Wordcrafting with Pleasure

How to write more clearly, confidently, concisely, correctly — and cheerfully!

Dear fellow writer,

What if mastering the art of elegant, effective prose were a matter of playful exploration rather than painful drudgery?

Never fear, the Wordcraft Catalyst is here! 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 show 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 March 29 - May 8, 2025 and includes an all-access 6-week pass to my Live Writing Studio, which meets twice weekly to accommodate writers in any time zone. You can interact via our online portal with fellow participants from around the world — 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!)

Here’s what some past participants have said about the Wordcraft Catalyst:

• These workshops empower people to use their style, a form of teaching resilience to scientists. I had to dig deep and understand what my fear was about trying something new. Now I feel more ready to push back on the criticism and work harder in my craft from a place of pleasure, not shame and fear. (Alejandra Sanchez-Rios, Physical Oceanography, USA)

• I've really enjoyed the Wordcraft Catalyst. It's been fun to focus on the micro details of my writing. I'm also a convert to the Writer's Diet tool. I've found that I sort of get stuck or lazy in the editing process, and the Writer's Diet can help wake me up and push forward. The Live Writing Studio sessions were great too. (David Merry, Philosophy, Singapore)

• I found the Wordcraft Catalyst to be a deeply enriching experience. The course provided a practical and empowering toolkit that has significantly improved my ability to guide and support other writers. Thanks again for a fantastic program! (Jonathan Simmons, Graduate Writing Services, Canada)

• In six short workshops, Helen Sword gave me the skills to see the academic tics that sully sentences, to slay those zombie nominalised nouns, and to cut out other clutter from my writing. I have needed this course for a long time! (Sophie Moullin, Social Sciences, New Zealand)

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!

Wordcrafting in the Dark

Speaking of writing with pleasure, don’t miss my upcoming WriteSPACE Special Event on March 19/20 with Jeannine Ouellette, whose brilliant Substack newsletter Writing in the Dark urges us to embrace “the fundamental truth of uncertainty” through a consistent practice of “attention, curiosity, playfulness, surprise, and vulnerability” — a lesson with profound resonances not only for novelists, memoirists, and poets but for scholarly and professional writers as well. Learn more and register here.

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 koutou rā (have a great day) — and keep on writing!

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Books by WriteSPACE founder Helen Sword