It is both a process and a product. The writer imagines, organizes, process of writing is often cyclical, and sometimes disorderly. Ultimately, what the audience sees, whether it is an instructor or a wider audience, is a product-an essay, letter, story, or research report. These contrasts may seem merely like clever or convenient ways to down the larger concept. In fact, they point to the source of many conflict and misunderstandings about writing and the teaching of writing.