The World of Wordcraft
Stunning sentences, scholarly Substackers, neurodiverse writers, and healing through writing
Dear fellow writer,
My new Wordcraft Catalyst is here!
If you’re a scholarly or professional writer — or any kind of writer — who wants to master the art of meticulous wordcraft, this unique online course is for you.
Across six weeks of writing workshops, experiments, and prompts, I’ll work with you to uncover the delights of gracious grammar, slinky syntax, punctilious punctuation, and the neuropsychology of style. Together we’ll explore six key features of precise, nuanced prose — concrete nouns, vivacious verbs, punchy prepositions, edgy ad-words, clutter-free clauses, and shapely syntax — as I teach you how to take your sentences apart and put them back together again so they’re clearer, sharper, and more engaging than before. Along the way, you’ll acquire the technical vocabulary (and the confidence!) to pass on these essential skills to other writers.
The Wordcraft Catalyst runs from April 6 - May 16, 2024 and includes an all-access 6-week pass to my Live Writing Studio, which meets twice weekly to accomodate participants in any time zone. You can interact via our lively comments section with fellow participants from around the world and submit writing samples to my weekly Writer’s Diet Clinic for personal feedback — or, if you prefer, stay quietly in the background and make your way through the workshop materials at your own pace. Whatever your level of engagement, the recorded workshops and other resources will remain available to you for the lifetime of the course (in other words, years!)
Not sure whether the Wordcraft Catalyst is right for you? Contact me to request a free 15-minute Zoom consultation.
I’d love to see you there!
Scholarly Writers on Substack
Do you want to broaden your research impact, engage with wider audiences, and tune your writing voice to a livelier key? A replay of my recent WriteSPACE Special Event, “Scholarly Writers on Substack,” is now available in the WriteSPACE Library. In this lively 2-hour video, Substack guru
charts her own journey to Substack success, provides expert tips on how scholarly and professional writers can flourish on Substack, and walks you through a series of guiding prompts for imagining and designing your own Substack newsletter.Not a WriteSPACE member? Click here and use the discount code SNEAKPEEK for a free 30-day trial, then navigate to the WriteSPACE Videos page to watch the full replay.
Supporting Neurodiverse Writers
Save the date! My next FREE WriteSPACE Special Event, Supporting Neurodiverse Writers, will take place from 9-11 am British Standard Time on Thursday April 18. Eirini Tzouma, an Academic Development Advisor at the University of Durham, will join me to discuss the many challenges faced by neurodiverse/neurodivergent writers in academe, and she’ll provide concrete strategies for the teachers, mentors, and supervisors supporting writers who work and think outside the box. As Eirini reminds us, “Neurodiversity/divergence isn’t a problem to be fixed; it’s a vital part of the mosaic of who we are.”
Click here to register for this free WriteSPACE Special Event.
Healing through Writing
I’m excited to announce the Healing Through Writing Festival, a FREE 4-day event running from March 26-29 (that’s this week)! I’ll be talking with organizer Janelle Hardy on my favorite topic of “Writing with Pleasure,” and I’m in fantastic company; the event features 20+ other skilled writers, healers, and workshop leaders devoted to helping you move forward on your writing journey with memoir-writing techniques, somatic prompts, and other supporting healing processes. The festival is free to attend, or you can upgrade to the All Access Pass for bonus resources and a premium event experience, including long-term access to the workshop recording.
Click here to get your free ticket to the Healing through Writing Festival.
Do you have writing-related news, events, or resources to share? Contact me with a brief description (50 words max), a hyperlink, and a high-quality image.
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) – and keep on writing!
Helen
Write more, right now! Join fellow writers from 30+ countries in the WriteSPACE, the ultimate membership site for scholarly and professional writers who aim to lift their writing game. As a WriteSPACE member, you’ll get premium access to hundreds of online resources, diagnostic tools, and live events designed to help you sharpen your style, deepen your research impact, and coax your writing gently but firmly out the door. To get your first month of membership free, click here and enter the discount code SNEAKPEEK.
Books on writing by Helen Sword
