Rather than relying on an innate talent, academics approach writing as a practice that can be developed and honed with attention and time. In this workshop, we will discuss writing as a way of thinking. We will discuss habits of mind and practical tools that help academics both generate new ideas and complicate or extend their initial ideas in a continuous way. To do so, we will turn to Writing Studies research that illuminates how experienced writers (academics, journalists, and editors) differ from inexperienced writers in their daily practice. In light of this research, we will discuss writing as a multi-step process: one that allows writers to explore, push, and complicate their thinking about a problem while taking intellectual risks and often surprising themselves. The tools and metacognitive practices we will discuss in this workshop are designed to serve writers in academic projects as well as beyond academia, in the world today.