How to Write a REAL Persuasive Letter to Your Parents

*Let’s be honest. We’ve all done this before. We’ve all wanted something so bad that we were willing to write pages about it to try to convince our parents to agree. Because we’re writers! That’s what we do. And if you haven’t, well, now’s the time to try it out! Think really hard. What’s something that you really want right now? It doesn’t even have to be a specific thing! It could be a privilege, or multiple things. When you have it in your mind, begin reading this guide to help you write your own letter to your parents or guardians! Let me know if this helps you, and if you’re unsure, leave your idea in the comments, and I’ll do my best to help you out! Remember, this may not work for everyone, but these are the best tips and tricks that I myself find very useful when it comes to persuading my parents.*

**The Intro**:

**Do’s:**

* State what it is that you want. Be specific!
* Ask them nicely to please read the whole thing and not to skip ahead. Don’t let them simply skim your paper!
* Let them know that you understand if they say no. You’ll want to sound mature and this way, if you don’t throw a whole tantrum, they’ll be more likely to think about it later.
* Ask them to give you a well-thought out decision. You know their tactics; Point them out, but don’t be too rough about it.
* Talk to them like how you would talk to them in real life. But don’t be rude. Make a subtle joke here and there, it helps, trust me. You don’t need to make it too formal. You’ll look like you’re trying too hard.
* Be POLITE! Just do it. You’ll regret it if you don’t.
* Be reasonable. If you’re asking to move to the Bahamas (unless you already live there lol) then you may want to start smaller.

**Don’ts:**

* Don’t go into full detail yet. You’ll sound desperate.
* Don’t, don’t, DON’T beg. Avoid this at all costs; it never works, it sounds needy, and it’ll only make them annoyed.
* Don’t use “you”. Use “I”, and ALWAYS use “I”. Unless you’re addressing them. It sounds much better in the end and if you use “you” then it’ll sound like you’re blaming it on them.

**Other helpful tips:** Be sure to always proofread your work and make sure that it sounds good. Also, USE PARAGRAPHS. It’ll make you sound more like a pro. Never rush your work as it’ll come out choppy and sloppy.

**Example (feel free to use!):**

Dear (parents’ names),

I’m writing to you (<— it’s okay here) because I have recently been interested in the (what you want.) I know that you may disagree with me on this, but I’d really like to have it. Please read this (these) entire paper(s) because by the end, I can assure you that whatever you’re thinking now, it could possibly change. Look, you may give me the short answer sometimes, but I’d really like to get a well-thought out decision this time, please. Remember, I completely understand if you still tell me no. But I’m writing to you because I believe I deserve this.

**If you’ve written one of these before…**

You may want to add something like, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Here they go again.’ But please, this time, I really believe that I deserve a chance.” If you’ve written a persuasive letter before and failed, (which I’m sure most of you have, no offense, even me) then you’ll want it to be different this time. Address that. Let them know that you know they’ve disagreed with you in the past, but this is why you deserve another chance.

* Start off by giving a few logical reasons why you should have this thing/privilege. Start off strong!
* If you know a negative reply they may have, address that nicely. This will make them feel like you really know your stuff and you’ve thought this through.
* Give the cons! I know it’s hard, but admit what could go wrong, then come up with a real solution or assure them that it won’t happen. This gives them the illusion that there isn’t anything bad about this and they’ll soon find themselves TRYING to find a reason to doubt you.
* Try to see things from their perspective. This way, you can predict what they may say about it, then you can address this or not, whatever feels right.
* Make compromises. This will get them thinking that they really have a say in what you’re trying to get.

**Don’ts:**

* Don’t give every reason. You don’t need to explain every single one yet!
* Avoid words like “never” or “always.” Again, this makes you sound needy or desperate.
* Don’t make it out to be that you’re perfect or that absolutely nothing will go wrong. It could. All you need to do is admit it and then figure out how to turn it around.

**Other helpful tips:** Be real. Don’t just make empty promises or write random words. You’ll want to know what you’re talking about, which makes this easier to write. Especially if they confront you later, you’ll want to still have a strong voice. If you look panicked or flustered, they’ll be less likely to agree knowing that you just wrote the letter to get what you want, even if that’s what it is really about.

**Example (feel free to use!):**

I’m going to start this off by saying that I know I’ve made mistakes in the past. A lot. I’ll admit that. I know that I don’t always (<— it’s okay here) seem \*blank\* and that I can be \*blank,\* but I think I deserve a second chance. (This next part would probably be better to add if you’re asking for a privilege —>) Here’s the thing. I’m \*blank\* years old. I’m in \*blank\* grade. I’m in middle school /high school/ whatever school you’re in. I believe that I deserve a chance to have this. (Add this in only if you’re willing to risk it —>) Okay, stop. I know what you’re thinking. ‘If you want this, then show us you can earn it.’ Something along those lines, right? Well, here’s my response. How do I show you that I can earn it if I don’t actually get it first? I know it sounds selfish, but think about it. (Only  if you’re willing to here —>)  If I get this first, you can easily see if I’m ready for it or not. I believe I am, which is why I’m writing this right now, but if this works, then it would be a lot easier to tell if I deserve it in your opinion. We can \*blank,\* \*blank\*, or \*blank.\* (<— give them options if at all possible! Reminder: only make promises that will work for them and you. If you make empty promises, they could still choose that option, even if you don’t think they will.) I’d prefer if we try the \*blank.\*

**Other paragraphs:** If you feel the need to add more reasons or any other details, you can make another paragraph or two following the same guidelines above. Just don’t make it in the exact same example format from above, obviously. Similar, but not the same.

* Re-explain the main points of your letter. You’ll want to sum it up nicely, just to seal the deal.
* Try not to add in any other new stuff. It could give the vibe of it being thrown together.
* Let them know it’s cool if they want to talk later. This could leave their decision open-ended, giving you the opportunity to give some last-minute pros for your argument.

**Don’ts:**

* Don’t pressure them to say yes. They’ll get annoyed and be more likely to say no.
* Make it short, quick, and straightforward. This isn’t another introduction paragraph.
* End it on a good note. Possibly a joke, a small one.

**Other helpful tips:** You don’t need to explain everything again. Just sum it up, be polite, like usual, and end it with something nice. That’s all there is to this one.

**Example (feel free to use):**

Well, now you know how badly I want this. I feel like I really deserve a chance to try this out/have it. Again, if you aren’t happy with me having this, then I suggest we get it anyway so that you can really see if I’m ready or not. Thank you for reading this; it means a lot to me. I’d be really grateful if you considered this well. You don’t have to say yes, but I’ve definitely given you a lot of reasons why you could. If you want to chat with me about this, I’d be more than happy to. Just let me know what’s on your mind.

Love,

(Your name)

***WIP: This is NOT finished so I would highly recommend not delivering your letter now before I tell you the rest of the best tips. Unless you want to risk it. Which I wouldn’t. :)***