The outline is the skeleton of the essay and provides its structure. 

An essay that is 1,000 words requires a 10 sentence outline.  

Within each paragraph, see if your sentences are in the best possible order.  Get rid of any sentences that are no longer necessary.  

Same for paragraphs:  They should help the essay flow in the best, most logical progression. Move the corresponding paragraphs until they are in ...

Jordan Peterson, a psychology professor at The University of Toronto, created a template for his students that takes them step by step through the detailed process of writing an essay.  

For Peterson, writing is not just a matter of fulfilling an assignment; it is a skill with deeply existe...

• Your first draft should be 25% longer than your final draft.  This will give you material to throw away during the editing process. 
• Each paragraph in your final draft should be about 10 sentences or 100 words long.  If your paragraph is much shorter than this, that is ...

Writing begins with these 3 steps:

• Pick a topic: because your essay should answer a central question.
• Make a reading list: You should aim to read 5-10 books before you write an essay. And plenty of online sources. 
• Take Notes: of everything that cat...

An essay exists at multiple levels:

• The choice of words
• The formation of sentences
• The arrangement of sentences in a paragraph
• The arrangement of paragraphs in a logical progression, beginning to end
• The essay as a whole

To continue improving your essay, you can repeat the process of re-writing and re-ordering your sentences, re-ordering your paragraphs, and re-outlining. Add references, links, biography. 

Then format it: 12pt font, tabbed idents. 

Working paragraph by paragraph, take each one of your sentences and write a better version of it. 

 Peterson advises you place each sentence on its own line and write the revised version underneath.

Write 10-15 sentences per outline heading to complete your paragraphs.  

Use your notes.  You can work back and forth between changing the outline and your sentences.

• Take note of anything that catches your attention.  
• Don't highlight or underline.  (That doesn't work.)  
• Read a bit, then write down what you have learned or any questions that arise.  
• Take about 2 to 3 times as many notes by word as you will need for your e...