Poor writers generally spend little time developing an outline and otherwise planning written assignments before composing them. Far too many students in elementary and secondary education fall behind in their planning and composition skills because they do not receive appropriate instruction. In this single-case study, we tested the effects of an easy-toimplement strategy (STOP & LIST) designed to help learners identify the purpose of a writing assignment, set appropriate goals, list ideas for the assignment as they come to mind, and sequence the ideas before beginning composition. The participant, a 12-year-old boy with learning disabilities (LD), completed repeated measurements during a baseline period (first Phase A, five days), an intervention period (Phase B, five days) and a post-intervention period (second Phase A, five days). While receiving instruction in using the STOP & LIST strategy, he performed at a significantly higher level than on days with no treatment. The implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.