Try something new
Check out these free writing resources created and curated by international writing expert Dr. Helen Sword. To keep up to date, sign up for Helen’s free Substack newsletter, Helen’s Word.
The Writing BASE
⭐️featured resource
Are you a Seabird? A Spinnaker? A Bullet Train? Our featured resource, the Writing BASE, is a free interactive tool created by Helen Sword based on research findings from her 2017 book from Harvard University Press, Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write. This innovative tool will teach you how to harness your strengths, address your challenges, and broaden your foundational Writing BASE: the Behavioral, Artisanal, Social, and Emotional dimensions of your writing practice.
Writer’s Diet
⭐️craft workout
Shape up your sentences and strip unnecessary padding from your prose with Helen’s famous Writer’s Diet workout.
Roadblock Quiz
⭐️block buster
Turn your roadblocks into your rocket fuel with our free “What’s Your Writing Roadblock?” quiz.
The Wayfinder
⭐️journey planner
Discover your own best route through the WriteSPACE with this interactive Wayfinder compass.
SPACE Gallery
pleasure map
Reconnect with the pleasures of writing by visiting this gallery of images drawn from Helen’s research findings.
AcWriMoments
daily inspiration
Find courage, clarity, and purpose in your scholarly work with these inspiring daily writing prompts.
Helen’s Word
⭐️youtube videos
Develop and sustain a flourishing writing practice with this free collection of wordcraft videos and timers.
Zombie
Nouns
grammar guide
Zap your zombies with Helen’s classic TedED video on nominalizations, watched by more than a million people.
Tarot for Scholars
ancient wisdom
Unlock the unique creative power of your scholarship by weaving the deep wisdom of tarot into your writing life.
Genai’s
Word
ai playground
Meet Genai ⚔️, a generative AI "genie" summoned and supervised by their human companion, Helen Sword.
Artist*
Academic
arts and minds
Put the arts at the heart of academic life with these arts-based resources for research, teaching, and leadership.
Stoneflower Path
digital poetry
Learn about the creative potential of digital poetry through this colorful gallery of hypermedia poems.
Further
Resources
links galore
Browse our collection of Helen’s writing-related videos, articles, interviews, book reviews, and more!
⭐️ Items marked with a star are free demo versions of premium resources available exclusively to members of the WriteSPACE, a vibrant international community and resource treasury with members in 30+ countries. Click below to try free for 30 days.
Image credit: Original artwork by Helen Sword