¶ … persuade in writing is to tell a story. This is sometimes called the anecdotal or story-telling approach to persuasive writing. I find that a story helps to give people a better idea of what the reality is like so that they can better understand my own position and be readier to empathize and then agree with what I am trying to get them to see. Other times, offering supportive evidence can be helpful in persuading. Repetition can be another effective method, although it is not one I primarily use. Satire can actually be very effective too, because it points out the ridiculousness of one position and implies that there is a better.
My power of persuasion is characterized by my desire to approach a reader and engage him or her on an intellectual level, an emotional level, and an intuitive level. I want me reader to be convinced not just in his mind but also in his heart and in his gut. By targeting all three of these areas, I can win over my reader.
Some examples of successful persuasions that I have made have come in questions of religion: I have converted a number of my friends to my religion because I offer them through my religion an answer to their problems that hits them in their minds, their hearts, and their guts. They accept what I say because they recognize it as true. Other times I have converted people to my political views, showing how certain people are better leaders than others. In academic situations, I have successfully persuaded teachers that some historical "facts" are actually "fictions." I was only capable of doing this, however, because of others who persuaded me, such as historians or academics who have written and spoken about such topics. This is the case for much of what I believe -- for I too have been persuaded to believe what I do by others, whom I have either read or talked to in person. So the power of persuasion is strong in my life and I have always enjoyed engaging with people who want to be persuasive.
