How to Start an Essay

Why are you procrastinating the start of an essay?

Could it be because you don’t know how to start?

You sit in front of that blank page. You keep staring at it, but nothing happens. Your mind goes as blank as the page. You got a few ideas during the brainstorming stage, but you don’t know how to introduce the reader to them.

Don’t worry. You’ll get better at writing essay introductions with some practice. Tips from our essay writers will guide you through the process.

Tips: How to Start an Essay

Understand the Point of an Introduction

The purpose of an introduction is to guide the reader towards the main point you want to make.

The reader needs some background info on the concepts you’re tackling. If you’re writing an essay on cryptocurrency, you should briefly explain what that is.
Then, you should narrow down the main theme to the actual topic. Guide your reader towards the main idea. You can insert some elements of “fun” at this point. We’ll get to that through the following tips.
At the end of the introduction, you should expose your thesis statement. It’s the backbone of the entire essay.

A great introduction should be readable and engaging. It should immediately catch the attention of the reader, and it should get them interested to continue reading. Now, the main question is: how do you create such an intro?

Start with a Fact

“In March 2010, one Bitcoin was valued at $0.003. In the beginning of 2020, it reached $8,630.”

That’s an interesting fact that will draw the reader towards the main point you’re making. You’ll easily find such a fact about any topic. Search through academic and scientific studies, newspaper articles, and governmental websites.

Remember: you have to provide reference. When you use facts to support your opinions, the reader has to know that you didn’t make them up. The resources have to be authoritative and truthful. Double-check the information before you use it.

If It’s a Casual Topic, Open Up with a Dialogue

Dialogues usually have no place in essays. Students perceive essays as highly formal, stiff assignments. It’s usually because professors presented them that way. However, more casual topics allow for a liberal approach.

If you want to make a cool introduction, you can use a dialogue between two or three speakers. The dialogue will replace the dry presentation of facts. These characters will introduce the topic in a way that’s more fun to read.

Here’s an example:

Character A: “I bought three Bitcoins back in 2020, and I’ve made thousands of dollars thanks to that investment.”

Character B: “I don’t believe that. Bitcoin is a scam!”

Character C: “Actually, it’s not a scam and all depends on how you see it…” That’s the point when you’ll start discussing the facts.

Through these characters, you present the different sides to your topic. It’s an interesting way to add dimension to your arguments.

Try Starting with an Anecdote

Let’s say you’re writing a philosophy essay. You can start with an interesting anecdote about the philosopher who came up with the concepts you’re discussing in the essay.

Whatever topic you’re tackling, you can always find an anecdote associated to it.

Since it’s an anecdote, it doesn’t have to be a fact. It’s something that people have been telling each other for a long time. You can discuss the origins of the anecdote, but you don’t have to. Just make sure that such a story exists and you’re not making it up. Of course; you’ll provide the source of your anecdote as a reference.

Don’t State the Obvious

When your teacher gave you instructions about the sections of an essay, they probably told you that the introduction should say what the essay is about. So many students think that this is how they start the paper:

This essay is about the implications that Bitcoin has on modern economy. I will discuss the facts about cryptocurrency and draw conclusions about the way it will change people’s financing in the future.

That’s not how you do it.

Avoid making such obvious statement. Dive into the topic; your reader will understand what the essay is about.

Present a Thesis Statement as a Revelation

After the anecdote, dialogue, facts, or background information that you present in the introduction, the thesis statement should sound like a revelation.

Let’s say you’re writing a paper about productivity. You can start presenting some facts about lazy people, and then explain what productivity means. The thesis statement should reveal what makes productive people different. It should be bold and clear.

Start as Soon as Possible!

You just got a few effective suggestions on how to start an essay.

The most important tip is to stop delaying the process. The sooner you start working on the assignment, the better the final result will be.

Once you have your introduction, it will be easy for you to write the rest of the paper.