How should I plan an essay?

The first step to planning an essay is really understanding the question asked. Make sure you know what aspects the question is getting at, and then keep this question in mind as you read through the set text. Read with a pencil; by this I mean underline any lines that stand out to you, or any key themes that seem important to you or that keep reoccurring. There will be a reason that certain words or phrases jump out at you, and they may be incorporated into your essay later. Be sure to note down any literary techniques used as well. When it comes to planning the essay, I recommend a rough guide of 500 words per point, so aim for as many points as your word limit allows, factoring about 500 words in total for both your introduction and conclusion. This, of course, is a rough guideline that works for me; different essay structures work best for different people and different essay questions, so I am happy to work with you to find the best way for you. Your points should interest you and all be relevent to the question. This is important so as to keep your essay precise and make sure that you are answering the question, and not writing anything unnecessary. You should then start sorting out key quotations which can fit within your points for you to analyse and discuss. They should be quotations that emphasise your points, or draw out key aspects of your argument. Be sure to not simply add quotations without an explanation and analyses; the examiner will want to know why the quotation is important. My last tip is to just get writing! A blank page can seem daunting, so it is best to get something down; if you later decide that what you first wrote isn't strong enough, it can easily be edited out.