Using Writing and Reading for Inquiry, Learning, Thinking, and Communicating

       Because I`m long-winded when it comes to writing (maybe we should call that deep ink'ed?), I`m going to omit the more obvious half of my topic. Reading is the most effective means we have for learning. Reading allows us access to the thoughts and convictions of everyone that has ever lived. Having said this, I`m going to write about the use of writing as it's related to inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating. I have learned more about this topic since beginning college, just as all the other topics I write about.
      I never thought you could use writing for learning. I knew you could use reading for learning, and writing for communicating, but never writing for learning. But in fact, the writing process naturally stimulates the brain in a way that is very enlightening. For instance, when I began writing a blog on the use of technology in rhetoric to address a wide range of audiences, I knew that email could address those far away, a text message could reach your best friends, and the powerpoint could communicate a message to a large group of people. However, it wasn't until I began weaving together paragraphs and holistically reviewing my essay that it hit me- technology has given us an effective way to communicate appropriately with virtually every audience you can think of. I learned the true power of technology- a truth that hadn't been completely clear to me until after writing.
    Secondly, writing can be used for thinking; but not just your average, every-day thinking. Writing is conducive to organized, mature thoughts. I have spoken publicly on many occasions, and on each occasion, whether I planned on looking off of some kind of outline or not, I always wrote out my thoughts first. It wasn't until I saw all of my thoughts; collective, organized, and with appropriate meaning (because you can tweak words on paper until they are exactly what you mean, but speech is different) that I really had an organized brain file of my thoughts and their relation to each other. Sometimes you have to read your thoughts to understand them. It`s an incredibly peculiar thing.
     Another peculiar, yet less fascinating thing may be why I waited until the third paragraph to discuss the first term in my topic. I understand why "inquiry" is separated from "communicating" (I did not form the topic, but chose it from a list), but for the purpose of this blog, I think it appropriate to link them. After all, inquiry requires a second party, unless you are in a mental hospital. Writing and its importance to communication is the true theme of my entire feed of blogs, so if you would like to fully understand the use of writing for communicating, go ahead and read my blogs! Writing is the way we transfer what we know and believe to others. If mastered, writing can be infectious. It can send a wave of emotion and action to your friend across the isle, the city counsel member down the street, the ears on the other side of the state, your fellow Americans, and to the ends of the Earth.