Transform your writing - and yourself

Join international writing expert Helen Sword and fellow writers from around the world for a course or retreat that will change you and your writing forever. Sign up for Helen’s free newsletter to hear about new events as they become available. For group events, please see our Workshops and Bookings pages.

An image created by Helen Sword for her Catalyst Series of short courses.

Writing Catalyst Series

Rekindle your creativity, pump up your productivity, write with delight! Each course in our online Writing Catalyst Series includes 6 weeks of themed workshops, activities, and live Virtual Writing Studio sessions facilitated by Helen for writers in any time zone. Choose from Creativity, Productivity, Wordcraft, Pleasure, or our new Structure Catalyst (Details coming soon) — or sign up for all five Catalyst courses for maximum benefit.

Next course: Wordcraft Catalyst, Mar 29 - May 8, 2025.

    • Weeks 1-6: Make your way through 6 self-paced course modules.

    • Weekly: (Optional) Participate in weekly virtual discussions and attend Live Writing Studio sessions themed to each module.

    All live events are offered twice weekly to accommodate time zones.

  • Each 6-week Writing Catalyst course is offered once per year:

  • Any 6-week Catalyst course:

    - $550 (regular price)
    - $495 (WriteSPACE members)
    - $440 (WriteSPACE Studio members and Catalyst alumni)

    We also offer a limited number of scholarships.

    All prices are in USD

  • Visitors to our website have told us:

    I need to find a way to rediscover my love of writing, which I feel got lost somewhere along the way.

    I want help making my clear, concise professional writing more interesting to read.

    I feel like my sentences are chunky and boring. My writing doesn't have style. I also feel like writing is a huge chore and I dread the task. I would love to be able to communicate my ideas in articles more confidently and enjoy the process.

    We’ve created the Catalyst series for writers like them — and you!

An image created by Helen Sword for her flagship Stylish Writing Intensive 3-day online retreat.

Stylish Writing Intensive

Take your wordcraft to next level with the Stylish Writing Intensive, which features 3 days of personal coaching sessions with Helen Sword supplemented by small-group workshops, focused writing sprints, curated breaks, and targeted feedback. This transformational online retreat brings together writers from around the world to focus on craft and style for 3 action-packed days. Limited to just 4 participants per local cohort.

Next intensive: March 20-23, 2025

  • An immersive online retreat incorporating three full days of small-group workshops, writing sprints, and personalized feedback, plus 2 hours per day of live coaching with Helen.

  • Mar 20-23, 2025

    Oct 10-12, 2025

    • Cohort A (North/South America): Thu, Fri, Sat

    • Cohort B (Europe/Africa/Middle East): Fri, Sat, Sun

    • Cohort C (East Asia, Australasia): Fri, Sat, Sun

    June 9-13, 2025

    • Cohort A (North/South America): Mon, Wed, Fri

    • Cohort B (Europe/Africa/Middle East): Mon, Wed, Fri

    • Cohort C (East Asia, Australasia): Mon, Wed, Fri

  • - $2400

    Discounts are available to Retreat and SWI Alumni, and WriteSPACE Studio members.

    (All prices are in USD)

  • Participating in the SWI reminded me that, as academics, we should aspire to write not only intellectually rigorous but also welcoming and engaging prose for our readers. I appreciated Helen's ability to provide sentence-level feedback that honors the strengths and potential for growth in our writing. (Michael Moses, UC Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Riverside, USA)

    The SWI helps you to become conscious of the process in producing good writing. Now I am better equipped to replicate a good piece of writing in the future. (Hussain Shah Rezaie, former refugee and writer, New Zealand)

An image created by Helen Sword for her onsite writing retreats in Switzerland and New Zealand.

Writing Retreats

Replenish your creative energy at one of Helen’s exclusive in-person writing retreats: Island Time on Waiheke Island, New Zealand (Jan/Feb, 2026); or Mountain Rise in Wengen, Switzerland (July 20-26, 2025). Over 7 glorious days of walking, talking, writing, and reflection in the company of other writers, you’ll explore new paths to productivity, refresh your writing style, and rediscover the joys of writing.

Next retreat: Mountain Rise 20-26 July, 2025

  • Join an international group of writers for 7 days and 6 nights of writing, workshops, reflection, and small-group coaching with Helen.

    • Day 1: Arrive at your accommodation in the afternoon; meet with Helen and the other participants for an orientation session before dinner.

    • Days 2-6: Daily writing time, optional workshops, and small-group coaching; all-day excursion on Day 4.

    • Day 6: Farewell dinner with Helen and your fellow retreaters.

    • Day 7: Pack up and check out of your accommodation; final farewells.

    • Island Time Waiheke Island, New Zealand.
      Jan/Feb, 2026
      7 days, 6 nights

    • Mountain Rise
      Wengen, Switzerland
      July 20-26, 2025
      7 days, 6 nights

  • Includes all meals and full accommodation in a private room with ensuite, plus all workshops, coaching, and excursions.

    - $5500 (regular price)
    - $4950 (WS Studio annual members and retreat and SWI alumni)

    All prices are in USD; discounts for our Island Time retreat are available to NZ/Aus residents.

  • The venue was perfection, and the free time to socialise with like-minded others was very welcome. Helen is an inspiration to me! (Professor Inger Mewburn, Director of Researcher Development, Australian National University).

 
 

Main image credit - Artist: Thomas at Little Paradise Lodge