In a recent coaching session, one of my clients brought up the idea of “writing to think.” She had come across one of my training videos where I had dismissively said, “Don’t talk to me about writing to think – this is bullshit.” It was clear that this comment triggered something in her, and she decided to bring it up during our coaching session.
This got me thinking that it might be useful to share why I often dismiss the concept of writing to think, and why I believe it’s something worth unpacking. Let’s dive into the topic.
What Do We Really Mean by “Writing to Think”?
When people talk about “writing to think,” they typically mean using writing as a way to organize and clarify their thoughts. Of course, writing is a process that involves thinking – that should go without saying. We don’t just think in one place, stop thinking, and then mechanically move on to the next task. Thinking and writing are intertwined.
But when people refer to “writing to think,” they often use it as an excuse for avoiding a structured, step-by-step writing process. These are the people who struggle with the drafting process because they try to write, edit, and create all at once. Instead of drafting and moving forward, they get stuck in one paragraph, polishing it endlessly, even though they don’t have a clear sense of where the piece is headed.
This is what I take issue with when I hear “writing to think.” If you're sitting there, staring at a single paragraph for hours on end, hoping the right words or thoughts will come to you—you're not writing to think; you're avoiding the real thinking that should be happening during your writing process.
The Right Way to “Write to Think”
Now, successful and prolific writers often use the phrase “writing to think” in a different way. What they mean is that, as they move through their drafting process—from ideation to gathering information, to creating a rough draft, and finally editing and polishing—their thoughts become more refined and sophisticated with each step.
This is how writing should work. As you work through your draft, your ideas get clearer, sharper, and more nuanced. It’s a natural part of the writing process to become more thoughtful as you refine and revise your text. But that’s not what people mean when they use “writing to think” as an excuse to endlessly tinker with a single paragraph.
So, if you hear someone you admire say, “I write to think,” understand that they’re not sitting there, obsessively working on one paragraph. They're pushing through their drafts, moving from one stage to the next, and refining their thoughts as they go.
Avoiding the Resistance to Process
One of the biggest obstacles to effective writing is the resistance to a structured process. Many people fear that having a process will limit their creativity or make their writing feel too rigid. But writing is a technical task, especially in academic settings, and the best way to communicate complex ideas is by following a clear, step-by-step method.
When we allow ourselves to get stuck on one paragraph, hoping for inspiration to strike, we’re not engaging in the real process of writing. We’re stalling. Successful writers understand that drafting and redrafting, even if the initial ideas are rough, will always lead to a sharper, more coherent final piece. It’s through this process that we truly “think” about our topic, not by endlessly tinkering with the same sentences.
The Bigger Picture: Academic Writing and Thinking
As academics, we need to focus on thinking through our ideas thoroughly and systematically. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of writing to think—believing that the act of writing is itself a form of thinking—but this often leads to procrastination, frustration, and a lack of progress. Instead, approach your writing with a clear plan: start with an outline, create drafts, and refine those drafts step by step. This is where the real thinking happens.
If you're finding yourself stuck in the “writing to think” trap, I encourage you to step back and examine your writing process. Are you stalling? Are you resisting a structured approach? Or are you genuinely moving through each stage of the drafting process, allowing your thoughts to evolve naturally as you progress?
By embracing a clear, organized process, you’ll find that your thoughts become more sophisticated and your writing will improve in ways that simply aren’t possible if you’re stuck on that one paragraph.
So, next time someone says, “I write to think,” ask yourself: are they really writing to think? Or are they avoiding the hard work of following a structured process?