The article examines the processses involved in essay-writing by comparing it with the the process by which organic chemistry synthesis schemes are solved. In the process of writing an essay, the author uses knowledge of vocabulary, syntax, and discourse to creatively organize and then produce a paper. In the process of generating a synthesis, the chemist uses knowledge of structure, functional group reactivity, and reaction mechanisms to creatively organize and then produce a synthesis. Both the writing of an essay and the design of an organic synthesis are goal-oriented, nonlinear, recursive activities that lead to a product that is greater than the sum of the individual elements involved in its creation.