1 Understanding Inquiry

When we write with a question in mind—even if the question is not apparent to us yet—we engage in inquiry. According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, inquiry can be defined as:

1: a request for information

2: a systematic investigation often of a manner of public interest

3: examination into facts or principles: RESEARCH.

If we trace the roots of inquiry back to its Latin origin, we encounter the word inquirere, which simply means “to seek” (Merriam-Webster Online). Through the act of writing, we seek answers to burning social questions, such as “Why do people self-sabotage their most important relationships?” or “What do dreams tell us about the human mind?” We may also seek answers to practical questions we find ourselves asking in simple, everyday moments. For example, “What’s the most sought after skill employers look for when hiring recently graduated college students?” or “Why do my best ideas occur while I’m daydreaming in the shower?”