A variety of components that operate in tutoring writing are examined in this paper. Discussed are (1) the importance of the tutor's language, tone of voice, and verbal interaction with the students; (2) active listening techniques; (3) establishing an atmosphere of trust and acceptance; (4) helping students develop a framework for understanding their writing problems; and (5) establishing a flexible environment with a number of learning options such as free writing, journals, or sentence combining. (AEA)