Apparatus and methods for direct writing of single crystal super alloys and metals are provided. In one method, a substrate is heated to a pretermined temperature below its melting point, and a laser is used to form a melt pool on a surface of a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a base plate, and the laser and the base plate are movable relative to each other, with the laser being used for direct metal deposition and the substrate is heated to a temperature below its melting point. A superalloy powder is introduced to the melt pool, and the temperature of the melt pool is controlled to maintain a predetermined thermal gradient on a solid and liquid interface of the melt pool so as to form a single crystal deposit on the substrate.