This study reports on an analysis of preservice teachers' dialogue journal entries for evidence of ways in which teachers develop conceptual understanding for writing instruction. Teachers' propositional statements were identified and coded at a specific level for three themes: (1) level of instructional scaffolding, (2) focus of proposed instruction, and (3) hierarchical levels of language. The study identified a set of dilemmas faced by teachers as they developed pedagogical content knowledge for writing instruction, centered on participants' assumptions regarding a direct, causal relationship between the provision of models for effective writing and the improvement of students' expertise for writing.