Responding to a writer, a core practice for writing teachers begins when the teacher notices the author of a written product. The purpose of this study was to understand how early childhood (EC) preservice teachers (PSTs) in a literacy methods course noticed the K-1 writers responsible for seven written products. Twenty PSTs approximated taking notice of a writer using writing samples. The participants provided Lists of Noticing for each Writing Sample that were recorded in a master matrix. Through an examination of the matrix, shifts in the PSTs' noticing of the K-1 writers became evident. Through semi-structured interviews and written course assignments, an understanding of how the PSTs experienced the practice of noticing was possible. The PSTs' noticing is not meant to be generalized beyond the context of this study. However, their experiences do potentially inform our understanding of the challenges PSTs encounter when negotiating their own EC writing memories and the process of writing understandings presented in EC literacy methods courses. Given the lack of research regarding how PSTs take notice of the writer, this qualitative study adds insight into what EC PSTs identify as significant in young writers' work. Further, the experiences significant in disrupting the EC PSTs' engrained noticing patterns are presented. The implications of this study indicate the value in requiring all EC PSTs of writing to complete a teacher preparation course focused on writing. In that course, it would be ideal for PSTs to practice responding to writers. In the absence of writers, teacher educators might use writing samples so that PSTs can approximate responding to writers. As the PSTs come to understand that they are responding to the writer responsible for a writing product, the PSTs might envision ways to nudge forward the writer using encouragement. As a writer's writing proficiencies are limited [only] by the abilities of teachers to teach [writing] well" (Gallavan & Bowles, 2007, p. 61), continued emphasis on preparing PSTs to attend to the "surplus of possibilities" (Bomer et al., 2019, p. 140) of a writer holds great promise for educating the next generation of writers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]