Becoming Proficient at Essay Writing

Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia defines essay as: "relatively short literary composition in prose, in which a writer discusses a topic, usually restricted in scope, or tries to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view." Considering the root of the word one might put emphasis on analysis. Essay traces to the Anglo French "assay", meaning to weigh or examine the worth of.

On the other hand, in practice the American history of essay has emphasized the attempted persuasion aspect of the literary device. Two of the most cited examples of excellence in essay writing are Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience and Thomas Paine's Common Sense. Paine's essay served as the single most influential inspiration in the former colonies for a declaration of independence and the revolutionary war.

Thus clearly attempting to persuade the reader to a particular, and that time radical, point of view. At the same time, Common Sense is an extremely detailed and well-reasoned analysis of 18th century politics and government.

The same can be seen in Thoreau's seminal work. Civil Disobedience concludes that to follow laws that are not morally acceptable to an individual is immorality itself, a view radical in its day and some would say just as radical today. Yet, like Paine, Thoreau does not simply appeal to passions and prejudices to persuade the reader. He balances pathos with ethos. In an impassioned argument for civil disobedience against immoral laws he manages to provide a detailed, philosophical rationale to support his conclusion.

Anyone who is serious about plying the art of the essay ought to put Paine and Thoreau at the top of their study list. But a number of other American author's have also been identified

as particularly competent at essay. They include: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Mark Twain, James Thurber and E.B. White. Abraham Lincoln has even been cited for his "Second Inaugural Address."

The hallmarks of admired essayists are the ability to clearly communicate ideas in a convincing manner. In other words, prosaic and dry dictation of observations doesn't necessarily equate to good essay writing. It seems clarity of rational and holding of interest are integral to making a compelling essay.

There are no hard set rules for great essay writing. Essayists and professors tend to refer up-and-comers to the works of the great essayists and suggest they divine their own rules through that study.