Quick answer
Essentials in Writing is a video-based writing and grammar curriculum for grades 1 to 12. A teacher on video explains each step and the student does it right away in their workbook. It is one of the best picks for parents who do not feel confident teaching writing. It is a weaker fit for kids who want creative freedom or for families who want spelling and diagramming included.
- Price: $99 digital or $119 digital plus print for Levels 1 to 10. Levels 11 and 12 cost less.
- Time: about 10 to 15 minutes a day in Level 1, and 15 to 40 minutes in high school.
- Faith: secular but Christian friendly.
- Parent prep: close to none, but you still grade compositions and give feedback.
- Try it free: a free demo with no credit card.
Writing is the subject homeschool moms worry about most. You can hand a child a math book, but you can’t hand them a blank page and expect a five-paragraph essay. Essentials in Writing (EIW) promises to do the teaching for you. A certified teacher on video walks your child through every sentence, paragraph and essay, one small step at a time.
I use this program in addition to our main homeschool curriculum for my daughter. It is popular among homeschooling moms, and the price is not too high.
For this review we went through every level page, the FAQ, the free samples and 34-week plans, Cathy Duffy’s review and parent threads on homeschool forums. Below you’ll find what each level really costs, how long it takes each day, how many lessons are in each level, what parents praise and complain about, and how it compares with IEW. Prices were checked on the official site in October 2026.
What is Essentials in Writing?
Essentials in Writing is a complete writing curriculum for Levels 1 to 12, roughly ages 6 to 18. Each level teaches grammar first, then composition, so most families don’t need a separate grammar program. A companion course, Essentials in Literature, covers reading and literary analysis for Levels 7 to 12.
The lessons are taught on video by Matthew Stephens. He has a degree in elementary education from Missouri State University and a Missouri teaching certificate with an emphasis in middle and high school English. He speaks straight to your child, models the writing on screen (mistakes and second thoughts included), then sends them to the workbook to try it.
| Grades | Levels 1 to 12 (ages 6 to 18) |
| Format | Online video lessons plus a student book, digital or print. DVDs are an add-on. |
| Subjects | Grammar, sentence structure and composition. Literature is a separate course for Levels 7 to 12. |
| Price | $99 to $119 a level for Levels 1 to 10, and $67 to $89 for Levels 11 and 12 |
| Daily time | About 10 to 40 minutes, depending on level |
| Schedule | Optional 34-week plan |
| Faith | Secular but Christian friendly |
| Teaching style | Incremental, teacher-modeled, graphic organizers and checklists |
| Grading help | Answer key, checklists, rubrics from Level 7, and a paid scoring service for Levels 6 to 12 |
| Free trial | Yes, up to 4 levels, no credit card |
How much does Essentials in Writing cost?
Most levels cost $99 digital or $119 with printed books. That includes the student book, the teacher handbook and the video lessons. Here’s the full price list by level, taken from each level’s official page in October 2026.
| Level | Typical age | Writing, digital | Writing, digital + print | English bundle (writing + literature) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 6 | 6 to 12 | $99 | $119 | Not offered |
| 7 | 12 to 13 | $99 | $119 | $199 / $229 |
| 8 | 13 to 14 | $99 | $119 | $199 / $229 |
| 9 | 14 to 15 | $99 | $119 | $199 / $229 |
| 10 | 15 to 16 | $99 | $119 | $199 / $229 |
| 11 | 16 to 17 | $69 | $89 | $169 / $199 |
| 12 | 17 to 18 | $67 | $87 | Listed as coming soon |
Optional extras that add up:
- Assessment/Resource Booklet (tests, word lists, graphic organizers): adds $10 to $20 to the price in Levels 1 to 6 (packages run $109 to $139), or $10 digital and $20 print in Levels 7 to 10.
- Extra student book for a sibling: $45 for Levels 1 to 10, $36 for Level 11 and $34 for Level 12.
- Scoring service (a real person grades the essays): $139 per student for the 2026 to 2027 school year, Levels 6 to 12.
- DVDs for offline viewing: $25 to $50 depending on level.
- Novels: digital-only literature does not include the novel, so borrow it from the library or pay $8 to $12 for a copy.
What will it really cost your family?
| Your situation | What to buy | Total for the year |
|---|---|---|
| Bare minimum, one child, any of Levels 1 to 10 | Writing, digital only | $99 (about $2.90 a week) |
| One elementary child, with printed books and tests | Writing and Assessments, digital + print | $139 |
| Two siblings working at the same level | Writing digital + print, plus one extra student book | $164 |
| High schooler, full English credit, with essays graded for you | English bundle digital + print, plus scoring service | $368 |
Money-saving tips: the site often runs promo codes. There was a 30% off code on the home page when we checked, plus free shipping on English bundles. Military and first responder discounts are on the Service Savings page. Digital only is fine if you have a decent printer and only print the pages you need. Remember the cost of ink, though. For one child, printed books usually win. If $99 is out of reach this year, our free homeschool curriculum list has no-cost language arts options.
How does a typical lesson work?
- Watch a short video. Most run 3 to 7 minutes. Mr. Stephens teaches one small skill and models it on screen.
- Do the workbook pages. Your child applies the skill right away. Some lessons spread over two or three days.
- Use the graphic organizer. For compositions, kids plan with an organizer before they draft. That’s where the program shines for kids who freeze at a blank page.
- Check the work. You use the answer key for grammar and the checklist, or the rubric from Level 7, for compositions. High school levels include sample compositions you can compare against.
Each level is split into two units. Unit One is grammar and sentence skills. Unit Two is composition, moving from paragraphs to letters, narratives, essays and a research project. The FAQ suggests you can alternate grammar and composition if a whole unit of grammar feels like too much at once.
How many lessons are in each level?
Lesson count is not the same as school days. Many lessons stretch over several days, which is why a level fills about 100 to 150 class periods, or a normal school year. If your child already knows some of the grammar, the FAQ says you can skip ahead. Some families finish two levels in a little over a year that way.
How long does Essentials in Writing take each day?
| Levels | Minutes a day (writing) | Adding literature (Levels 7 to 12) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 10 to 20 | Not offered |
| 4 to 5 | 15 to 30 | Not offered |
| 6 to 8 | 15 to 30 | 15 to 40 more |
| 9 to 12 | 15 to 40 | 20 to 50 more |
Grammar days run short. Composition days run long, especially when your child is drafting an essay or research paper. For a busy homestead morning, that short daily chunk is a big part of the appeal.
What does each level teach?
| Level | Grammar and sentence skills | Writing assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Letter, word and sentence formation, punctuation, nouns, adjectives, action verbs | Lists, paragraphs, personal letters, personal and imaginative narratives |
| 3 | Subjects and predicates, sentence types, parts of speech, verb tenses, contractions, compound sentences, run-ons | Expository and persuasive paragraphs and letters, descriptive paragraphs, imaginative narratives, a research project |
| 4 | All parts of speech, clauses, simple, compound and complex sentences, fragments, run-ons, similes and metaphors | Descriptive, expository and persuasive paragraphs, news article, narrative, persuasive letter, expository essay, research project |
| 6 | Parts of speech, sentence structures, figurative language, common writing problems | Paragraphs, summaries, personal narrative, persuasive letter, compare and contrast, expository essay, research project |
| 7 | Parts of speech, sentence structures, paraphrasing and summarizing | Personal narrative, persuasive business letter, expository essay, descriptive letter, research project |
| 9 | Verbals, clauses and phrases, compound-complex sentences, comma splices, citing sources | Personal, expository, argumentative and compare and contrast essays, a research paper, a speech |
| 11 | Clauses, sentence types, appositives, sentence errors | Expository, persuasive, process, cause and effect, compare and contrast and literary essays, a career research paper |
| 12 | Clauses, sentence types, appositives, sentence errors | Expository, persuasive, compare and contrast and literary essays, a timed college-prep essay, a persuasive research paper |
Every level has a free sample lesson video, sample workbook pages and the 34-week plan on its product page. Look at those before you buy. They’ll tell you more about fit than any review.
What do parents like about Essentials in Writing?
- It teaches so you don’t have to. Parents who were never confident writers themselves say this is the program that finally worked. Cathy Duffy calls out the low prep time as a key strength.
- Small, doable steps. Big assignments are broken into chunks with organizers and checklists. On homeschool forums, parents of struggling writers mention this most.
- The teacher shows the thinking. Mr. Stephens writes on screen, changes his mind and fixes mistakes, so kids see that drafting is messy.
- Short videos. Three to seven minutes fits a younger child’s attention span.
- Grammar is built in. Kids spend more time writing than drilling grammar worksheets.
- A steady path to a research paper. Sentences lead to paragraphs, then essays, then research papers, with a research project at nearly every level.
- Good value. At $99 a year, it costs less than many video writing courses.
What are the downsides of Essentials in Writing?
- It isn’t exciting. The most common complaint we found is that it’s solid but plain. Creative kids who love stories may find it dry.
- You still have to give feedback. The video teaches, but someone has to read your child’s writing and talk about it. Younger kids need you nearby. Cathy Duffy notes this too.
- Levels 11 and 12 are older. They are still first editions with no teacher handbook, no worksheets or tests, and the Level 12 page still listed last year’s scoring dates when we checked.
- Some repetition in high school. Cathy Duffy points out that Level 10’s first unit can feel like a repeat of Level 9.
- Literary essays are thin. One mom who used Levels 7 to 11 felt the literary essay lesson didn’t prepare her son for essays on other literary devices. She now adds writing across other subjects.
- No spelling and no diagramming. The FAQ is upfront that it doesn’t teach sentence diagramming and suggests a separate spelling program.
- Extras add up. Printed books, assessment booklets, DVDs and the scoring service can push one child’s year past $300.
Is Essentials in Writing secular or Christian?
It is secular but Christian friendly. That’s how Cathy Duffy labels it, and the company’s own site and FAQ don’t describe any religious content. Lessons focus on writing skills, not faith. Christian families use it widely, and secular families can too without having to skip lessons.
Is the scoring service worth $139?
The scoring service is for Levels 6 to 12. A trained scorer grades one final composition from each composition lesson, plus three to five Unit One assignments in Levels 6 to 10. You get a rubric score, a paragraph on strengths and areas to work on, and comments right in the essay. Scorers also flag suspected plagiarism and AI-written work.
It’s worth it if: you have a teen who brushes off your feedback, you’re not sure how to grade an essay, or you need outside grades for a high school transcript. Skip it if: you’re comfortable using the rubrics and sample essays that already come with Levels 7 and up. Know the catch: it runs September 1 to June 15 no matter when you buy. Cathy Duffy also warns that its refund policy is strict, and the company excludes it from its money-back guarantee.
Essentials in Writing vs IEW: which is better?
| Essentials in Writing | IEW Structure and Style for Students | |
|---|---|---|
| Who teaches | Video teacher in every lesson | Video workshop, with the parent more involved |
| Method | Step-by-step writing process with graphic organizers | Structure and style models, keyword outlines |
| Grammar | Included in every level | Sold separately (Fix-It! Grammar) |
| Levels | One level per grade, 1 to 12 | Three levels (A, B, C), each spanning several grades |
| Example price | $99 to $119 a year | $169 for Year 1 Level A Basic, with streaming that never expires (Rainbow Resource) |
| Video access | 18 months, free renewals on request | Lifetime streaming for the buyer |
| Best for | Parents who want to hand off the teaching | Parents who want a writing method they can reuse across subjects |
Parents on homeschool forums often say they moved to EIW after IEW didn’t give them the essay results they wanted. Families who love IEW tend to like its strong structure and reuse it in history and science. If you want the program to do the teaching and the grammar in one box, EIW is the simpler choice.
Who should use Essentials in Writing, and who should skip it?
Great fit
- Parents who don’t feel confident teaching writing
- Kids who freeze at a blank page and need small steps
- Families who want grammar and writing in one program
- Dyslexic and struggling writers. The company offers graphic organizers and Alternative Instructional Strategies for them.
- Teens who need a clear path to the research paper and a high school English credit
Probably skip
- Creative writers who want lots of freedom and fun
- Families who want spelling or sentence diagramming included
- Charlotte Mason families who prefer narration and copywork
- Kids who don’t do well with screen-based lessons
- Strong high school writers who need deep literary analysis
How do you pick the right level?
Place by skill, not grade. The company says a child writing at a 5th grade level should start in Level 5 even if they’re in 7th grade. Here’s the simplest way to choose:
- Take the free placement tool.
- Sign up for the free demo. You can try up to 4 levels with no credit card.
- Have your child watch one sample video and do the sample pages. If it’s too easy, try the next level up.
- If your child has a learning difference and you’re still unsure, call free support at (417) 256-4191 for a recommendation.
Level 1 assumes your child can already sound out words and form letters. If you’re not there yet, finish phonics first. Our homeschool supplements guide has spelling and phonics picks that pair well with EIW.
Our verdict: is Essentials in Writing worth it?
Verdict: worth it for most families who dread teaching writing
| Ease for parents | 5 / 5 |
| Writing skills built | 4.5 / 5 |
| Value for money | 4.5 / 5 |
| Kid engagement | 3.5 / 5 |
| High school depth | 3.5 / 5 |
Essentials in Writing does one job very well: it takes writing off your plate and walks your child, step by step, from sentences to research papers for about $100 a year. Add a little fun writing on the side, and plan extra literary essays in high school.
Still comparing full programs? See our roundup of the best homeschool programs. For the top pick in every subject, see our best homeschool curriculum guide.
Essentials in Writing FAQs
Does Essentials in Writing include grammar?
Yes. Every level opens with a grammar and sentence skills unit, so most families don’t need a separate grammar book. It does not teach sentence diagramming.
Does Essentials in Writing teach spelling?
No. The company suggests pairing it with a spelling program such as All About Spelling. Assessment booklets in the lower levels include a personal spelling dictionary.
Can siblings share one purchase?
Yes for the videos, which use one household login. Each child needs their own student book, at $34 to $45 each in print.
How long do you keep access to the videos?
The level pages list 18 months of online access with free renewals on request, while the older FAQ says 12 months. Either way, renewals are free with proof of purchase. If you want to keep the videos for good, DVDs are $25 to $50.
Does Essentials in Writing count for high school credit?
Essentials in Writing plus Essentials in Literature at the same level together make one high school English credit. If your state wants composition and literature as separate courses, each one can count as its own credit. The company also cites UC A-G approval.
Is Essentials in Writing Common Core?
No. The FAQ says it was not written with Common Core in mind, though the company publishes its own learning standards.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. The Try Before You Buy demo covers any of Writing Levels 1 to 12 and Literature Levels 7 to 12. You can choose up to 4 levels, and it needs only your name and email.
Prices, access terms and promotions were checked on essentialsinwriting.com in October 2026 and can change. Parent opinions summarize public homeschool forum threads and Cathy Duffy’s review. We weren’t paid by Essentials in Writing for this review.
