Writing Is Thinking
Writing clarifies thoughts - the act of writing is itself a form of thinking.
Also known as: Write to think, Writing as thinking, Writing is understanding
Category: Principles
Tags: learning, pkm, principles, thinking, writing
Explanation
The principle that 'Writing Is Thinking' recognizes that the best way to clarify our thoughts is to write them down. Writing isn't just recording pre-formed ideas - it's the process through which ideas become clear. This is why the Feynman technique advises writing down everything you know about a topic: it reveals gaps in understanding and knowledge, making them visible and tangible. As Horace Walpole said: 'I never understand anything until I have written about it.' Writing is not downstream of thinking - it IS thinking.
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