Each last for a different amount of time and you generally can’t write or even read anything. But in my personal experience, all three lead to solving the most difficult software problems.
When writing, thoughts become forced and linear in my view as opposed to floating in a specific way from point to point. Like I lose the natural creativity.
Writing is about remembering or communicating, so it is summarizing the thoughts, but it is not thinking itself, it is more so thinking about how to communicate efficiently or how to make a note so you don't forget. It is not creativity for me.
Kind of imagine building an idea in your head while running and then you write down the summary of it.
When I sit down to try and write them down, I blank out. Or the thoughts that I thought were good/useful, I second guess when writing them down. Perhaps it's just lack of practice on writing them down (I'm trying to use a typewriter to do so recently).