A case study approach was used to explore the sources of negative attitudes toward writing of three unskilled college freshman writers. The studies included interviews both with the students concerning their writing histories and with their former high school English teachers. In addition, information was gathered about their verbal abilities and their high school grades. The data were examined for patterns that would explain the cumulative development of the students' negative attitudes toward writing, at least through high school and the beginning of college. Analysis of the data indicated that the three students held many misconceptions about the nature of writing that contributed to their negative attitudes and appeared to hinder the development of their writing abilities. For these students, writing appeared to be outer- rather than inner-directed--they wrote primarily to please the teacher and earn a grade rather than to please themselves and to learn. Overall, the findings suggested that the students' atttudes toward writing were shaped by their teachers' attitudes. (Appendixes contain a copy of the writing sample placement test used at the students' college, excerpts from student and teacher interviews, and excerpts of comments on student work made by consultants.) (Author/FL)