Persuasive writing is a type of written work that takes practice. Unlike many forms of writing where the author tends to have a knack for what they’ve constructed on paper or not, the art of persuasive writing can often be viewed as more of a science. That is, to write persuasively, very often requires the implementation of certain persuasive tactics to achieve a desired result or reaction from your audience.
Here are a few key tricks to use while trying to create persuasive piece of writing. If you seek to write better persuasive work, consider practicing some of these tactics:
Credibility
One of the most important components in a piece of persuasive writing is the believability and credibility factors, two parts of a good essay or speech that come hand in hand. In order to get your readers to believe what you are asserting is true, you need to convince them that you are a reliable source. This can be achieved subtly, without hammering it in to your readers by adding to your work details about your educational background, your work or life experience related to the topic you are discussing, or through a simple introduction or preface to the piece which goes over your credentials in depth. If you get people to see you as an informed authority they are more apt to listen to what you have to say.
Appeal to Audience Ethics
To cater to the ethics, or morals of your audience, you must present a well thought out idea or statistic. An ethical appeal often comes within a few sentence descriptions or sometimes is illustrated throughout the entire piece of writing as a major concept. It is up to your individual goals for the audience in combination with your particular persuasive topic to determine what ethic statements to make. Just remember the overall goal you want to accomplish is to get the reader to identify with you and then, hopefully, take the proper action you are suggesting.
Similarly to the ethical appeal, tending to your audience’s emotions is a strategy to get people to listen to and believe what you have to say. It is a great persuasion tactic, probably due to the fact that once people’s heart becomes touched, they tend to soften their defiant stances on matters if they have any. To utilize this persuasive strategy, one may appeal to any of the many human emotions they find most appropriate, as long as the ultimate goal or desired call to audience action is kept in mind while using them.
Shock Value
Making shocking statements about your topic or an individual related is a great way to get readers’ attention. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, uses this constantly in their various pieces of literature. They use graphic, morbid terminology to describe the testing being done on animals. Keep in mind that while shock value will definitely make the audience read your work, if it is not supported by evidence, it may not work effectively to persuade.
Statistical Facts
A final tactic used by speech writers and persuasive authors is to quote statistics or facts about your topic as found in various reference literature or other materials. Use numbers, percentages or find a way to use the surveys analysis in comparison to something the readers can understand and identify with. Allowing them to compare side by side the statistics you cite with their own lives will draw them closer to the subject and more likely call them to the action you are persuading.
