In order to document the self-directed, spontaneous growth in literary output of a six-year-old child, her writings during a one month period were collected and compiled. It was discovered that the child used writing to organize knowledge about the environment and the operations of print, to maintain personal relations, to establish impersonal or business contacts, to express personal needs, to entertain herself and others, and to experiment with what she was learning. It was also discovered that artwork that previously had been an obvious, detailed accompaniment to her writing diminished to unrelated watercolors or simple illustrations. It is theorized that this de-emphasis on artwork allowed her to focus all her energies on refining the writing process. This study supports research results that emphasis reading and writing as complementary activities. (CRH)