I like for my students to think of writing as an ongoing process, or a practice.  Here’s a way to think about it:

Writing is not only a tool for communication, for transmitting ideas or transcribing what has already been thought: It is itself a way of thinking, of developing ideas, trying them out, arranging them, testing them.  It is a way of separating your thoughts from yourself –making them take a visible form outside your mind– so that you can think about them and improve them.  It is, in fact, always practice, and realizing this can make you a stronger, more confident writer.  (Scholes et al, The Practice of Writing. 1994: St Martins Press, New York.  Pp 13).

Happy Writing!

-Dr. Kirschner