Essentials in Writing Review: My Honest Experience Teaching Writing Skills With This Homeschool Curriculum
Updated June 2026 · Tested by a homeschool parent of three
I’ll be straight with you — I spent about two months bouncing between writing programs before I landed on Essentials in Writing. My middle child was making decent progress in math and reading, but writing? Every assignment felt like pulling teeth. He’d stare at the page, write one sentence, and call it done. I tried two other popular homeschool writing programs, and both felt like they asked too much of me as the teacher. I don’t have a background in English instruction. I’m just a parent who wants her kid to write a clear paragraph.
That’s honestly what drew me to Essentials in Writing — the promise that a real teacher would do the actual teaching, not me. I bought access in January 2026, and I’ve been running my son through the Grade 6 program for about five months. Here’s everything I found out.
What Is Essentials in Writing?
Essentials in Writing is a video-based writing curriculum for homeschool students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It was created by Matthew Stephens, a former public school English teacher who realized that most writing programs either overwhelmed students with abstract concepts or asked parents to carry too much of the instructional load.
His solution was simple: put the teacher on video. Every lesson in the program features Matthew directly teaching the student — explaining grammar, modeling sentence structure, walking through paragraphs, and demonstrating essay writing step by step. Parents don’t need to prep lectures or figure out how to explain a thesis statement. They just press play.
The curriculum covers everything from basic sentence construction in the early grades to research papers and literary analysis in high school. Each grade level is a standalone course, so you buy what your child needs right now and upgrade as they progress.
What makes it different from something like a workbook-only program? The video instruction. A lot of kids — including mine — need to see something modeled before they can attempt it themselves. Watching Matthew write a paragraph and think out loud while doing it removes the intimidation factor. My son’s first reaction was, “Oh, that’s it? That’s all a paragraph is?” Yes, buddy. That’s all it is.
Essentials in Writing at a Glance
Why I Chose Essentials in Writing
Before this, I tried two other writing programs. The first was heavy on the parent side — it expected me to read a teacher’s manual, then teach the lesson myself. The second was basically a workbook with no explanation. My son would flip to an exercise, have no idea how to start it, and we’d both get frustrated.
The video-based approach appealed to me for a few reasons. First, my kid already watches YouTube for everything — he learns better from watching than reading. Second, I was burning out trying to be his English teacher on top of everything else. Essentials in Writing took that off my plate. Third, I wanted something that actually covered all grades, so I wouldn’t have to hunt for a new program every year.
I also liked that the curriculum is secular — the writing topics are general and won’t conflict with different family values or beliefs, which matters to me.
My Experience Using Essentials in Writing
Setting Up the Program
Setup took about ten minutes. I created an account, purchased the Grade 6 course, and downloaded the student workbook PDF. The video lessons stream directly from the member portal — no separate app needed. I print the workbook pages as we go rather than printing the whole thing at once, which saves paper and lets me control the pacing.
The dashboard is clean and easy to navigate. Lessons are organized in order, and you can see exactly where you left off. There’s no gamification or points system — it’s a straightforward course interface, which I personally prefer.
The Learning Experience
Each lesson runs between 10 and 20 minutes. Matthew explains the concept, models it, and then the student completes a corresponding worksheet. The pacing is calm — he doesn’t rush, and he repeats key points in ways that stick. My son described it as “way less boring than reading from a book,” which, for a reluctant writer, is high praise.
The workbook assignments are directly tied to what was just taught on video. There’s no gap between instruction and practice, which is really how writing should work.
Results I Noticed
After five months with the Grade 6 program, here’s what I observed in my son’s writing. His sentences are now more varied in structure — he used to write everything as short, clunky statements. He understands what a paragraph is supposed to do, and he can identify a topic sentence without prompting. His spelling and punctuation haven’t magically fixed themselves, but his actual composition — how he organizes thoughts — improved noticeably.
He also writes more willingly. That matters more than any rubric score.
Main Features I Loved
Comprehensive Grade-by-Grade Writing Curriculum
One of the biggest selling points is the full K–12 scope. You’re not patching together different programs as your child grows. Here’s a quick look at the grade levels available:
Each level builds on the previous one. By the time a student reaches Grade 12, they have covered narrative writing, expository essays, persuasive writing, research papers, and literary analysis. That’s a full English writing track.
Video-Based Teaching by Matthew Stephens
Matthew teaches every lesson himself. He’s patient, clear, and uses a lot of examples. He doesn’t use educational jargon, so kids actually understand what he’s saying. The lessons feel more like a conversation than a lecture.
Parents get a significant break from having to prep and deliver instruction. For a lot of homeschool families, writing is the subject they dread most. This flips that dynamic — your role becomes more of a supervisor than a teacher.
Printable Student Workbooks
Every grade level includes a downloadable PDF workbook. The pages are clean, well-laid-out, and tied directly to each video lesson. Exercises include sentence construction, paragraph writing, editing practice, and longer writing assignments. The workbook is the student’s main working document throughout the course.
Flexible, Self-Paced Learning Schedule
There’s no set school calendar. You move through the lessons at your own pace, which is critical for homeschool families who don’t operate on a rigid timeline. Some families do one lesson a day, others do two or three per week. Either works because nothing expires and there are no deadlines.
This also means if a student is struggling with a concept, they can rewatch a lesson without penalty. That flexibility alone is worth a lot.
Grammar and Language Arts Programs
Beyond the main writing curriculum, Essentials in Writing also offers grammar-specific courses. These cover sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation, and paragraph mechanics. They work well as companions to the writing courses or as standalone grammar instruction.
Mobile Accessibility
The video lessons load on any device with a browser. I’ve had my son do lessons on a tablet while I’m busy with younger kids. No app to download, no compatibility issues. Works on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
Customer Support
I had a billing question in February and got a response within 24 hours. The support is handled by a real team, not just an automated FAQ. There’s also an active community of homeschool parents using the program who share tips on social media groups, which adds an informal layer of peer support.
How Essentials in Writing Works
-
1Select the Appropriate Grade Level Choose based on your child’s current writing ability, not necessarily their grade. Some students start a level below or above their school grade.
-
2Watch the Video Lesson Matthew teaches the concept directly. The student watches and follows along with the workbook open.
-
3Complete the Workbook Assignment After the video, the student completes the corresponding worksheet. This is where the practice happens.
-
4Parent Reviews the Work You review the completed assignment using an answer key or rubric provided in the curriculum materials.
-
5Advance at Your Own Pace Move to the next lesson when the student is ready. Rewatch previous lessons anytime without restriction.
Who Should Use Essentials in Writing?
Who Might Not Benefit
If your child needs live, real-time tutoring and prefers interactive feedback from a human teacher, Essentials in Writing won’t fully meet that need. The program is pre-recorded — Matthew can’t respond to your specific child. Families who want a completely free curriculum will also need to look elsewhere, since all grade levels are paid. And if you’re looking for something with a social learning component — class discussions, writing groups, peer feedback — this program doesn’t offer that.
Essentials in Writing Pros and Cons
✅ Pros
- Easy-to-understand video lessons taught by an experienced teacher
- Covers all grade levels K–12 with a consistent teaching style
- Fully self-paced — no deadlines, no expiration
- Very parent-friendly — minimal prep required
- Strong grammar instruction alongside writing
- Printable workbooks available immediately after purchase
- Works on any device with a web browser
- Secular — appropriate for a wide range of families
- 30-day money-back guarantee removes the risk
❌ Cons
- Requires an internet connection to access video lessons
- No live or interactive tutoring component
- Parents still need to grade written assignments themselves
- Some advanced students may want deeper literary analysis
- No built-in progress tracking dashboard for parents
- Workbooks require printing — no fillable digital version
Pricing and Plans
Pricing at Essentials in Writing is straightforward. Individual grade-level courses start around $35–$45 each. Combo programs that bundle writing and grammar courses for the same grade level run slightly higher and offer better value per subject. Family plans allow multiple children to access the same course simultaneously, which can significantly reduce the per-child cost for larger families.
| Plan Type | What’s Included | Best For | Approx. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Course | One grade level writing OR grammar | Families with one child, one subject | ~$35–$45 |
| Combo Program | Writing + Grammar for one grade | Full ELA coverage for one grade | ~$65–$80 |
| Family Option | Multi-child access to one course | Families with 2+ kids at same level | ~$55–$75 |
| Bundle Packages | Multiple grade levels together | Long-term planners, multi-year access | Varies |
Compared to hiring a private writing tutor (easily $40–$80 per hour) or enrolling in a co-op class, Essentials in Writing is genuinely affordable. The 30-day refund policy also means you can try it without financial risk — something I really appreciated before committing.
Essentials in Writing vs Competitors
When I was shopping for writing programs, I looked at several alternatives. Here’s how they compare:
| Feature | Essentials in Writing | IEW | Writing Strands | Brave Writer | Time4Learning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teaching Format | Video by expert teacher | Video + manuals | Print/workbook | Written guides + seminars | Interactive online |
| Parent Prep Required | Minimal | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| K–12 Coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Writing Focus Depth | High | High | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Self-Paced | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partially |
| Beginner-Friendly | Very | Steeper curve | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Starting Price | ~$35 | ~$99+ | ~$25 | ~$15/mo | ~$25/mo |
| Secular | Yes | No (faith-based) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What Makes Essentials in Writing Stand Out
Against IEW, the biggest difference is ease of entry. IEW is a powerful program, but it requires significant parent investment and has a steep learning curve for the teacher. Essentials in Writing gets out of the parent’s way and lets Matthew do the instruction.
Compared to Writing Strands, EIW’s video instruction is the clear advantage — Writing Strands is mostly text-based, which doesn’t work for visual or reluctant learners.
Brave Writer is excellent for creative, philosophy-driven writing — but it’s a different philosophy than EIW’s structured approach. If you want essays and academic writing, EIW is more focused.
Time4Learning covers more subjects but the writing component isn’t as deep as EIW’s dedicated writing track.
Is Essentials in Writing Legit?
Yes, and it’s been around since 2010 — well over a decade of serving the homeschool community. Matthew Stephens isn’t a mystery figure; he appears in every single lesson, so you know exactly who created the content and what his teaching philosophy is.
The program has been used by hundreds of thousands of homeschool families and receives consistent praise across homeschool review sites, Facebook groups, and curriculum fairs. It also has a straightforward refund policy — 30 days, no interrogation. That’s usually a sign of a company that’s confident in what it’s selling.
Payment is processed securely, and there are no surprise auto-renewals or hidden fees. You buy a course, you own it. That’s the whole model.
What Real Parents Are Saying
“My daughter used to cry whenever I brought out her writing assignments. After three months with EIW, she’s writing paragraphs on her own without complaining. The videos changed everything for us.”— Sarah M., homeschool mom of 4 (Grade 5 user)
“I’ve been homeschooling for 9 years and tried a lot of writing curricula. Essentials in Writing is the only one where I didn’t have to do a bunch of prep work before each lesson. Matthew handles it.”— David K., homeschool dad (Grade 8 user)
“We use the combo program — writing plus grammar — for both my kids at the same time. Saves money and keeps things simple. Highly recommend the family access option.”— Jennifer L., homeschool mom (Grades 3 and 7)
“My son used this to prep for high school composition. By Grade 9 he was writing five-paragraph essays without any hand-holding. I wish I’d found this sooner.”— Marcus T., homeschool dad (Grade 9 user)
Frequently Asked Questions
My Final Verdict on Essentials in Writing
The Bottom Line
- Matthew Stephens is a clear, patient, effective teacher — and that matters enormously
- The K–12 coverage means you don’t have to hunt for a new curriculum every year
- Minimal parent prep is a real feature, not just a marketing claim
- Works best for structured learners and reluctant writers
- Doesn’t fully replace live tutoring for students who need real-time feedback
- The 30-day refund policy makes it low-risk to try
After five months, I’d buy it again. The improvement in my son’s writing confidence was worth more than the course price. He doesn’t love writing yet — I doubt one program will fix that — but he’s stopped dreading it. And honestly, for a middle schooler who used to stare at a blank page for 20 minutes, that’s a win.
I recommend it most strongly for families with reluctant writers in grades 3–9, families where parents don’t feel confident teaching writing themselves, and anyone who’s burned out on workbook-only programs that require the parent to do all the explaining. If that’s you, Essentials in Writing is worth your time and money.
Browse more of my reading and learning tool reviews here, including my look at Anara AI for research and document analysis — useful for high school students doing research papers. If you’re also exploring ways to keep kids engaged with digital learning, my roundup of 10 websites you probably didn’t know existed has some gems worth bookmarking.
Bonus: How I Use AI to Create Better Homeschool Content Faster
Why SEO Matters for Homeschool Bloggers
If you run a homeschool blog or share curriculum recommendations online, you already know that writing great content isn’t enough — people have to find it. Ranking on Google means parents searching for “best homeschool writing curriculum” or “Essentials in Writing review” can actually discover your site.
I’ve been doing this for a few years, and the tool that changed how I research and write content is Soro SEO. It’s an AI-powered SEO platform that helps me find keywords, analyze what’s already ranking, and produce content that’s actually structured to compete.
What Is Soro SEO?
Soro SEO is a keyword research and content optimization tool built specifically for bloggers and affiliate marketers. It gives you real search volume data, competitor analysis, and AI-assisted content generation — all in one dashboard. The interface is clean enough that you don’t need to be an SEO expert to use it.
I use it to find low-competition keywords in the education and homeschool space, identify gaps in existing content, and outline articles before I write them. It’s saved me hours every single week. You can also check out my review of whether Soro SEO is legit here if you want a deeper look before trying it.
Why I Recommend Soro SEO
It finds keywords that are actually achievable for smaller blogs. It doesn’t just show you high-volume terms that massive sites dominate — it surfaces the kind of questions real people are searching for that you can realistically rank for. For affiliate bloggers, that’s where the money is.
If you want more organic traffic and more affiliate sales from your content, this is the tool I’d point you to first.
Conclusion
Essentials in Writing delivered on its core promise for us. The program took writing instruction off my plate without removing the quality. My son improved, I stressed less, and we both actually look forward to those lesson days — which I genuinely did not expect to say.
It’s not perfect. If your child needs live feedback or you want a fully digital paperless workflow, you’ll run into some limitations. But for what it claims to be — a structured, parent-friendly, video-led writing curriculum for homeschool students — it absolutely works.
For more tools and resources related to learning and online productivity, take a look at some of my other recent posts: my Visla video tool review (great for creating educational content), a look at TwelveLabs for video analysis, and the best vibe coding tools if you have a tech-curious teen at home.
And if you’re thinking about how to build a real online presence around your homeschool journey, don’t miss my take on Fellow AI for staying organized and how it connects to a smarter content workflow.