A Tutorial on how to Write an Essay People Actually Want to Read

Main ideas & lessons from the video

• Arguable writing beats generic writing

  • A strong argumentative essay requires a clear, debatable thesis—something a reader could disagree with.
  • If your thesis is not arguable, the paper becomes descriptive/obvious rather than persuasive.

• Choose a topic with real depth (the “make-or-break” step)

  • The biggest determinant of essay quality is selecting a topic that you can explore in a meaningful way.
  • Topics must have depth—i.e., enough material to generate strong questions and sustained discussion.
  • If you pick something shallow, your essay lacks “substance” (compared to planting in infertile soil).

• Plan the structure before writing

  • Don’t start writing immediately; outline and organize first.
  • Outlining is described as a fundamental skill often taught in college classes.

• Use a structured essay layout

  • The essay is broken into:
    • Introduction (context → thesis → “why do I care?”)
    • Body paragraphs (evidence that directly supports the thesis)
    • Conclusion (restatement + impact/“why care” again + lasting thought)

• Introduction matters more than people think

  • A good introduction should:
    • Provide context (narrow from broad topic → specific focus)
    • Present a clear thesis (what you argue + how/what it proves)
    • Explain “why do I care?” (why the argument matters to the reader, ideally in modern terms too)
  • The speaker strongly suggests not relying on cheesy hooks (e.g., “Have you ever thought about…”). Instead, begin with context and argument clarity.

• Thesis requirements

  • A strong thesis must be:
    • Arguable (debatable; not self-evident)
    • Clear and discoverable early (the reader should understand your argument quickly)
    • Concrete and consistent (the argument should not shift throughout the essay)
    • Narrow enough to defend (broad theses are harder to support)

• Evidence rules for the body

  • Evidence must be:
    • Related to the thesis
    • Supportive of the thesis
  • The speaker criticizes inserting “random bullshit” that is interesting but irrelevant.
  • Evidence should also be from reliable sources and properly cited (though proper sourcing/citation is treated as “minor” compared to relevance).

• Conclusion purpose

  • Restate the argument with stronger tone—implying it has been “proven.”
  • Re-emphasize why the reader should care.
  • End with a “chew on”: something lasting (a question, call to action, or deeper implication).
  • Apply the lesson beyond the historical case (the speaker emphasizes transferability to today).

• Core example used throughout

  • The speaker uses their own sample topic to demonstrate the method:
    • South Africa during apartheid and the Cold War
  • Their thesis centers on:
    • Fear (racial fear and anti-communist fear)
    • Fear’s role in enabling authoritarian governance and a police state
    • Fear-based policy’s broader cultural/governance consequences
    • The idea that these lessons are still relevant today

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Methodology / step-by-step instructions (as presented)

1) Pick a good, deep topic

• Ensure the topic has depth (enough to sustain an argument).
• Ask the kinds of questions you can’t answer without research.
• Avoid shallow topics that lead to:
  • “lack substance”
  • “fluff”
• If you can’t do deep analysis yet, you may need more research to find the right questions.

2) Outline before writing

• Outline your essay into these parts:
  • Introduction
  • Body paragraphs
  • Conclusion
• The outline is positioned as essential to keep the essay coherent.

3) Write the Introduction (context → thesis → why it matters)

• Context (narrowing step)
  • Start broad, then narrow to the specific argument topic.
  • Example pattern:
    • large era/topic → specific case/event → what makes it relevant
• Thesis (clear and arguable)
  • Must be debatable.
  • Must be understandable within the first or second paragraph.
  • The argument must remain consistent from start to end.
  • Can be multiple sentences (complex ideas may require more than one).
• “Why do I care?” (instead of cheesy hooks)
  • Explain the stakes for the reader.
  • Connect historical lessons to modern relevance.
  • The speaker frames this as an intentionally anti-cheesy move: context + argument clarity over gimmick hooks.

4) Write Body paragraphs using thesis-aligned evidence

For each body paragraph:

• Start with the idea that supports the thesis.
• Add evidence that:
  • Directly relates to the thesis
  • Supports the thesis claim
• Ask/check internally:
  • “How does this evidence relate to my thesis?”
  • “Does it actually support my argument?”
• Avoid unrelated tangents, even if they sound interesting.
• Use:
  • Reliable sources
  • Proper citations (so it can be verified)

5) Write the Conclusion (prove + re-stake the importance + end with a lasting thought)

• Restate your argument and show the reader you demonstrated it.
• Re-emphasize “why do I care?”
• End with a “chew on”:
  • a final question
  • call to action
  • broader implication the reader keeps thinking about

6) Keep the thesis narrow and evidence-focused

• Start with a broad thesis if needed, then narrow it as evidence is found.
• A narrow thesis is easier to defend than a broad one.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Speaker: The unnamed main YouTube educator/author providing the tutorial (uses their own writing sample; includes a “James of the future here” segment).
• No external named sources are quoted in the subtitle text (only general references like “US,” “USSR,” “Cold War,” “apartheid,” etc.).