Another Person Smarter Than Me – With a Caveat

Planning to write is not writing. Outlining, researching, talking to people about what you're doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.
 

E. L. Doctrow 

Very true. At the same time, all those things that Doctrow dismisses as "not writing" are still part of the job, and a lot more besides, these days. You just have to guard against  getting so caught up in the other stuff you forget the important part – the writing.