The importance of writing skill is undeniable in various areas of human life for individuals to explore and improve themselves. The present paper aims to investigate the success of teaching writing in English- as- a –foreign- language by analyzing the writing activities in English language coursebooks used at 9th and 10th grade state schools of Turkey. For the purposes of the study, the theory of writing instruction, specifically genre-based approach, has been explored. Findings have suggested that although some writing activities are compatible with the idea of writing as a purposeful activity, still most activities need to be updated applying the criteria of genre teaching.