what!?!? thinking thoughts to a point of clarity so that one has achieved a cohesion and clarity of meaning comes well before writing. writing allows for the recordation of thoughts, so that we may revisit older thoughts with newer thinking. writing allows 'editing thoughts' not 'thinking' in its primary order. if anything writing is second order (meta) thinking. if you havent been able to structure thoughts to some completion before you understand them, perhaps writing will help, but usually, it isnt untill that lightbulb mental moment wherein understanding and meaning are conclusive enough to establish thought.