WriteShop vs Writing Strands
The sharpest difference is faith content: WriteShop is None, Writing Strands is Integrated. Three more attributes come apart too.
At a glance
WriteShop
Grades K-12
Owners report it suits
Struggling learnersDyslexiaWriting Strands
Grades 5-10
Owners report it suits
Multi-age familiesBoth are reported to suit Reluctant learners.
Skip to who fitsWhere they differ
| Attribute | WriteShop | Writing Strands |
|---|---|---|
Parent involvement
?How much the parent is present and teaching. 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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| Faith content | None | Integrated |
| Approach | Mastery | Blended |
| Best for Tags show where owners consistently report a good fit. They are not exclusions. | Reluctant learnersStruggling learnersDyslexia | Reluctant learnersMulti-age families |
| Method | EclecticStructured writingCopywork and dictation | — |
| Grades | K-12 | 5-10 |
Solid tags are unique to that program. Muted tags are carried by both.
Where they match
- Rigorboth on grade
- Prep loadboth moderate
- Screen timeboth fully offline
- Time commitmentboth 25 to 40 min
- Formatboth Workbook
- Used asboth Spine
How each one plays by grade
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.
Writing Strands
Grades 5-10
Placement is by writing ability more than grade, so the same book can fit a strong younger student or an older one depending on the reading list. Beginning covers grades 5-8, Intermediate 6-9, Advanced 7-10.
Cost
| Cost item | WriteShop | Writing Strands |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$45-130/level | ~$30-38/level |
| Consumable | Partial | Partial |
| Per child / year | ~$110-130 first child, ~$62 after (student workbook only) | ~$30-38/child, plus a one-time Teaching Companion |
What parents report
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
Writing Strands
Consistently praised
- Friendly, humorous tone
- Motivates reluctant writers
- Gentle, steady progression
- Teaches story craft by doing
- Flexible reading list you choose
Reported as challenges
- Little formal grammar instruction
- Light on essay and research writing
- Parent picks and reads the books
- Current edition carries Bible content some families do not want
Who 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 LearningWho Writing Strands fits
A gentle composition-and-literature spine with a friendly voice, suited to reluctant writers and multi-age households working from one flexible series. Families needing heavy grammar, structured academic essays, an open-and-go scripted course, or a fully secular text will want something else.
Read the full Writing Strands entry Check price Master BooksSome 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?
WriteShop compared with
Writing Strands 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.