Combining the problem solving strategies for writing with a focus on writing for the community, this text reflects late-1990s thinking on writing as a social/cognitive process. The strategy-focus transfers well from college writing to community writing. The author draws on her years of work as founder of Pittsburgh's inner city Community Literacy Center and teacher of CMU's community outreach course in literacy. The text is organized around the three distinctive types of writing most often used in outreach courses: reflection about community experience; publicity texts about and for use by agencies; and sustained inquiry into issues.