Tips for Encouraging Reluctant Writers
Reluctant writers. If you’ve taught any type of writing, you’ve run across students who resist the writing process or can’t seem to get started. Here are few strategies I use to move my reluctant writers from the refusal/resistance stage to taking steps towards engaging in the process.
Tip #1: Reduce the visual size of the paper reluctant writers
Students who struggle with or are intimidated by writing will often shut down when I put an 8.5 by 11 inch paper on their desks with lots of blank lines. I guess it’s the space that seems daunting because they’ll have to fill it.
Several years ago I came upon the idea of creating 1/2 sheets of lined paper, stapling them together, and using this as a “writing booklet”. I now hand these out to targeted students who may benefit from seeing a smaller writing area.
It’s not that they’ll be writing less. It’s that the visual blank space is less intimidating. This simple adjustment may be just what some of your reluctant writers need to jump over the intimidation hurdle.
I also love using side-by-side reading and writing frames. These frames are intentionally smaller with the reading right next to the writing piece, which simulates many of our state writing tests.
Tip #2: Create templates for reluctant writers when possible
When writing most any essay, give students sentence and paragraph frames. They work like magic! When students see the writing frames, they understand that each shape relates to a sentence. I’ve trained them to know that the first shape (trapezoid) is a topic sentence, the last shape (an upside-down trapezoid) is the concluding sentence, and the shapes in between (rectangles for concrete details and ovals for commentary) are the ideas and the support.
Notice in the photo above that I’ve added in the goal for each shape. I even have the topic sentence started and lines available as an option. You can adjust the shapes for each paragraph so that the introduction and conclusion will have fewer shapes than the body paragraphs. I staple these together and hand them out when the assignment is introduced. They are so popular that even the inspired writers ask for writing frames. I’ve done this for my literary analysis activity. Here’s a blog post on teaching literary analysis writing.
*Tip: If students need more detail sentences, I have them draw a line dividing boxes in half so that each box becomes two sentences.
Tip #3: Write in sentence starters for your reluctant writers
Sentence starters reduce writing anxiety because when the student receives the assignment, their response is partially written. With the work begun, there’s less to do and you’ve targeted the path you’d like the sentence to take.
Here’s a good example: I use weekly reading response logs. I love my reading logs for so many reasons, but the weekly structured writing is one of the main benefits. (Find the Reading Response Logs here.)
Each week, the same type of sentences are required. For my reluctant writers, I copy the reading log with the sentence starters already there. As we progress through our year, I’ll reduce my sentence starters to just one with the expectation that the student will be able to do the second entry all on their own. Later, I may not write in any starters at all. This simple support really does make all the difference for some students. Here’s a blog post on why I use reading logs.
Tip #4: Reluctant writers benefit from modeled writing
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for you to model in front of the class. Right now, we are writing personal narratives in my classroom. Just this week, we worked on exploding the moment. Since my students all know my narrative is about a splinter under my fingernail (sorry for that visual!), it was easy for me to show them where I needed to describe more about what I saw, felt, heard, smelled, etc.
It’s also important to show students what doesn’t work. If you’re expecting details and “showing, not telling”, then do both for the class so the difference is obvious.
Tip #5: Call the writing phase by the correct term
Many students believe that because they have words on paper, the writing process is complete. Here’s how I combat this writing cop out. First, I always call the first draft a working copy. I sometimes even use the words” sloppy copy” or “idea copy” to emphasize that it’s just getting ideas down. This way there’s no mistaking that more work needs to be done.
I also write the writing process steps on the white board. Each student can write their name under the step they’re on. They move their name down the steps as the writing process continues. This visual makes it obvious that writing is just that, a process.
Tip #6: Make the process fun and low stress for reluctant writers
I love using mentor sentences from stories or novels we’ve read together. I’ve started copying great sentences on one side of a paper and then labeling the other side “Your Turn” above a few blank lines. I make a copy for each student, and then I model how to take this sentence structure and make it my own.
I choose sentences that can transfer to almost any student’s narrative. There are several days where our writing goals for the day include adding in a mentor sentence. Since we’re still on our draft, I tell students to use an asterisk or number and then staple the mentor sentence worksheet to the back of the narrative. When it comes time to rewrite, students will then add the sentence to the chosen spot.
Also, when it’s time to look at punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure, I have a slide show filled with egregious grammar and punctuation errors. Pictures may include road signs, business signs, tattoos, bill boards, etc. We love analyzing each and targeting what was trying to be said and what was actually said.
THEN with these images in mind, we revise our writing.
Find the slide show here on TPT.
Tip #7: Play with writing
I love it when students can play with writing…really have fun without rules or revisions. So I created a Pinterest board specifically with interesting visual images for written response. Find my Pinterest board here. Once a week, I select an image and project it. We discuss it for a bit. Yes, many of them are photoshopped, but we move beyond that to the “what if…”
The idea is that students can come at the picture from any point of view: they can be a news reporter, a bystander, one of the things in the photo, or write the story of what happened before or what will happen next, etc. I give 5-minutes of silent writing time and then those who want to can share their response. Others can keep writing (and often do) if they choose. All the while, I have the image projected.
This is a way to get reluctant writers to write, and for those who love writing, they get their needs met and can go wild with ideas. Associating writing with fun is crucial, especially in this age of texting, video games, and instant gratification. It’s great for students to see that it’s okay to struggle with an idea and to see where it goes. Plus, everyone gets to hear how other students interpreted the photo, which in itself can inspire more writing.
One activity I’m using a lot right now in class is color-by-code grammar pages. It ties in with my goal of playing with writing (and grammar).
I’d love to hear some of your best tips for teaching writing in upper elementary and middle school.
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Have a great week ahead.

You’ve got some awesome tips for reluctant readers. Thanks so much for sharing such pertinent information. Much appreciated.
These are such great tips, Marcy! I never thought about using smaller paper, but what a great idea!