Dear fellow writer,
Sharpen your pencils, fire up your keyboard, and get ready to write with delight!
I warmly invite you to join me next month for my FREE 30-Day Writing with Pleasure Challenge. Every day for the first 30 days of January 2026, I’ll prompt you to “show up and write” for at least 25 minutes a day, accompanied (if you wish) by a colorful pomodoro timer from my quirky collection.
The more serious your scholarship, the more profound your professional commitments, the more richly you’ll benefit from this daily reminder that writing doesn’t have to be painful — in fact, productivity and pleasure walk hand in hand.
To receive the daily 30-Day Challenge emails, you’ll need to opt in by following these 3 simple steps:
Navigate to your account Settings page via www.substack.com/settings or, when logged into your Substack account, select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
Under Subscriptions, click on Helen’s Word. (Be sure to subscribe first if you haven’t already).
On the next page, scroll down to “Notifications.” Slide the toggle next to the 30 Days of Writing with Pleasure section. A green toggle means you’ve signed up! From December 31st, you’ll begin to receive daily, pleasure-focused writing prompts to reset and reinvigorate your writing practice.
For more help, see this handy Substack page about subscribing to Sections.
I’ll be taking part in the 30-Day Challenge myself this year and look forward to a lively conversation in the Comments section.
I’d love to see you there!
The Pleasure Catalyst
Follow up your Writing with Pleasure Challenge with my popular Pleasure Catalyst course, which runs from Jan 31 - March 12, 2026. Over six weeks of workshops, masterclasses, and coaching, I’ll introduce you to six core components of pleasurable writing — patterns, tools, processes, identity, challenge, balance — and guide you through a sequence of pleasure prompts designed to help you reframe your negative emotions about writing and find new paths to pleasure. WriteSPACE members qualify for a 10% discount, and WS Studio members and Catalyst alumni save 20% off the regular price. Learn more and enroll here.
The WriteSPACE Studio on Sale
Speaking of discounts, there’s never been a better time to join the WriteSPACE Studio! We’ve refreshed our website, reduced our premium membership plan from $45/month to just $25/month, and added a new series of live Writing Masterclasses and Writing Clinics to our 2026 roster. What’s more, you’ll get 4 months free when you sign up for annual Studio membership before January 1 at our special introductory rate. (If you’re already a regular WriteSPACE member or paid newsletter subscriber, please contact Victoria, who will walk you through the upgrade process). Sign up for your discounted membership here.
The Gift of Writing with Pleasure
Still looking for inspiring holiday gifts for friends and family (or yourself)? Check out my online Bookshop, where you’ll find a curated selection of books on writing, books on creativity, books on well-being, and my own books — including, of course, Writing with Pleasure, published by Princeton University Press in 2023. Enjoy!
If you appreciate hearing about resources like these — or just want to make my day — please take a moment to drop me a heart, leave a comment, and/or click Restack at the bottom of this message. Your enthusiasm and support mean so much to me.🩷
Kia pai tō rā (have a great day) — and keep on writing!
Write more, right now! For exclusive access to live workshops, craft-focused coaching, and premium writing and editing tools, join me and writers from 30+ countries in the WriteSPACE, a vibrant international writing community and resource treasury. To try free for 30 days, click below and enter the discount code SNEAKPEEK or STUDIOPEEK at checkout.
Books by WriteSPACE founder Helen Sword
