Wordsmith Craftsman

Wordsmith Craftsman

Finally—a writing course that doesn't pretend everyone's about to pen the next great American novel. Wordsmith Craftsman wraps up the Wordsmith series by doing exactly what you wish more programs did: cut the fluff, teach real skills, and get your teen writing like someone who's going places. Whether he's prepping for college, applying for jobs, or just trying to write an email that won't haunt him later, this course delivers.

In Part 1, he'll tackle the everyday stuff—notes, outlines, personal letters, summaries, reports, even business correspondence. Part 2 gets into the nitty-gritty of language itself: paragraph structure, transitions, tone, clarity, and, yes, finally, developing his own voice. Part 3 is all about essays—descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive—with strategies that will make college writing a whole lot less painful.

This course won't turn anyone into Shakespeare. But it will build solid, transferable writing habits. The exercises are smart. The revision checklists are actually useful. And the emphasis on evaluating and rewriting his own work? Game-changer.

Best of all, it counts as ¼ high school credit for writing—so while your teen is learning to write like he means it, he's also checking a box on the transcript.

Wordsmith Craftsman is self-directed, so your teen handles his schedule and grading—with your occasional oversight. Why is he using the teacher's guide? It includes all the teaching material, worksheets, and answer key in one tidy package. (Plus, it's great prep for college-style independence.)

The appendix packs in proofreading tools, blogging tips, student samples, a rundown of logical fallacies, and a super-practical plagiarism warning. And just when you think you've covered it all—oh yes, there's more: four review quizzes and a reproducible note-taking form.

Whether or not your teen becomes a writer, Wordsmith Craftsman teaches the kind of clear, confident communication that opens doors—and closes job interviews with a handshake instead of a question mark.