A pilot study explored what children between the ages of 8 and 11 focus on when they write about writing: how children define writing, what features they believe constitute the act and product of writing, and what kinds of writing children consider important and why. During a half-hour period, 36 students in grades 3 through 5 were asked to write as much as they could about what they thought writing meant, after which the papers were analyzed for informational content. Examination showed that even young writers were able to express opinions about the act and product of writing through the mode that they were explaining. Grade specific differences did appear in children's definitions and explanations of writing. Third graders focused on the material and physical aspects of the act of writing, while fifth graders preferred to write about products of writing and the use of writing to learn. Fourth graders showed variable tendencies, but most often emulated third graders when they defined and explained writing. Length of texts and use of paragraphs increased with grade level, with a substantial increase occurring by the fifth grade. (Data tables are included, along with model writing texts, student writing samples, and a list of 17 references.) (NKA)