How to Write a "How To" Essay

When you read a magazine, how many "How To" essays do you see? Most magazines include a "How To" section (sometimes called a "do-it-yourself" section) to show you how to fix or make certain things. When you read there sections are the sometimes confusing? If they are it's because the author didn't know how to correctly write a "How To" essay.

When you write a "How To" essay, the first thing you need to do is decide what you are going to write about. The next step is to write an introduction. To keep the beginning interesting, don't say, "I will tell you how to make a delicious smoothie." Instead you should try to think of a more creative way to say the same thing. For example, "Have you ever wanted something cool and refreshing on a summer day? If so, you would love to know how to make a delicious smoothie." After you write an introduction paragraph you will need to write the body of your essay. In this paragraph you tell the reader what to do in order to make "a delicious smoothie (whatever it is)." One method is to make a list of all the steps before writing the body so you don't mix up the steps or accidently leave things out. While writing this paragraph make sure to vary your word choices; don't keep using the same words over and over (common repeats are then and next). What you don't want to write is "Then you put the fruit in. Then you put the ice in. And then you blend it." What you should write is "First you .put the fruit of your choice in the blender. Next you should add ice. Finally you blend until you reach the desired consistency." The final step is to write a conclusion. This should repeat what your readers have learned to do and some reasons why you think that knowing this is important. If you follow these steps your essay should be clear, interesting, and understandable.

I hope this essay helps you next time you write a "How To" essay. I wrote this essay because you will probably need to write a "How To" essay sometime in your life (maybe for school, college, work or for friends) and knowing how to write a good one will help those who read it to understand it the first time they read it.