must understand how people think and make choices. One of the key foundations of writing persuasive essays is Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos. These principles are the building blocks of effective communication. Understanding and utilizing persuasive writing examples that incorporate ethos (ethical appeal), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical appeal) can significantly enhance the impact of persuasive writing by appealing to the audience’s emotions, ethics, and reasoning.

Ethos involves establishing the credibility and authority of the speaker or writer. It’s about showcasing your expertise, trustworthiness, and authority on the subject matter. An audience is more likely to be persuaded by someone they perceive as a credible source. Exploring persuasive writing examples that effectively utilize ethos can provide a deeper understanding of how credibility and authority are established to influence an audience.

Pathos taps into emotions. It’s about crafting your writing to resonate with your audience’s feelings, values, and desires. Emotional appeal can be a potent tool in persuasion to convince the reader, as it forges a connection with readers on a personal level.

Logos employs logic and reasoning. It involves using evidence, data, and well-structured arguments to support your claims. A logically sound argument can bolster your persuasive efforts, especially when dealing with a rational or analytical audience.

In addition to these three principles, it’s important to recognize the role of cognitive biases in persuasion. Human brains often take cognitive shortcuts, resulting in biases that influence decision-making. By understanding these biases, such as confirmation bias, anchoring, and the bandwagon effect, writers can strategically shape their persuasive content to convince the reader to work with, rather than against, these cognitive tendencies.

Furthermore, the power of storytelling should not be underestimated. People are naturally drawn to write narratives. A well-told story can captivate, resonate, and persuade better than a dry recitation of facts. By weaving persuasive elements into a compelling narrative, writers can engage their audience on a deep, emotional level.

Persuasive Writing in Professional Life

Effective writing to write persuasive content is a versatile and significant tool in numerous professional scenarios. Whether in a corporate setting or freelancing, knowing how to wield the power of words can greatly enhance your career prospects and bring about desired outcomes. Here are five situations where persuasive writing is particularly effective:

1. Marketing and Advertising Campaigns

To write persuasive essays lies at the core of marketing and advertising efforts. Crafting compelling and engaging copy that resonates with the target audience can persuade consumers to purchase products, subscribe to services, or take specific actions. Successful marketers use persuasive language, storytelling, and emotion-evoking content to connect strongly with potential customers.

2. Business Proposals and Reports

When presenting business proposals, reports, or recommendations, a persuasive essay can make a substantial difference. Convincing stakeholders or decision-makers to endorse your ideas, allocate resources, or support your strategies often hinges on how effectively you can articulate the benefits and potential returns on investment.

3. Sales Emails and Correspondence

Sales professionals and account managers frequently employ persuasive writing techniques in their emails and client communication. Skillful use of persuasive language, personalized content, and the presentation of unique selling points can win over potential clients, retain existing customers, and close deals.

4. Job Applications and Resumes

In the competitive job market, a persuasive essay is vital for crafting attention-grabbing resumes and compelling cover letters. The ability to present your skills, experiences, and qualifications persuasively can help you stand out among a sea of applicants, ultimately securing interviews and job offers.

5. Public Relations and Crisis Management

Persuasive writing plays a crucial role in managing public relations and handling crises. Communicating effectively during challenging situations requires language that can restore trust, mitigate damage, and convey a sense of responsibility and accountability.

As we’ve explored the power of persuasive writing in professional life, let’s now delve into crafting a persuasive message for specific scenarios.

Crafting A Persuasive Message

Creating a persuasive message is an art that combines the mastery of language, psychology, and strategy. To write a great persuasive message, you need to consider various elements and techniques that can captivate and influence your audience effectively. Here are some techniques how:

Establish Compelling Statement

Your persuasive message should begin with a concise and powerful thesis statement. This statement serves as the core idea you want to convey to your audience. It should be clear, specific, and easily understood. For example, suppose you’re writing a persuasive essay on the importance of recycling. In that case, your thesis statement might be: “Recycling reduces waste and conserves resources, making it an essential practice for a sustainable future.”

Structure Your Arguments

The structure of your message plays a crucial role in how persuasive it is. Arrange your arguments logically, beginning with the strongest points and gradually leading to the supporting details. This structure not only reinforces your main thesis but also ensures your audience remains engaged. An effective structure guides the reader from their initial skepticism to a point of agreement or action.

Use Persuasive Language

Employ persuasive language and rhetorical devices to make your message more convincing. These include metaphors, analogies, vivid imagery, and emotionally charged words. For example, in a persuasive speech advocating for better healthcare access, you could use the metaphor, “Healthcare is the cornerstone of a strong, healthy society,” to evoke a powerful image.

Address Counterarguments

Acknowledging and addressing potential counterarguments in your message demonstrates that you’ve thoroughly considered the issue. Anticipating and refuting opposing viewpoints adds credibility to your argument and reassures your audience. For instance, if you’re advocating for a particular environmental policy, address common objections and provide compelling counterarguments to debunk them.

Engage Reader’s Emotions

One of the most powerful tools in persuasive writing is emotional appeal. Engage your audience’s emotions by telling relatable stories, sharing personal anecdotes, or using emotional language. Suppose you’re writing a persuasive message to encourage donations to a charitable cause. In that case, a heartwarming story about a beneficiary can resonate deeply with your readers and inspire them to take action.

Having discussed the art of crafting a persuasive message, let’s now shift our focus to the broader skill of developing persuasive writing for various professional contexts.

Developing Persuasive Writing

Mastering the art of persuasive writing requires practice, dedication, and a deep understanding of the key principles and techniques. Here are some essential steps to help you develop persuasive writing skills:

Understanding Your Audience

Start by researching your target audience. Understand their demographics, interests, and the concerns. Engage with your readers or listeners to gain insights into what motivates them and what matters most to them. Use surveys, social media, and other feedback mechanisms to gather information. Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, tailor your writing to address their specific needs and the desires. Speak directly to their concerns, values, and goals. Use language and examples of persuasive essays and writing that resonate with them, demonstrating empathy and a deep connection.

Compelling Storytelling

Study the art of storytelling. Read books and articles and listen to speakers known for their storytelling skills. Practice storytelling in various contexts, from personal anecdotes to fictional narratives. Weave stories into your writing to illustrate key points and connect with your readers emotionally. Craft narratives that evoke feelings and provide relatable examples of persuasive storytelling. A well-told story enhances the impact of your message.

Call To Action

Study successful examples of persuasive calls to action in various contexts, from marketing campaigns to political speeches. Understand the elements that make a call to action compelling and actionable. Practice creating calls to action in different scenarios. Conclude your piece with a strong and specific call to action. Clearly state what you want your readers to do, believe, or think after reading your content. Make it actionable and inspiring, motivating your audience to engage or take the desired steps.

Impact Of Persuasive Writing: Examples

The impact of persuasive essays extends far beyond the written words on a page or screen. It can potentially effect significant change, influence decisions, and shape opinions in various domains. Here’s a closer look at the profound impact of persuasive writing:

Shaping Public Opinion

Persuasive writing is a formidable force in shaping public opinion and influencing policy. Op-eds, research papers, and advocacy campaigns can sway lawmakers, prompting them to adopt new laws or regulations in alignment with the writer’s perspective. Additionally, a persuasive essay has a significant impact on how the public perceives issues, organizations, or individuals. Media outlets, public relations campaigns, and persuasive speeches play a vital role in generating both positive and negative public perceptions, which, in turn, can affect public behavior, from supporting a cause to boycotting a product.

Greta Thunberg’s Climate Change Speech (2019)

Greta Thunberg’s speeches on climate change have ignited a global movement. Her speeches are characterized by their passionate and urgent pleas for environmental action (pathos). Thunberg’s use of moral and ethical arguments, reinforced by her ethos as a young environmental activist, has spurred climate strikes and rallies worldwide, leading to increased awareness and calls for policy changes.

Effective Leadership

Persuasive writing is an indispensable tool for effective leadership. Leaders across various domains use persuasive communication to motivate their teams. Whether through an inspirational email, a compelling speech, or a well-structured persuasive essay, compelling writing fosters a shared sense of purpose, drives high performance, and encourages team members to embrace a common vision. Additionally, leadership’s persuasive writing plays a fundamental role in shaping an organization’s culture. By communicating core values, vision, and expectations through written messages, leaders contribute to a cohesive and thriving workplace culture, positively impacting team dynamics and overall success.

Barack Obama’s 2008 Inaugural Address

In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama used eloquent language and a message of hope and unity to inspire the nation. He appealed to the audience’s emotions (pathos) by emphasizing common values and dreams, fostering a sense of national purpose and unity (ethos).

Motivating Action

Persuasive writing is a catalyst for motivating action on multiple fronts. It is a driving force behind social change, as activists, NGOs, and grassroots organizations use persuasive content to mobilize individuals to take action, whether signing petitions, participating in rallies, or donating to causes they believe in. Additionally, persuasive essays are instrumental in personal growth and development. Self-help books, motivational articles, and life coaching resources harness persuasive language to inspire people to adopt positive behaviors, set and achieve goals, and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Emma Gonzalez’s “We Call B.S.” Speech (2018)

Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, delivered a passionate speech advocating for gun control. Her speech combined personal anecdotes and data-driven arguments (logos) to emphasize the need for policy changes. The emotional impact of her speech (pathos) resonated with many and fueled the gun control movement, contributing to legislative reforms and activism.

Empower Yourself With Persuasion

In an era of information overload and constant communication, the ability to wield persuasive communication is a powerful tool that can transform your personal and professional life, so empower yourself with persuasion. Acquire the skills to express your ideas effectively, build authentic connections, and drive positive change. With the art of persuasion in your toolkit, you hold the key to leaving a lasting mark on the world and shaping your unique history.

By Rishabh Bhandari

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Understanding Persuasive Writing (Definition, Examples, Tips)

Persuasive writing is a type of non-fiction writing that has the aim of spreading information while persuading the reader of the writer’s stance or point of view. Persuasive writing has been used in the English language for years . It can easily be found in reviews, advertisements, marketing copies, etc.

This article will detail the basics of persuasive writing, its importance, core components, and tips for effective persuasive writing.

What exactly is persuasive writing?

In simple terms, persuasive writing is a written way of communication that is used to try and convince the readers of a particular viewpoint. It basically aims to change or influence the readers’ viewpoint about a topic and drive them to take an action, through facts, logical arguments, or an emotional appeal.

Wikipedia defines persuasive writing as – “ any written communication with the intention to convince or influence readers to believe in an idea/ opinion and to do an action.”

The very fact that persuasive writing is not just about spreading information, but about persuading the reader enables it to have a different set of techniques and strategies to effectively convince the reader.

What is the importance or real-life applications of persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing has lots of real-life applications , some of which are as follows:

• In a company blog article to convince the reader to buy a company product or service
• In a research proposal or a technical paper to convince the readers of the findings and deductions
• In a review article of food, a book, or a movie
• In a cover letter of a job applicant
• In an advertising campaign script to create a sense of urgency and convince the audience to buy a product or service. Advertising or marketing forms one of the biggest use cases for persuasive writing.
• In a political speech script to convince the audience of the leader’s opinion. Persuasive writing is heavily utilized in political speeches.

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos- the three pillars of persuasive writing

An effective piece of persuasive writing utilizes three fundamental features viz. ethos, logos, and pathos. These three features are to be strategically embedded at the core of any piece of persuasive writing to enhance it.

Let’s have a quick look at each of them and understand their significance:

Ethos is a Greek word that means “character”. Ethos is the foundational pillar in persuasive writing which aims at establishing the credibility of the writer.

To convince any reader of any written piece of content, the first step is to make them believe the writer, and ethos achieves exactly that. Ethos helps establish a positive mindset in the minds of the readers, even before they start reading the written piece.

Logos is a Greek word that means “logic”. Logos is the second pillar in persuasive writing which aims at backing the arguments or viewpoints of the writer with evidence, logical arguments, and data to persuade the readers.

Any form of written content or argument becomes more persuasive when it is backed by facts and data. Backing their work with relevant facts expresses that the writer did a lot of research and has a very good idea of what they are talking about.

But merely having the facts and data is not enough. This is because if presented in a haphazard way, it will not be effective in capturing the reader’s attention. Thus, logos also deals with structuring the persuasive writing piece in the best possible manner to present them in the most effective manner.

Pathos is a Greek word that means “experience”. Pathos is the third pillar in persuasive writing which aims at involving a writer’s appeal to emotion. A lot of human actions tend to be led by emotions rather than facts.

Hence, it is important for the readers to sympathize or empathize with the writer in order to be convinced of their viewpoint. These emotions can be engrained in the reader through the personal experiences of the writer.

Effective storytelling helps achieve a significant persuading impact. However, it is important for the writer to reflect on the various feelings that the readers might have while sharing this, as every person thinks differently.

What are some tips and strategies for effective persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing finds its applications in a wide variety of scenarios and, if effectively framed, can help achieve tremendous outcomes.

Here are some tips that writers can use for result-generating persuasive writing :

1. Choosing the right topic is important

It is crucial for writers to have deep knowledge about the topic for which the content is going to be written. Effective persuasive writing will involve a lot of subject knowledge, research, experiences, and passion for the topic. Only when a writer is absolutely clear about their own stance, will they be able to convince their readers.

2. Targeting the right audience and researching about them can do wonders

As much as possible, the writing should try to focus on a specialized set of reading audiences. This is because trying to cater to a broader audience will only dilute the impact of the content.

Writers must have a clear idea about their audience and what they want. In this way, they will be able to emotionally engage with them and deliver the message in a crisp and effective manner, inevitably persuading a larger number of readers.

3. The thesis statement should be defined appropriately

A clear and well-defined thesis statement is the heart and soul of any persuasive writing piece. Basically, it briefly summarizes the stance of the author (what the author wants to convince the audience). Clearly defining the thesis statement will help the author to appropriately structure the content around it. 

4. Extensive research

A piece of persuasive writing content will involve a lot of logical arguments, facts, evidence, etc. Thus, writers must thoroughly research every piece of evidence or data that they plan to present to the readers. Even a glimpse of truthlessness might be a major turn-off for the reader.

5. Strategic repetition is important

It is important to remind the reader of the actual point of view that needs to be established and prevent them from getting swerve off the main topic. Hence, strategically repeating the main points in different ways in different places will keep the readers on track.  

6. Address counter-arguments

One of the most interesting, but useful ways to convince the readers or increase the credibility of the content is by addressing the counter-arguments. This will strengthen the author’s original argument as contrasting viewpoints will be proved weaker.

7. Directly speaking to the readers is important

Merely targeting the right reading audience will not suffice. The audience needs to connect with the content and feel that this content is what they wanted to read .

Speaking directly to the reader will help achieve this in an impactful manner (for example referring to them as “you” and asking relevant questions at the right places).

8. Careful selection of words

Choosing the right words is one of the most important things in persuasive writing. Persuasive writing involves creating a bond with the reader through facts and emotions. It involves strong and emotive language (words that describe feelings).

Thus, any wrong choice of word or phrase might discourage the reader from forming a deep and impactful connection with the writer.

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos are at the core of every piece of persuasive writing. Complementing them with the strategies mentioned above will help create an extremely impactful piece of persuasive writing.

Persuasive writing can be defined as a form of non-fiction writing that is used to convince the reader of the writer’s stance or point of view.

The writer provides their point of view and backs it up with research, evidence, and data. Along with this, they also try to emotionally appeal to the reader and convince them per that viewpoint or change their pre-existing viewpoint.

Persuasive writing can be used in a variety of places like advertisements, brochures, editorials, proposals, reviews, political speeches, etc.

Advertising is one of the major areas where persuasive writing is heavily used to urge customers to buy the product or service of a company.

Persuasive writing is important because it finds a lot of real-life applications or scenarios. For example, it can be used in book reviews where the author tries to give an opinion about a book and back it up with their thoughts and opinions.

It can also be used in marketing campaigns or political speeches which has tremendous political or business impact. Hence, if persuasive writing is utilized effectively, it has the ability to create impactful changes in society or tremendous business or political outcomes.

Persuasive writing has three key components or types or pillars, namely ethos, logos, and pathos.

• Ethos: Credibility of the author
• Logos: Relevant logical arguments, evidence, data, and facts to back the viewpoint of the author.
• Pathos: Emotional appeal toward the reader. 
• Wikipedia-Persuasive writing – Definition
• Grammarly-6 persuasive writing strategies
• Your Dictionary – persuasive writing examples
• Interaction Design Foundation – Persuasive writing foundation

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Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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Persuasive Writing: 20 Examples, 10 Analyses and Various Teaching Resources

Persuasive writing has long since played into our everyday lives, influencing our decisions on tasks as minor as selecting a shampoo product and as significant as voting for the president. If we look closely, examples of persuasive writing exist everywhere.

Enlist the help of an Engram's Paraphraser to enhance the clarity and eloquence of your writing, as persuasive writing only works with high-quality writing.

And rightfully so, people view persuasive writing as an important factor in their choices. In a study by Manifest, it was found out that " 50% of a group of people said a company's slogan is the brand element that helps them understand the company's purpose the most, [as opposed to] the company's name (13%). "

So, how can we write persuasively and influence decisions? Let's start with the basics. For one to become a good writer, one should read examples of good writing. Hence, if one wants to be a persuasive writer, one should read more examples of persuasive essays and speeches.

In this blog post, we provide famous examples of persuasive writing, analyze each one, and offer a variety of resources that can help improve your persuasive writing skills or that can be given to students in a persuasive writing class.

Table of content

What is persuasive writing, what are the ten most famous examples of persuasive writing, persuasive speech examples, persuasive essay examples, persuasive writing techniques.

• How to start a persuasive essay

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Persuasive writing is a form of writing in which the writer aims to convince the audience to take a certain viewpoint. Persuasive writing employs logical reasoning (logos), evidence (ethos), emotional appeal (pathos), and other specific types of persuasion techniques to influence the audience.

We will divulge a later section on the different techniques of persuasive writing.

The following are the ten most famous examples of persuasive writing throughout history. We show excerpts from these persuasive writing examples and analyze the persuasive writing techniques in each specific excerpt.

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.' I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

It is no surprise that the first persuasive writing example is the “I Have a Dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

In this particular excerpt, Martin Luther King incorporates pathos and strong imagery to persuade the audience to rise against the wrongs of racial discrimination.

The imagery of “slavery,” “brotherhood,” and “hills” evoke strong visuals of hardship, but also a future in which these unjustified sufferings will soon be replaced with higher ideals of equality and unity.

"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer.” - Thomas Pain

The second persuasive writing example is Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense," which was published in 1776 during the American Revolution.

In this example, Paine uses logos and emotive language to demonstrate that America would be better off without British rule. He uses rational reasoning by saying that the country is no different with a government than without one. When people realize this, they will be overwhelmed with anguish, as they know that they are paying for their suffering.

He uses language such as "calamity" and "evil" to emphasize the uselessness of British rule on the American colonies. This extreme language heightens the feelings of mistrust towards the British government among the American colonists.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.” - Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” speech is the third persuasive writing example.

The speech was delivered during the American Civil War to appeal to the audience's patriotism by honoring the fallen Union soldiers in the Battle of Gettysburg and reaffirming the American ideals of national unity and freedom.

This particular excerpt uses logos with a rhetorical question: "Whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure." This question challenges the audience to think of the war's purpose, the importance of the nation's ideals, and a nation's endurance.

"Along the shores of the sea, there were many blossoms: the leaves of the bayberry shone with a deep glossy green, and the plumes of the goldenrod were bright against the blue water, but the bees that had once hummed among the blossoms were gone. Their hives, hidden under the eaves of deserted buildings or standing in fields grown up in brambles, were silent. The poison had passed on, but the bees had not returned. As for the few survivors, where could they go in search of food? Into what empty fields could they descend, since the flowering grasses no longer grew?" - Rachel Carson

The fourth persuasive writing example is the “Silent Spring” speech by Rachel Carson.

Carson wrote this book to urge for a reevaluation of pesticide use and for governments and people to take proactive and responsible actions to protect the environment. Rachel Carson uses vivid imagery in this speech. She depicts idyllic images of nature to emphasize that nature is fragile, beautiful, and thus worth safeguarding. She wants people to feel a sense of responsibility to not poison but to protect nature’s delicate splendor for future generations.

“Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, landing grounds, in fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” - Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech is our fifth persuasive writing example. It was delivered in 1940 during World War 2 to rally the British people to resist Nazi aggression.

Churchill uses anaphora and the pronoun "we" to urge for a unified call to action. Anaphora is a rhetorical device that involves the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a sentence. He repeatedly says "We shall fight," prompting people into action and to "fight" for what is right.

"The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours." - Jonathan Edwards

Our sixth persuasive writing example is Jonathan Edwards's "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

Jonathan uses images of a "spider," a "loathsome insect," and a "pit of hell" to cast the sinners and hell in a repulsive light. He is trying to persuade the audience to always act dutifully towards God, as God will be the one to grant salvation and show kindness.

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"- Patrick Henry

The seventh persuasive writing example is “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” by Patrick Henry .

This speech starts with a rhetorical question: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?" This rhetorical question directly engages the audience, making them ponder whether life is truly sweet if slavery is the price to pay for it. It appeals to our rationality; hence, it employs a technique known as logos.

He also appeals to authority by incorporating "God" into his cry for what is right. By adding a religious figure such as God, he is validating his claims in a moral light.

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free..."- Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation" is an executive order rather than a piece of persuasive writing, but the order uses a lot of persuasive writing techniques to promote the abolition of slavery.

Lincoln used logos to legally justify his decision as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States to abolish slavery. He also purposefully states the number "one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three" to make his writing appear precise. This precision provides more impact as the writing seems clear and direct.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." - Elizabeth Cady Stanton

"Declaration of Sentiments" by Elizabeth Cady Stanton is our ninth persuasive writing example.This speech persuades the audience to support the virtues of the women's rights movement.

In this particular excerpt, Stanton shows her authority by quoting from the Declaration of Independence. She uses the quote "all men and women are created equal" to emphasize that women are also deserving of rights because they are equal to men. This logical progression substantiates her claim both logically and legally.

“Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Day of Infamy” by Franklin D. Roosevelt is the last example of persuasive writing. In this speech, Roosevelt wanted to rile up the public to gain approval of his political response to the Pearl Harbor attack.

Roosevelt uses emotive language, such as "suddenly" and "deliberately attacked," to contrast the peaceful nature of the United States. This contrast highlights the inhumanity of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States' innocence; the United States had been blindsided by Japan.

More persuasive writing examples

Here are ten other examples of persuasive writing. Now it's your turn. Use our infographics to analyze why these techniques have been noted in history as successful examples of persuasive writing.

"There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that Communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say, in Europe and elsewhere, we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that Communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin." - John F. Kennedy

"We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" - Ronald Reagan

"I have done whatever I did, both as an individual and as a leader of my people, because of my experience in South Africa and my own proudly felt African background, and not because of what any outsider might have said. In my youth in the Transkei, I listened to the elders of my tribe telling stories of the old days. Amongst the tales they related to me were those of wars fought by our ancestors in defence of the fatherland. The names of Dingane and Bambatha, Hintsa and Makana, Squngthi and Dalasile, Moshoeshoe and Sekhukhuni, were praised as the glory of the entire African nation. I hoped then that life might offer me the opportunity to serve my people and make my own humble contribution to their freedom struggle. This is what has motivated me in all that I have done in relation to the charges made against me in this case." - Nelson Mandela

"It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people—women as well as men. And it is downright mockery to talk to women of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government—the ballot." - Susan B. Anthony

"Indifference is not a response. Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor — never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees — not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity, we betray our own." - Elie Wiesel

"By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community." - James Madison

"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man—when I could get it—and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?" - Sojourner Truth

"What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour." - Frederick Douglass

"The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies 'something not desirable.' The words democracy, socialism, freedom, patriotic, realistic, justice, have each of them several different meanings which cannot be reconciled with one another. In the case of a word like democracy, not only is there no agreed definition, but the attempt to make one is resisted from all sides. It is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it: consequently the defenders of every kind of regime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using the word if it were tied down to any one meaning. Words of this kind are often used in a consciously dishonest way. That is, the person who uses them has his own private definition, but allows his hearer to think he means something quite different." - George Orwell

"The problem lay buried, unspoken, for many years in the minds of American women. It was a strange stirring, a sense of dissatisfaction, a yearning that women suffered in the middle of the twentieth century in the United States. Each suburban wife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffeured Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night—she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question—'Is this all?'" - Betty Friedan

Here are some of the most effective persuasive writing techniques. Feel free to use the information and infographics in the classroom or for your own use.

Another resource is Engram's Grammar Checker and Paraphraser. Engram's AI tools are optimized to elevate your English to its full potential. Click the button below and write away, worry-free and with ease.

How to start a persuasive speech and essay

Below is a step-by-step infographic on how to write a persuasive speech and essay. Feel free to use the information and infographic in the classroom or for your own use.

Feel free to use these worksheets in the classroom or for your own use.

Persuasive speech

Persuasive essay.

Below, we have provided example rubrics to grade persuasive speeches and essays. Feel free to use or modify these rubrics in the classroom or for your own use.

Writing a persuasive essay requires careful planning, strong evidence, and compelling arguments to sway your audience to your viewpoint.

By following the strategies outlined in this blog post, you can craft compelling essays that effectively persuade your readers to embrace any viewpoint. So, whether you're advocating for a political stance, promoting a social cause, or arguing for a particular policy, use these techniques to make your or your student's voice heard and influence change.

Check out Engram's Grammar Checker to level up your English and ensure that grammatical and punctuation errors do not get in the way of your persuasion skills. Write away with confidence!

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New to the world of persuasive writing? Wondering how you can learn to write good persuasive essays in a short time? Look no further because we have got you covered. This article will walk you through all the writing techniques and help you understand what is persuasive writing.

The word persuasion has a Latin origin as it derived from the word “persuadere”, which means to convince. Persuasion at its very core is a technique used to influence people without any direct coercion. The use of this technique dates back to the 15th century and since then, the art of persuasion has been used in verbal and written forms to allow people to express their opinions in the hope to influence the opinion of others.

In case of persuasive writing, the writer, through logical and ethical arguments, makes an effort to direct the judgment of the readers in accordance with his own views.This is achieved through logical and ethical arguments rather than emotional inclinations.

Knowing how to write a persuasive essay is a skill that is necessary for youngsters and adults alike. Therefore, knowing what is persuasive writing, its components and strategies is an essential skill that everyone should make an effort to learn. And while perfecting it may take some time, starting from the basics takes you one step closer to becoming a compelling persuasive writer.

Just like any other form of writing, start with learning how this form of writing is different from any other. Read multiple persuasive essays so you have an idea about the style and structure of persuasive essays. Most importantly, do not forget to practice. When it comes to writing, practice makes a man perfect. Hence, rather than just reading on the topic,select an issue you are passionate about and start brainstorming logical arguments to convince your audience.

This article will showcase some of the best persuasive writing techniques used by authors worldwide along with helping you build an in-depth understanding of what is persuasive writing and why it matters.

Table of Contents

What is persuasive writing?

Persuasive writing is a form of writing in which the writer through logical arguments sways the readers to a particular point of view. You are not required to simply inform the reader about a particular issue, but also convince them to think that your opinion presents the full truth and is correct. For this very reason, persuasive writing is technical. It requires you to adopt multiple strategies at the same time to make your work appealing and to shape their opinion of the reader without any arm-twisting.

Persuasive essays can be in the form of academic writing or a piece of personal writing. Either way, these essays start with a specific question. The writer then throughout the essay argues in favor or against the topic to influence the people to side with him. A skilled persuasive writer will make a firm statement which will be backed by a combination of research,data and anecdotal experiences.It is essential that the writer explores the opposing views on the same topic and builds counterarguments that are to be presented in the essay. This makes the persuasive essay seem credible with the help of valid arguments and counter arguments.

The persuasive form of writing is more closely related with argumentative essays as in both genres, the writer selects an issue, carries out a logical debate and makes conclusive resolutions. Nonetheless, an argumentative essay is different from a persuasive one. A persuasive essay focuses more on personal experiences and may appeal to emotions. However, argumentative essays stick strictly to the facts available on the topic

Furthermore, argumentative essays discuss both sides of an issue before reaching a conclusion. However, in the case of persuasive essays, the information is focused entirely on the author’s point of view. And lastly, persuasive writing requires you to employ a conversational tone. This allows the author to build a more personal relationship with the reader.

There are many words and phrases used in the world of persuasive writing that allow the writer to get their message across to the audience. Some of these phrases include:

• For example
• For instance
• Another reason
• On top of that
• In conclusion

Why is persuasive writing important?

Persuasive writing is a part of many professions, especially those in the world of business. Be it website copywriting, advertising or general branding, all these forms of writing rely directly on persuasive messages to convince individuals to become customers of the company. Nonetheless, persuasive essays don’t necessarily have to be self-serving. Since the creation of printing presses, persuasive essays have helped turn the tide for many political and social movements worldwide.

Techniques used in persuasive writing work on challenging the existing beliefs of the reader. They provide guidance in framing arguments. In addition, these essays help boost your critical thinking skills, build your self-confidence and also allow you to become a good speaker who can convey a viewpoint in a conversational rather than an emotional tone

This essential form of writing style is also used to gain support for a new cause, incorporating a new policy and writing cover letters for a new job. Hence, if you’re looking to excel and stand out in your profession in comparison to your colleagues, knowing how to write a compelling persuasive essay is a necessity.

Modes of  persuasive writing

Every writing style has a few elements that makes it unique and helps it stand out from other forms of writing. In this case, those elements are: ethos, logos and pathos. You might be confused how Greek mythology fits into the scope of persuasive writing, but the answer will surprise you. All three modes of persuasion usually come naturally to everyone. However, having a strong awareness about them is what shall differentiate you from others.

This part of the article will not only help you understand the three different modes of persuasion, but also help you learn how to employ these modes to help you write a powerful essay.

Read along to find out more about the three elements of persuasive writing and their use in this form of writing

The first mode of persuasion is Ethos. This is a way in which you convince your audience of your credibility as a writer. Your credibility can be strengthened if the college degree you pursued was in relation to the same topic or by sharing similar work you might have worked on.This is known as built-in ethos.  Here’s an example to help you understand the concept of credibility in a better way. Let’s say if a physics professor writes an essay on quantum physics, he or she would have a strong built-in ethos. But if the same professor were to write on a topic related to psychology, his or her educational background will not provide any built-in ethos.

If you don’t have a built-in ethos, don’t worry because you can build your credibility by consistently following up on that topic or carrying out thorough research on it. You can also build your ethos by citing an expert’s opinion or research in your essay.

The simplest way to understand pathos is as an appeal to a person’s human emotions. Humans are most likely to be moved by emotions than by common sense or logic. Hence, Pathos is a powerful mode of persuasion. When writing a persuasive essay, it is important to ensure that the readers feel connected to your topic. This is where pathos comes into play. There’s a broad spectrum of emotions that you can provoke to make your writing persuasive, these emotions include: anger,sympathy,humor,sadness and pity.Through pathos, you make the audience emotionally invested in your opinion.

Just like all that is powerful, you should be careful when using pathos as a means for persuasion. This is because this mode is the least respected out of the three modes of persuasion in the academic community. Many fields require you to put aside your emotion when writing or reading on a subject. Thus, pathos must be used carefully and modestly.

Lagos refers to methods used to appeal to the logical side of the reader. When employing this method,you should make use of facts and present your opinion in a logical manner. Having strong logos also helps you build credibility over time. In addition, more people are likely to read your essay if you aim to remain logical and less emotional.

In order to have a strong lagos, it is essential that you carry out thorough research and incorporate the facts you have found in an organized manner.Moreover,dont just add facts for the sake of it.Make sure that the information you are adding supports your ideas in some way.

All in all,all three forms of persuasion are interconnected and play a vital role when writing a compelling persuasive essay. It takes time and effort to master the art of using all three forms and in a correct manner. Practice does indeed make a man perfect, therefore, consistently practice the art of persuasive writing to become a well seasoned writer.

Step-by-step writing process for persuasive writing

There are 5 basic steps that every writer should follow when writing a persuasive essay. These steps are designed to help you learn the writing process faster and to ensure that you do not make any structural mistkaes.Here are the five steps that will help you become an excellent writer:

Prewriting for the essay

This part of the writing phase is extremely important and should not be missed out. It helps you plan out every aspect of your essay before you start writing. Some of the aspects you should not forget include:

1.    Choosing a topic

It is important to not only choose a topic,but choose one you are passionate about.This will make it easier for you to write about it.

2.    Choosing a position

Once you have decided upon a topic,pick a side. Unlike an argumentative essay, when writing a persuasive essay,you must stick to one perspective only. Don’t talk about both sides of the argument.

3.    Do your research

The credibility of your research depends on the evidence you include in your work. Don’t rely on any single website,make use of different materials ranging from other essays,research papers to statistical data.

4.    Research on the opponent’s side

It is always a good idea to do a little research on the arguments presented by writers who negate your opinion. Next, you should counter their arguments in your paper to make your essay more credible.

Outline and structure

The best thing you can do for your essay is to create an outline beforehand. Organize your evidence and carry out research according to the outline you have created. If you have been advised to follow a specific structural style go with that. Typically, all persuasive essays comprise five: to six paragraphs.

If you’re confused about how to build an outline, the following part of the article will teach you how to do exactly that.

• Introductory paragraph
• Grab the reader’s attention by writing a catchy first paragraph
• Give an overview of your argument
• This part is more like a thesis statement in which you will reveal your position
• Body Paragraph
• Each paragraph in your essay should focus on one piece of evidence
• Each paragraph should not only give an an argument but should be followed by sufficient supporting details
• Opposing view
• Save some of your paragraphs to present counter arguments for ideas that negate your opinion.
• Concluding paragraph
• Reinforce your arguments in this paragraph but do not present any new arguments in this section.

Drafting your persuasive essay

Here are few tips for drafting your persuasive essay effectively:

• Start your opening paragraph with an unusual question, fact, emphatic statement or quotation.
• The thesis statement should clearly reflect the writer’s position. There should be no ambiguity
• Make use of real life examples and statements given by experts to support your work
• Make your argument valid by illustrating hypothetical illustrations, analogy and drawing comparisons
• Don’t assume that your reader already has sufficient knowledge about the topic. Make sure you give background information and build your essay accordingly.
• The concluding paragraph should be focused on summarizing the most important evidence you presented in your essay. This is your last chance to persuade your reader so do your best.

Revising your e

In this part you can reevaluate the outline, structure and body of the essay. Here are a few considerations you should keep in mind when making adjustments:

• Does your essay clarify and present a firm position on the issue?
• Have you cited enough evidence to support your arguments?
• Have you presented sufficient arguments?
• Are there any counter arguments?
• How is your sentence structure?
• Are there any grammatical errors?
• Have you transitioned from one paragraph to another properly?
• Is your concluding paragraph convincing enough?

 If you think that your persuasive essay is missing any of the details or if you’re unsure about the answer to any of the above-mentioned questions,it is best to review that part of your work.

Editing your essay

Proofreading your essay is irrefutably one of the most significant parts of writing a good essay. Start with reading your work carefully, focus on each sentence and make changes if required. It is recommended that you send your work for proofreading to your professor or anyone who has sufficient knowledge on the topic. Getting a second perspective on a piece of writing is always a good idea,thus don’t hesitate to ask for help.

Tips and techniques for persuasive writing

This part of the article will talk about the most frequently used tips to help you write an excellent persuasive essay. Every writer approaches the persuasive writing process differently, but it’s best to follow a few basic guidelines as to how you can persuade your audience with words. Read the tips below and make sure you make them a part of your writing.

1.   Choose a topic you are passionate about

A writer can only truly persuade his audience if he or she truly believes in the topic they are writing about. Writing on something that doesn’t appeal to you or you just started researching on would be unwise.It is always recommended that you choose a topic that you believe matters, an idea that you can actively defend and one that resonates with who you are as a person.In short,pick a topic that appeals to your own sensibilities. While you will still be required to carry out thorough research,already having a strong opinion on that particular issue will make it easier for you to defend it.

2.   Know your audience

This part of writing your essay is of utmost importance. The only way you truly convince your audience is by knowing who exactly you aim to target. If your essay is directed at standardized testing in the school system,your audience will be the parents. Similarly, if your essay is directed at a recent change in government policy, your audience is most likely the policy-makers. Knowing your audience helps you choose the correct writing style and helps you build an outline that will suit your audience. For example, in the case of standardized testing in schools,your aim will not only be to convince the audience i.e. parents,but also inform them. This is because most of the parents might not know what this means,why it matters and how it affects their children.Hence,your essay will first address these queries and then move towards persuasion.

3.   State your claim clearly

There is nothing worse than a persuasive essay that is sending mixed signals to the reader.The main purpose of writing this essay is to convince your reader to be in favor of a particular opinion and unless you are clear about what idea or opinion is, your essay is a lost cause. Readers do not appreciate a writer who himself fails to make up his mind or fails to sell an idea to his audience. An essay without a clear stance is not a persuasive essay, it cannot be termed as one and nor will it be viewed as one by your audience either.Thus,the most significant part of writing this essay is to pick a side and stick by it no matter what. It brings credibility to your work as well.

4.   Keep organized

Just like any other work, a persuasive essay requires you to be organized. Having your thoughts and ideas scattered is the worst possible way of structuring and writing a good persuasive essay. It may result in you forgetting to add some valid arguments or counterarguments. Your work will reflect your haphazardness and your essay might not have the right flow. When writing without being properly organized,your essay may not sound like it’s logically connected or there may not be any coherence between different paragrphs.It is suggested that you avoid this mistake at all costs by staying organized.

5.   Use active language

The tone of your essay is crucial.It should convey confidence and certainty to the reader. One way to achieve this is by using active voice rather than passive voice.This is because active voice is usually more direct,assertive and purposeful. It will help you gain credibility. If you’re not sure how active and passive voice are different from each other and how to properly use them,it is recommended that you carry out some research and practice before you start writing your essay

6.   Polish your essay

Make sure that you always proofread your essay before submitting or presenting it to the audience.Ask for a second opinion if necessary, it is always good to have a fresh set of eyes look at your work,this ensures that you don’t miss out on any mistakes, especially mistakes related to sentence structure,incorrect spellings or missed words. These mistakes may seem small and neglectable but they have a momentous impact on your image and credibility as a writer.Hence,always proofread your work.

Fun facts about persuasive writing

Here are a few fun facts that will further clarify your understanding about persuasive writing:

• Persuasive essays begin with an opinion statement
• Persuasive essays have no paragraph limits
• Depending on who you’re writing it for, the essay will have different word limits:
• High school essay: 300-1000 words
• College admission essay: 200-650 words
• Undergraduate college essay: 1500-5000 words
• Graduate school admission: 500-1000 words
• Graduate school essay: 2500-6000 words

In conclusion, writing a persuasive essay requires your undivided attention and commitment. The guide above has been devised to help make this task easier for you. If at any point during the writing process,you feel lost or unsure about a certain issue,refer back to this guide and clarify any doubt that you may have. Mastering the skill of persuasive essay may take some time and effort,but it isn’t impossible.With the right mindset and zeal,you will become a competent persuader in no time.

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9.4: Writing Skills- The Persuasive Paragraph

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What Is a Persuasive Paragraph?

A persuasive paragraph is one which argues for or against a controversial topic. A persuasive paragraph answers the question, “Why do you think …?” Persuasive paragraphs often address questions beginning with “Should …?” The paragraph below is an example of a persuasive paragraph.

Every year, around 1,000 people attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and about half of them are successful. While climbing Everest is increasingly attractive, only professional climbers with proven experience should be permitted to attempt it; the reasons are safety to both climbers and guides, and damage to the environment. First, at 8,848 metres, Everest is a dangerous mountain. Since Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit in 1953, over 250 people have died trying to follow in their footsteps. The dangers are lack of oxygen and the risk of avalanches. Other dangers to health include hypothermia, frostbite, delirium, and snow blindness. When inexperienced climbers are on the mountain, it slows everyone down, leaving them exposed to dangers for longer. Second, climbers need to hire Sherpa guides from the local communities in Nepal. Given the increase in demand for guides, those hired often lack sufficient experience and put their own lives in danger. Perhaps most importantly, the effect on the environment in the Everest region is devastating. Everest has been described as the world’s highest garbage dump. Climbers leave everything on the mountain:  tents, oxygen tanks and other climbing equipment, food containers, and personal waste. The risk of damaging the fragile ecosystem is not worth taking. Although Everest expeditions provide a significant source of income to the country of Nepal, and climbing equipment is better than in the past, it is clear that climbing the world’s highest mountains is still not for amateurs or those looking for an adventure vacation.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Paragraph?

Much of the information you have learned about writing a good cause/effect or compare/contrast paragraph is also true here.

• It explains why the question is controversial. In the paragraph you have just read, the writer points out that climbing Everest is increasingly attractive, with around 1,000 climbers attempting to reach the summit each year.
• It presents a clear opinion. When writing a persuasive paragraph, you need to take a stand. Don’t sit on the fence. You should imagine your reader as someone who is undecided about the issue; your job is to convince the reader that your point of view is the best one. The writer’s opinion is presented early in the paragraph; it is then repeated at the end of the paragraph.
• It shows recognition of other, opposing points of view. The example paragraph recognizes that some people have different opinions—they might argue that the economic benefits of climbing Everest outweigh the dangers, or that climbing equipment is safer today. The writer’s argument is, “Yes, that’s true, but …”
• It uses supporting details to support the main arguments. In the example paragraph, the writer lists a number of medical conditions that can arise when climbing at high altitudes. The writer also gives examples of the kinds of items that climbers leave behind on the mountain.

Steps for Writing the Persuasive Paragraph

• As always, your writing should begin with some brainstorming. Think about your topic—what do you want to say about it? What opinion are you going to express? Use a mind map to start to collect some ideas. Be sure to consider the opposing argument. How are you going to argue against those people whose ideas are different from your own?
• Make a plan for your paragraph. Make sure you are presenting your ideas in a logical order.
• Write your first draft. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect at this stage; just get your ideas on paper. Make sure you have included enough detail.
• Revise your draft. Follow the ARMS checklist you learned in Unit 1 (Add, Remove, Move, and Substitute). You may want to use words like First , Second , and Finally to introduce your various points. Be sure that you have given enough supporting details to make your argument believable. Remember that your job is to convince the reader that you are right and other people are wrong.
• Edit your paragraph and write your final draft. Now that your ideas are in place, you can focus on grammar, spelling, word choice, and punctuation.

You Try It!

Look at the following examples of persuasive paragraphs. Answer the questions below each paragraph.

Paragraph 1

While cruising is a popular form of vacation for Canadians, there are significant dangers in the form of liquid waste, solid waste, and oil spills. As a result, cruise lines should be regulated, the rules should be strictly enforced, and those who do not follow them should be severely punished. First, cruise ships produce a large amount of liquid waste, and some of it ends up in the ocean. The largest source of liquid waste is greywater, which has been used in the kitchens, laundry facilities, and guest bathrooms. A cruise ship carrying 3,000 passengers can dump up to 900,000 litres of greywater each day. If this is not treated, it can contain bacteria that are dangerous to marine life. A large cruise ship generates about 8 tons of solid waste every week. Passengers may throw soft drink cans, food wrappers, and other items overboard, endangering sea creatures, such as turtles and seals, and putting the safety of birds at risk. Some garbage is burned on the ship and the ash is dumped into the sea. This can also be toxic for marine life. Finally, there is a danger of oil spills if the ship runs into trouble. The result could be the death of thousands of fish and birds. These dangers cannot be ignored, and it is important that regulations to prevent damage are strictly enforced around the world.

1.      What point is the writer making here?

________________________________________________________________________

2.      What details does the writer give to support the main idea?

3.      Are you convinced by the writer’s argument? Why, or why not?

Paragraph 2

Recycling is seen as very important in Canada, and all public buildings and many homes have recycling boxes. However, recycling is not effective, and it should not be encouraged. First, recycling is difficult. No one really knows what to recycle and what to throw in the garbage. The rules are always changing. Second, recycling is expensive. Someone has to collect the recycled items and take them to the recycling centre. The recycling centre has to pay people to handle the large amounts of recycled material coming in. This is much more expensive than simply taking it all to the dump. This is not good for the economy. Third, there are modern ways of dealing with garbage today, such as incinerators that do not cause air pollution. It would be more efficient to just burn the garbage, rather than go to the trouble to recycle it. Finally, when we recycle, we think we are doing something to help the environment and protect nature. What we should really do is cut back on the amount of waste we produce. Instead of buying a drink in a glass bottle and then recycling the bottle, we should try not to buy that bottle in the first place. For those reasons, recycling is not worth the trouble.

1.      Why does the writer think recycling should not be encouraged?

2.      The writer gives no statistics here. Find some places where the use of a statistic might have been helpful.

3.      How would you respond to this writer? What would you like to tell the writer?

In Bring It Together: Writing Task you will write a persuasive paragraph on a topic related to your own region or community. Use what you have learned in this section to help you.

Different Types Of Persuasive Writing

• Smodin Editorial Team
• November 17, 2023

Have you ever found yourself needing to write an essay where you convince the reader of your point of view? Then, persuasive writing is what you need!

A persuasive essay or text aims to convince the person reading your words that a particular point is correct. It’s one of the oldest forms of writing and has been used in politics, business, and religion over the years.

Despite there being different types of persuasive writing, they all have one thing in common: allowing the reader to understand (and believe) the writer’s position on any given matter.

But, there is a time and a place for each type, and you need to know when to choose which one to achieve your goals.

Read on to learn more about the three main techniques used for persuasive writing and how to hone your writing skills to have people believe your point of view.

What Is Persuasive Writing?

Persuasive writing is any text that convinces the reader of the writer’s opinion.

There are different techniques and types, which will be discussed later, but each is intended for a specific context and purpose.

For example, if you are trying to get an extension on your essay deadline, you will write an email with a formal tone of voice to your professor. If you’re convincing your roommate to go grab a drink, your text will be far more informal.

You may not even notice it, but persuasive writing is all around us – in the media, in advertisements, in the news, and on social media.

No matter your purpose or context, all persuasive writing has the following in common:

• Evidence to back your claims
• Appealing to the reader’s emotion
• Logical arguments

Why Is Persuasive Writing Important?

Whether you’re a high school student or new to the working world, persuasive writing is an invaluable skill to have in your toolkit.

You may have to write convincing and/or persuasive essays for school to score top marks, or you have to write a convincing cover letter to go with your resume to get the job of your dreams.

But it’s more than that. Knowing how to write in a way to convince others of your personal opinion is a good way to sharpen your writing and negotiation skills. It teaches you how to research, fact-check, and construct concise and clear arguments – tools you can use your entire life.

If you end up in marketing or content writing one day, it is a good tool to have in your writing arsenal. But even if you turn towards charity work, you can use your persuasive writing skills to get donations and rally people to your cause.

3 Types Of Persuasive Writing Techniques

There are three main types of persuasive writing techniques, dating back to ancient Greece. These are:

The Greek philosopher Aristotle coined these terms back in the day, but they are still very applicable today when it comes to argumentative essays or any kind of text that needs to convince the reader.

Most persuasive writing examples use a variety of these techniques, as the combination of them strengthens your arguments.

“Ethos” is the Greek word for “character.” This technique uses writing that appeals to the reader’s character and virtues. For that reason, this style of writing is also called “ personal appeal. ”

This kind of writing plays on the reader’s sense of right and wrong. The writer establishes themselves as a trustworthy and knowledgeable character, and because of that, the readers will agree with what they have to say.

Some examples of ethos writing include:

• “My family has been farming in Texas for four generations, and I’ve been working in food production for 25 years. So, trust me when I say that we need to avoid genetically modified produce.”
• “I spent my entire childhood and most of my teenage years in Eureka Springs. I know most of you from school. Please, listen to me when I say: we need to put money towards restoring the Winona Springs Church – you all know it’s the right thing to do.”

Pathos means either “suffering” or “experience” in Greek. This type of writing targets the emotions of the reader, which is why it’s also called “ emotional appeal. ”

The goal of this type of writing is to trigger an emotional response in the reader, which causes them to trust what you have to say.

You can influence readers by eliciting a variety of emotions, including:

Here are some examples of how you can use the pathos technique in persuasive essays:

• “Are you really willing to stand by and watch as millions of unwanted dogs in the Humane Society shelters are euthanized each year?”
• “Business owners say Gen Z is scared to work, but the real reason is that they’re not paying their staff fair wages.”

“Logos” is the origin of the word “logic”. This technique is also called “ logical appeal. “It is mainly focused on logical arguments, presenting facts to convince the reader that you are speaking the undeniable truth.

Each statement that is written is backed up by facts, enhancing the writer’s credibility.

It’s possible that a writer may twist facts to fit in with their narrative, but many readers can spot this manipulative style of writing.

Some examples of the logos technique are:

• “If you know nicotine is bad for your health, why are you still grabbing your vape as soon as you wake up?”
• “Passenger cars emitted 374.2 million metric tons of CO2 in 2021. If we truly want to slow down climate change, we need to skip the short car trips to the store and walk instead.”

Bonus technique: Kairos

So, this technique wasn’t grouped by Aristotle with the three discussed above. However, he did believe that this was a fourth way to persuade readers to see your point of view.

Kairos means “the opportune moment.” To use this technique, the writer or speaker must create (or take advantage of) the perfect moment to deliver their message.

As an example: after a major storm in the U.S. Virgin Islands, human rights charities in the area may have more success in raising funds for their causes as they can appeal to people’s emotions.

As you can see, this example combines kairos and pathos.

Persuasive Writing Examples

As is evident from the above, persuasive writing can take many forms. Although the main goal is always to influence readers, the applications of persuasive texts are vast.

Below are just some examples of where you might use persuasive writing:

1. Persuasive essays

In persuasive essays – also called argumentative essays – the writer makes a specific claim about a topic and then uses facts and evidential data to drive the point home.

A persuasive essay aims to convince the reader that the writer is correct and that the evidence can’t be disputed in any way.

This type of persuasive writing requires a lot of research and fact-checking from the writer – it’s about more than just their opinion.

Examples of an argumentative essay include:

• School essay
• Thesis statement

2. Opinion pieces

An opinion piece is just the thing you need if you have strong feelings about a certain topic and want to express your views with the hope of convincing others. These are less focused on facts and instead play on the reader’s emotions.

Examples of opinion pieces include:

3. Cover letters

The job market is tough. Hundreds of applicants are vying for the same position. A convincing cover letter and job application can really make you stand out from the crowd. Using persuasive writing in cover letters can help you sell yourself to the recruiter, convincing them that you’re the only one for the job.

Reviews are typically opinion-based, but they can still make use of ethos, pathos, and logos to convince the reader of your opinion.

Say, for example, you are writing a book review on The Hobbit for school. Here are some ways in which you can adopt the three main techniques mentioned above:

• Ethos: “I’ve devoured dozens of fantasy novels, and I believe that J.R.R. Tolkien’s world-building in The Hobbit is the best. He is able to create detailed imaginary worlds like no other writer.”
• Pathos: “The journey of Bilbo Baggins filled me with a sense of wonder and excitement, reminding me of the magic of friendship and having a keen sense of adventure.”
• Logos: “Tolkein’s use of detailed maps and a sensible timeline makes the story of Bilbo Baggins much more believable, as it lends a sense of logic to a fantasy realm.”

How To Excel At Persuasive Writing

Do you want to become a pro at persuasive writing? Learn by doing!

Here are some tips on how to develop your persuasive writing skills. Follow these pointers, and you’ll hone your skills enough to convince a night owl to become an early bird (with enough practice).

1. Conduct thorough research

Humans are emotional beings, but appealing to emotions alone just isn’t enough at times.

If your readers are analytical, they might not respond to emotional writing. That’s why you need to back up your persuasive writing with cold, hard facts.

Plus, having indisputable proof to substantiate your claims makes you seem a lot more trustworthy. By providing stats, facts, case studies, and references, readers will believe your words to be true.

Of course, you need to write your facts and evidence in your own words to avoid plagiarism. Smodin’s AI Paraphrasing Tool can help you write evidence-based text in your own writing style.

2. Be empathetic

Sometimes, all anyone wants is to feel heard and understood. You can provide your readers with this understanding by addressing, and relating to, their pain points. If you can offer them a solution to their problems, that’s even better!

Showing empathy allows you to identify with your readers. They need to know that you understand them. Only then will they realize that what you say truly matters.

If you show you can relate, and that you can help your audience, they’ll be more inclined to trust your solutions.

3. Use tools to help you write

Sitting down and writing an argumentative or persuasive essay or speech from scratch can be very daunting. Writer’s block is real, and sometimes you may have strong opinions but struggle to formulate your words.

There are plenty of tools on the market, but none are as effective in helping you write persuasive essays as Smodin’s AI Writer and Advanced AI Essay Writer.

The AI Writer can help you write shorter texts and sprinkle some persuasive writing into your work, for example. The smart AI technology can even cite your references to add to your credibility.

The Advanced AI Essay Writer is specifically for helping you craft persuasive essays from scratch. It’s so simple, all you have to do is give the tool five words and it will begin to write a powerful, structured essay.

But of course, writing a persuasive essay with AI is not always ideal, especially if your institution uses AI detection tools. The good news is that Smodin has a solution for you: the Smodin AI Detection Remover .

4. Make use of rhetorical questions

One surefire way to grab your reader’s attention is to use rhetorical questions. These questions don’t require answers, but they are thought-provoking. They’re used to make a point (either negative or positive) and will keep your audience hooked.

Here are some examples:

• “How can we expect to progress as a society if we can’t take care of our homeless?”
• “What’s the point of technological advancement if we lose touch with our cultural heritage?”
• “How can we expect positive changes if we’re not willing to stand up for what we believe in?”

5. Repeat yourself

Repetition is a great tool in persuasive writing. By using this technique strategically, you can emphasize your key points while adding value to your argumentative essay.

You can tell stories, paraphrase what someone else said, or use metaphors to bring your point across.

In other words, you’re repeating the same opinion, without becoming redundant.

6. Choose your words carefully

No matter the kind of persuasive content you’re producing, you need to understand your audience.

There’s no point in writing in Elvish if your audience has never read Lord of the Rings!

It depends on the context, but usually, colloquial language is best for persuasive writing. It allows your audience to relate to you (and not make them feel like you’re better than them).

You’ll also want to avoid jargon or technical terms that not everyone will understand. Rather write inclusively, keeping your target audience in mind.

7. Adapt your tone of voice

A persuasive essay for college will have a different tone of voice than political speeches delivered by world leaders.

There isn’t one tone that works for all persuasive texts. Instead, it depends on the context and the readers. The tone you use goes hand in hand with your vocabulary, and can be:

• Professional
• Authoritative
• Encouraging

Can I use persuasive writing in everyday life?

Absolutely! It’s not just about school essays and oral presentations. Persuasive writing and speaking can be used in discussions, cover letters, and texts to your friends… even if you just want to convince them to watch a movie with you.

How can I balance pathos and logos in persuasive writing?

Finding the balance between an emotional and logical appeal is key to your success. First, you need to understand your audience. This will allow you to appeal to their emotions. Then, you can reinforce your emotional triggers with well-researched facts and sound logic.

Wrapping Up

It is clear that persuasive writing is a very powerful skill to have. It can be used in various contexts, helping you to convince the reader about certain issues. Whether you simply want to bring your point across or motivate readers to take action, persuasive writing can help you achieve these goals.

The key to persuasive writing is understanding who your audience is. You need to tailor your words to relate to them.

Fortunately, Smodin offers a whole suite of tools to facilitate your writing process. Smodin can save you a lot of time, stress, and pre-essay tears as it assists you in writing compelling, hassle-free persuasive content.

What Is Persuasion? Definition, Usage, and Literary Examples

Persuasion definition.

Persuasion  (purr-SWAY-zhun) is a literary technique employed by writers to influence their audience. Writers use persuasion to present their ideas as reasonable and logical, establish their credibility and position as an authority in their field, and/or sway readers’ emotions. Writers may also employ persuasion to convince readers to take a certain position, change their beliefs to echo the writer’s own, or commit to taking action.

The word  persuasion  derives from the Old French  persuasion , which originated in the Latin word  persuasionem , meaning “a convincing, persuading.”  Persuasion  was first used in English in the late 14th century and meant “an action of inducing (someone) to believe (something); argument to persuade, inducement.”

Types of Persuasion

Writers use three main types of persuasion: ethos, logos, and pathos. These three modes were originally defined by philosopher Aristotle in  Ars Rhetorica,  his 14th-century treatise on  rhetoric . The concepts covered in his treatise remain equally effective today. Contemporary readers are easily persuaded by ethos’s appeal to authority, the appeal to logic of logos, and pathos’s appeal to the emotions. To effectively persuade readers, writers try to incorporate all three techniques in their writing, rather than highlight one over another.

This type of persuasion is an argument that uses the writer’s credibility and authority to sway the audience. If the writer is an expert in their field or renowned for their knowledge of a subject, anything that remind the audience of the writer’s credentials serves as an example of ethos. For example, a doctor writing a medical text might bring up where they obtained their degree(s) and how long they have been practicing medicine.

An easy way to remember the term  ethos  is to think of the word  ethics , which shares the same root. Writers often employ ethos to ensure readers will trust them; this trust convinces readers to support the writer’s position. To establish strong ethos, writers must demonstrate expertise, sound moral character, and objectivity. This is an effective persuasive tool because people trust the opinions of subject-matter experts.

Arguments that appeal to the reader’s sense of reason employ logos. Writers establish this technique by supporting their work with data, statistics, facts, and other evidence from credible sources. They also develop the reasons behind their argument in precise detail. A good way to remember the term  logos  is to connect it to the idea of  logic , which means “strong reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.”

Logos is an effective persuasive tool because logic and strong cited evidence are very convincing to readers. For example, to convince readers to recycle more, a writer might say “According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Americans produced 254 million tons of trash in 2013.”

This technique is an appeal to an audience’s emotions. Writers establish pathos by utilizing strong visual images; telling personal anecdotes or affecting stories; or directly appealing to the reader’s sense of duty, purpose, or empathy. Writers may also establish pathos through the use of second-person point of view by placing the reader within a story’s events or by employing emotionally heightened language.

While ethos and logos are more evidence-based than pathos, people are often more influenced by emotions than they are by logic or authority. Thus, pathos remains a powerful persuasive tool for any writer. Consider most romance stories, wherein writers focus on characters’ feelings and actions to appeal to readers’ sense of love or heartache.

Persuasion Outside of Literature

Persuasion is a very common technique that can be used in places other than literary works. Persuasion is a major component of legal and otherwise official discourse, such as courtroom arguments and political speeches. Lawyers often use logos to influence juries’ decision, though in cases where there’s a victim, lawyers may use pathos to appeal to jury members’ emotions.

Persuasion can appear in academic works, like papers or presentations, and newspaper editorials. These works may include any or all persuasive techniques, though academic settings tend to discourage overuse of pathos.

Perhaps most obviously, advertisements engage in persuasion to coerce audiences into buying a product, using a service, or taking an action. In medication advertising, for example, companies employ ethos by including testimonies from medical experts or patients who successfully used the product. Anti-smoking campaigns use logos by including statistics on the effects of smoking. Pathos, meanwhile, can be an extremely effective technique in ads—consider commercials for animal shelters that accompany jarring pictures of animals with sad music.

Finally, persuasion can be used in everyday conversation, whenever someone wants to convince others of an idea or persuade them to act. Think of children appealing to their parents for a later bedtime or friends discussing opposing views on the latest blockbuster.

Persuasion and Rhetoric

Rhetoric  is the skillful use of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. Sometimes the term has a negative connotation that indicates persuasive language lacking in sincerity or greater meaning. Ultimately,  rhetoric  refers to effective communication.

While persuasion has always been an element of rhetoric, historically the art of rhetoric is verbal, not written. Rhetoric revolves around the realm of political discourse, public speaking, and oratory performed in assemblies, courtrooms, and civic ceremonies.

Examples of Persuasion in Literature

1. John Donne, “The Flea”

In the  poem  “The Flea,” Donne’s narrator lays out a logical argument to cajole his beloved into sleeping with him. He begins by pointing out a flea to her and how the flea has bitten each of them:

Mark but this flea, and mark in this,

How little that which thou deniest me is;

It sucked me first, and now sucks thee,

And in this flea our two bloods mingled be;

Thou know’st that this cannot be said

A sin, nor shame, nor loss of maidenhead,

Yet this enjoys before it woo,

And pampered swells with one blood made of two,

And this, alas, is more than we would do.

Donne weaves logos in this poem. The narrator persuades his mistress that their sexual act would be as inconsequential as a flea bite—so insignificant that it cannot be seen as shameful.

2. Hunter S. Thompson,  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Gonzo journalist Thompson begins his nonfiction book with a scene where he’s driving down the highway with his attorney:

We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold. I remember saying something like, “I feel a bit lightheaded; maybe you should drive. . . .” And suddenly there was a terrible roar all around us and the sky was full of what looked like he bats, all swooping and screeching and diving around the car, which was going about a hundred miles an hour with the top down to Las Vegas. And a voice was screaming: “Holy Jesus! What are these goddamn animals?”

Although the drug-induced hallucination Thompson describes is troubling, paradoxically this section helps establish his ethos. Readers know they can trust him as a narrator because—from the very first line—he is completely honest and open. He makes no attempt to conceal unfavorable information about himself or his illegal activity. This use of ethos allows Thompson to persuade his readers to believe all the events that occur throughout the rest of the book.

3. Rick Bragg,  All Over but the Shoutin’

In a pivotal scene in his  memoir , Bragg recalls paying a final visit to his dying father. Although Bragg’s childhood was difficult because his father’s cruelty and alcoholism, in this scene he describes his father thusly:

My daddy, who was supposed to be a still-young man, looked like the walking dead, not just old but damaged, poisoned, used up, crumpled up and thrown into a corner to die.

Bragg’s use of pathos allows readers to experience the same sorrow and horror he feels as he sees his father for the first time after many years. Despite the pain Bragg’s father inflicted upon their family, he is still a damaged man, ignored by society as he dies alone.

4. Cathy Park Hong, “Zoo”

In her book  Translating Mo’um , Cathy Park Hong includes many poems that detail the experience of a child of immigrants. The poems discuss how immigrant parents try to assimilate into American culture while at the same time judging their child for not truly understanding Korean culture. In the poem “Zoo,” Hong writes:

shi :              poem

kkatchi :      magpie

ayi :              child

Words with an atavistic tail. History’s thorax considerably

Cracked. The Hottentot click called undeveloped.

Hong shifts from Korean to English, illustrating for the reader how the poem’s speaker retains the fluency and understanding of both worlds. Her use of words from both languages establishes her ethos and persuades the reader that she is a trustworthy narrator, able to move easily between both cultures.

5. Toni Morrison,  The Bluest Eye

Very early in Morrison’s first novel, young narrator Claudia tells readers:

Quiet as it’s kept, there were no marigolds in the fall of 1941. We thought, at the time, that it was because Pecola was having her father’s baby that the marigolds did not grow.

Morrison uses pathos to play upon her readers’ emotions. The information revealed in these two  sentences  is heartbreaking: a young girl was sexually abused and impregnated by her father. The image of flowers not blooming heightens the emotional impact because it associates the horror with the idea of a barren garden, implying the earth was so horrified by what had happened to Pecola, it could no longer nourish new plants.

6. Samuel Beckett,  Waiting for Godot

In Beckett’s famous play, two characters sit beneath a tree in an otherwise empty landscape every day from dawn until dark. They are waiting for the mysterious Godot to appear and spend the hours in endless conversation. In Act Two, they’ve the following conversation:

ESTRAGON: In the meantime let us try and converse calmly, since we are incapable of being silent.

VLADIMIR: You’re right, we’re inexhaustible.

ESTRAGON: It’s so we won’t think.

VLADIMIR: We have that excuse.

ESTRAGON: It’s so we won’t hear.

VLADIMIR: We have our reasons.

ESTRAGON: All the dead voices.

VLADIMIR: They make a noise like wings.

ESTRAGON: Like leaves.

Beckett uses logos in this scene. With this dialogue, the friends justify to themselves and the audience why they speak incessantly. They follow a line of reasoning to illustrate how their uninterrupted discussions prevents them from dwelling on their despair. Because they talk all the time, they don’t have to think about what happened to make their landscape so bleak, and they can drown out the noise of the dead who haunt them. The logic they follow persuades the characters to continue their unceasing conversation rather than be silent and endure their thoughts and the voices of the dead.

Further Resources on Persuasion

The  OWL Online Writing Lab , created by Purdue University, has a comprehensive guide for how to create a persuasive presentation.

Stanford University’s  Encyclopedia of Philosophy  contains an excellent guide to Aristotle’s  Treatise on Rhetoric .

Wired  magazine  published an article about persuasive techniques used by advertisers to market their products.

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A Guide to Effective and Persuasive Copywriting in Marketing

Published on: March 29, 2024

Words matter — especially within the world of marketing. It comes as a surprise to some marketing professionals, but effective copywriting rests at the core of any marketing strategy. The phrases you use and the stories you tell directly impact consumer perception and customer experience, significantly influencing visibility and branding.

From email marketing to website content writing, as a marketer, you need to be able to rely on the best content marketing strategies to deliver results through your campaign.

Understanding Copywriting in Marketing

Defined by  Semrush.com  as a strategic writing process, copywriting is the act of using persuasive and influential words in order to compel the audience to take a specific action. From a marketing and sales perspective, effective copywriting should:

• Grab the attention of the target audience.
• Hold their interest.
• Prove that the audience has an unfulfilled need.
• Motivate the audience to take action.

Copywriters, known for their ability to target the right audience and boost sales, are highly sought after in marketing. Within the realm of online marketing, copywriting is especially critical to increasing site traffic and boosting conversion ratings.

Semrush.com  notes that copywriters are typically responsible for:

• Following brand guidelines and establishing brand voice.
• Creating a variety of content, including short-form and long-form copywriting pieces.
• Generating ideas for creative copywriting applications.

By being aware of copywriting best practices and knowing how to implement them, you can become a more well-rounded marketer, regardless of your specialization or niche within the industry.

Copywriting vs. Content Writing

Copywriting is a form of sales writing, and the purpose of any copywriting piece is to encourage the reader to make a purchase. According to  Indeed , copywriters must have an intimate understanding of the target audience, and they must be able to craft their work in a way that motivates the reader to respond. They commonly draft marketing emails, landing pages, call to action phrases, product pages, social media taglines and commercial content.

Often, copywriting is used interchangeably with content writing, but the two types of writing are distinctly different. While copywriting focuses largely on sales and conversions, content writing focuses on providing information and generating organic web traffic. Content writers focus more heavily on creating content that is informative, relevant and easy-to-digest for the target audience.  Indeed  states that content writers often work on blog posts, e-books, video scripts and social media content.

The Principles of Persuasive Copywriting

Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion were first published in 1984, long before the digital marketing era began. However, his principles of persuasion are still quite relevant today, and they can easily be applied to all types of copywriting, including email marketing copywriting.

As defined by  weBOUND Marketing , the key principles of persuasive copywriting include:

• Reciprocity — Offer something of value within your copywriting in return for a subscription, a like, a follow or even a sale.
• Commitment and Consistency — Make your first ask a smaller one and prove that you will deliver. Then, encourage the customer to make more commitments throughout their journey.
• Social Proof — One of the most powerful components of any online marketing strategy, social proof is essential within your copy writing. You can do this by adding reviews and testimonials to your piece.
• Authority — Use facts and data within your copywriting to craft a more authoritative, transparent and trustworthy piece.
• Scarcity — Let your audience know that they only have so much time to act. You can rely on scarcity by limiting the number of offers available or setting a deadline for the promotion.
• Sympathy — Use storytelling in copywriting to make your brand more relatable. Consumers who can relate to your brand messaging or mission are more likely to support it.

Crafting a Compelling Message

When you are copywriting for conversions, creating compelling copy is critical to your success. At the end of the day, your target audience must be able to relate to and connect with the content to act on it.

Citing   Super Copy Editors , you can create an emotional connection with your audience by relying on the following writing techniques:

• Offering simple yet consistent information in your copywriting. Clear and powerful wording will get your point across quickly. Avoid unnecessary details.
• Using language that your audience is comfortable with and used to. Your copywriting tone of voice should match your audience, so don’t be afraid to get creative and use wording that they are familiar with.
• Relying on the power of empathy. Use your words to prove that you understand their perspective, and that you are offering them a solution that will improve their lives.

SEO in Copywriting

Commonly known in the marketing industry as SEO, search engine optimization is the practice of utilizing targeted keywords within content to improve the content’s ranking on the search engine results page. SEO-friendly copywriting is critical, particularly with digital marketing campaigns, as it allows a brand to increase visibility, boost traffic and drive conversions.

Given the fact that the search engine algorithms are constantly changing and adapting to the latest technologies, the best SEO practices for copywriting can change at a moment’s notice. As outlined by  Writtent , some of the best SEO copywriting tactics include:

• Focusing on high-quality writing.
• Promote one keyword, and use it in strategic places, such as at the top of the content or within headings.
• Write long-form pieces to improve engagement. It’s recommended to write content that is 500 words or longer.
• Create scannable content that includes headings, subheads and bullet points.

Staying abreast of the latest SEO strategies will allow you to create compelling, SEO-friendly copywriting pieces that not only drive traffic but also increase conversions.

Copywriting for Different Marketing Channels

Your copywriting tone of voice and overall style may vary significantly based the marketing channel that you are writing for. Some of the most common marketing channels for copywriting include social media, email marketing and website landing page content.

Sprout Social  reports that copywriting for social media focuses heavily on using a targeted brand voice to engage a specific audience. Social media copywriting should be clear, concise and accessible, and copywriters should use an active voice, writing in concise yet compelling sentences and keep language as plain as possible.

When it comes to email marketing copywriting, your content might look a bit different from your social posts. The key to successful email marketing copy is personalization. The reader should feel as if this message was personally directed to them, and it should include a promotion that relates to a product or service they have already shown interest in. Actionable language that capitalizes on scarcity works best within email copy.

When you are crafting copy for a website landing page, you will have to utilize a different approach entirely. When it comes to website content writing, you will want to create chunky, scannable content. Rather than providing in-depth information about the products or services available, emphasize the benefits of those services. With copywriting for conversions, it’s important to prioritize benefits, social proof and call to action phrases.

Analyzing and Testing Your Copy

At the end of the day, your content needs to perform well. Copywriting is all about increasing conversions, so you need to feel confident in the strength and clarity of your content. To verify that your content is going to do what it needs to do, you will want to rely on A/B testing. Per  Copywriter Collective , A/B testing allows you to compare two or more pieces of content to test its performance. For example, you may submit two versions of the same landing page to determine which will increase traffic and fuel conversions. Depending on the platform you are writing for, you may have different digital tools and resources available to perform A/B testing.

Common Copywriting Mistakes to Avoid

The art of copywriting is versatile, which means that it’s somewhat easy to make unintended mistakes. LinkedIn states that these are some of the most common persuasive copywriting mistakes:

• Misunderstanding the target audience.
• Forgetting to create an emotional connection with your copywriting.
• Relying on weak and passive call to action phrases.
• Failing to establish a clear and consistent tone of voice.

Ultimately, you will want to make sure that you rely heavily on consumer market data to develop a strategic copywriting marketing plan that allows you to reach your target audience and motivate them to take action.

Future Trends in Copywriting and Marketing

With authenticity being at the forefront of the latest digital marketing trends, copywriters are going to have to continue to adapt to changing technology while still creating compelling and relatable copy for their target audience. The industry is abuzz with the latest AI writing tools, which have been shown to increase speed and efficiency in copywriting, but that human element will remain vital to your success. 2Stallions points out that natural language and human-centric narratives will play a crucial role in content marketing strategies moving forward.

Earn Your Marketing Degree at Park University

At Park University, we offer  bachelor’s degree programs in both marketing and digital marketing , allowing you to develop an advanced understanding of the best content marketing strategies as well as the digital marketing trends that are shaping the industry.

Request more information  today about our marketing degree programs and learn how you can future-proof your career.

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