An essay is the compilation of information, your views and ideas on a particular subject.
For most of the individuals learning how to write an essay is a frustrating and lengthy process. How to write an essay doesn't have to be so bothersome if you know the basic steps and understand what to do. Later, after learning this essay writing process, writing on any topic can be really easy and fun too.
Writing an essay can have many purposes. The reason you want to write an essay could be to argue for a particular view-point or may be to explain the steps required to complete a task. Whatever is the purpose, your essay should follow the same basic format.
If you follow a few simple steps, you will not even realize when you reach the closing stages of your essay writing and are almost over with it. You only have to be aware of relevant information and data and just add your ideas to it and you are done with the most crucial part of essay writing.
It is evident that it is always easier and pleasurable to write about a subject that a person has an interest and some knowledge in.
Here are some simple steps and guidelines that will help you learn how to write an essay and breeze through any essay writing work:

• Define the purpose of your essay to be able to get down to the basic understanding of the subject you are writing about.
• Schedule your essay well. Before starting to write doing some research on the topic is an equally important task. Don't wait until the last few days to do all the research.
• Prepare an outline or a rough diagram of your ideas and the flow of essay.
• Organize your information and ideas that you have been coming up with while brainstorming the subject of your essay. Write down these particular ideas and categorize them into a basic outline so that you don’t miss out any important content.
• Create an appropriate topic or headline for your essay.
• Once you are mentally ready and loaded with all the information and ideas. Write the introduction. This will make the first impression about your essay so be very clear, concise and to the point. Basically it should be very impressive.
• Now, comes the most important and elaborate part of the essay, the body of the essay. Go through the rough outlines and diagrams you made and divide the body of your essay into point. It should ideally include:
• The main points.
• The sub points.
• Elaboration on the sub points.
• Write the conclusion.
• Do the finishing touches. Check for grammar, spellings, flow of reading etc. All this will prove your writing skills.

Though each specific steps or a tip on how to write an essay might not be suitable for every writer's requirements, it might be sensible to try these steps and later alter them rather than to disregard any step entirely.