an essay does not have to be definitive. It can be a place where we examine an idea, where we follow our curiosity as a way to discovery.
I like how this describes an essay as a functional tool that aids in the examination of ideas through making records of thoughts which can be further interpreted now that they can be perceived outside of the mind of the writer.
I think it’s vital to know how to organize our thoughts and back up an argument
This is a valid point about how the five paragraph structure provides a system of organization and often a prompt to provide evidence and reasoning, which can be a helpful foundation for new writers.
What you do need is That Thing; maybe a question, a fear or a fury. It makes your blood boil. It’s all you can talk about when you sit down with your friends over a glass of wine or two or five, or maybe you can’t talk about it with anyone, just your own heart, alone with the impossible architecture of words.
I find this statement to indicate a critically important factor that will predict the pace and flow of the writing session. The personal investment and desire for the ideas to be written.