Essentials in Writing vs WriteShop
The sharpest difference is screen time: Essentials in Writing is mostly digital, WriteShop is fully offline. Five more separate them, which puts real distance between the two.
At a glance
Essentials in Writing
Grades 1-12
Owners report it suits
Independent workersMulti-age familiesWriteShop
Grades K-12
Owners report it suits
Struggling learnersDyslexiaBoth are reported to suit Reluctant learners.
Skip to who fitsWhere they differ
| Attribute | Essentials in Writing | WriteShop |
|---|---|---|
Parent involvement
?How much the parent is present and teaching. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Prep load
?How much the parent prepares before a lesson. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Screen time
?How much daily work is on a device. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Independence
?How much the child can do alone. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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Time commitment
?How long a daily lesson takes the child. Where a program lands on the 1 to 5 scale:
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| Approach | Spiral | Mastery |
| Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. | Independent workersReluctant learnersMulti-age families | Reluctant learnersStruggling learnersDyslexia |
| Method | TraditionalStructured writing | EclecticStructured writingCopywork and dictation |
| Grades | 1-12 | K-12 |
Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.
Where they match
- Rigorboth on grade
- Faith contentboth None
- Formatboth Workbook
- Used asboth Spine
How each one plays by grade
Essentials in Writing
Grades 1-12
Levels track grade, 1 through 12, and placement is by grade unless a child struggles, in which case dropping a level is common. The high school levels cover essays, research, and literary analysis.
WriteShop
Grades K-12
WriteShop Primary is K-3, Junior is grades 3-6, and WriteShop I and II cover middle and high school. Placement is by writing ability more than grade.
Cost
| Cost item | Essentials in Writing | WriteShop |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $67-139/level | ~$45-130/level |
| Consumable | Partial | Partial |
| Per child / year | ~$89-129/level including the twelve-month video access | ~$110-130 first child, ~$62 after (student workbook only) |
What parents report
Essentials in Writing
Consistently praised
- Just print the pages and press play
- Breaks writing into small manageable steps
- Grammar and composition in one course
- Kids can run it themselves
- Affordable and reusable across siblings
Reported as challenges
- The whiteboard lectures are dry
- Topics repeat a lot year to year
- Grammar practice runs thin
- No built-in tests or quizzes
WriteShop
Consistently praised
- Incremental steps make writing feel doable
- Detailed editing checklists teach real revision
- Gentle enough for anxious or struggling writers
- Hands-on activities spark ideas before drafting
- Scripted guide tells the parent exactly what to say
Reported as challenges
- Teacher-intensive, so it needs daily parent time
- Lots of prep gathering activity materials
- Slower pace frustrates strong writers
- The retired video course leaves it fully parent-led
Who Essentials in Writing fits
An inexpensive, video-taught course a child can mostly do alone, and it's a common fix for a reluctant writer who freezes when a parent teaches. Families wanting lively instruction or a creative, discussion-rich approach should keep looking.
Read the full Essentials in Writing entry Check price Essentials in WritingWho WriteShop fits
Scaffolded and revision-heavy, for a parent who doesn't mind teaching it, and aimed squarely at a reluctant or struggling writer. Parents wanting a hands-off or video-taught course should look at Essentials in Writing instead.
Read the full WriteShop entry Check price Demme LearningSome links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes how a curriculum is described or scored.
Still deciding?
Essentials in Writing compared with
WriteShop compared with
Descriptions aggregate what homeschool parents consistently report across public community sources together with each publisher's own materials. Prices and editions change over time. Both entries last reviewed July 2026.