Faculty members at America's colleges and universities have long thought that an alarming number of high school graduates do not arrive on campus with the writing skills they need. Now leaders of major U.S. corporations are joining their academic colleagues in complaining about a serious deficiency in the writing skills of today's college graduates. In this article, the author stresses that writing is not only a necessary tool for the crafting of a good education, it is also a fundamental building block for designing and achieving professional success and advancement. To remain competitive in an increasingly global economy and to meet the needs of an ever-changing workplace, America needs to pay new and special attention to developing the writing skills of all students at all levels in school.