Kids who aren't quite ready to write

I had a question about this.  My friend has a child who doesn't want to write.  Here are some helpful things you can do if they just don't seem ready to write.
First have them do lots of things with the three fingers on their dominant hand (thumb and first two fingers) that they will eventually use for writing.  One of the things we do in class, is have lots of things with knobs, like puzzles, and just make sure you teach them to use those three fingers when they do the puzzles.  Another great thing to help them develop those fine motor skills is pouring, get a little tea set that they can use or little cups with handles and teach them to use those three fingers when they pour.  Kids love water, you can make it interesting by putting food coloring in it or even let them have real juice.  Another great exercise is tweezing or tonging.  Start with a pair of tongs like salad tongs and have them transfer objects from one bowl to another with the tongs.  The better they get, the smaller tongs you use, until they are using tweezers, and once again using those three writing fingers.  These are all strengthening and control exercises for those fingers they will eventually be writing with.  Anything that has them use those fine finger muscles will eventually help them build up to writing, like stringing beads, buttoning, zipping tying, picking up small objects (for instance you could give them a bowl with dried corn and peas, or grains, seeds or beans and have them sort them into piles), all these will help them develop those muscles and control needed for writing and they will never even know they are working!

Also encourage them to color and draw if you can, eventually they will want to write but don't force it if all they want to do is doodle then let them doodle.  You can try using cookie cutters as stencils this takes more control than doodling and sometimes they like it.

Next they need to be learning how to combine letters for writing.  If they are learning their letter sounds (and I included some things in earlier posts to encourage this), then they are ready to start recognizing the difference in letter symbols.  This is awesome, once they are ready for this go buy a small set (so they can easily manipulate with their hands) of plastic or wooden letters (you will probably need 3-4of each letter so you may need more than one set.  Have them start "writing" with these.  It is good to start with lower case and add upper case after they already know all the lower case letters. Have them find the letter that sounds like... and have them learn to spell/write simple words and things like their name.  If it is too hard at first for them to sort through the whole alphabet then just give them the letters in that specific word mixed up and see if they can put them in order, or give them just the letters they know and see if they can pick out the right ones.  Encourage them and tell them how they are getting so good at "writing" and it may give them the confidence to try with pencil and paper.  I wouldn't have this be your main set of letters but the craft stores sell little foamy letters that are sticky and you could do writing projects with these to make it different and fun.

Either way if you are doing both of these things, when they NEED to write, like when they start kindergarten, they will have the muscle and control with their fingers, and they will have the know how so it will not be hard for them to transition into writing. 
Good Luck and let me know if you have more questions!!
Toodles