Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.
Over the past few weeks, my daughter and I have been looking over a handbook for writers. My girl loves writing, especially creative writing. However, now that she is coming to the end of her 8th-grade year, she works a lot more on writing essays and formal papers. The Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers by Everyday Education has been a help.
What is Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers
I received a digital PDF copy of this handbook for writers through the Homeschool Review Crew. This reference book contains over 400 pages of useful tools for writers in high school and beyond.
Some of the topics covered in the writers handbook are:
- Arguments– The book discusses all the pieces and parts of an argument. It outlines how to set it up, organize it, and structure paragraphs. Throughout, you will find examples to help explain things. Students will learn how to write good essays with what is taught in this section.
- Usage and Style of Writing– In this section of the writer’s handbook, they go over phrases, clauses, and sentences. Also covered are punctuation, pronouns, words, references, and more—basically, the mechanics and grammatical skills of writing.
- Essay Graphics- Here, you can find quick reference sheets found at the back of the book. There is a writing rubric, a sheet that lists types of paragraphs, and another that outlines the Six Sections of an Approach Paper.
It truly is a writer’s handbook. Students will learn how to write strong arguments, whether for essays or reviewing literature. It is also a quick reference guide for grammar and mechanics in writing. However, it isn’t just a reference tool, but it is also a helpful teaching tool for parents. Let me tell you a little more so you can see what I mean.
Using This Handbook for Writers in Our Homeschool
As I mentioned above, I have a child in 8th grade. She spends her spare time writing short stories and books. Since she is a strong writer and very interested in it, I decided to give this handbook a try. I will admit, she is on the younger side for using this handbook. However, it has been a great teaching tool, and it will be helpful in the years to come.
Over the review period, I used this handbook for writers as a teacher’s guide in our homeschool. Since my daughter is beginning to write more formal papers, I decided to use the book to improve her essay skills. I found the information on writing arguments excellent.
We started with setting up an argument and focused on writing a good thesis. My daughter and I read through the chapter together and discussed it. The book gives a clear definition of a thesis that kids can understand. One piece of information that stuck with us is that a thesis is “energetic.” When we looked at sample thesis statements, it became clear which statements had “energy,” making it a stronger thesis.
One of the most valuable pieces in the book is the examples and exercises provided. As you learn about narrowing a topic or writing a clear argument, the author offers samples and exercises that explain things to the kids. Take a look below.
narrowing a topic 
Exercise on thesis statements 
Comparing opening paragraphs
As you can see, the exercises reinforce the information. My daughter and I had great discussions while doing the activities together. Both of us would share why we thought something met the criteria or not. These types of exercises were a great teaching tool.
Once we went through the lesson on writing a thesis and the exercises, my daughter went back to a previous essay. She rewrote her topic sentence and introduction paragraph to make it even better. She quickly applied what she learned and wrote an even more compelling introduction to her essay.
Opening Paragraph 
Revised opening paragraph and thesis
My daughter continued to work on improving her thesis statements and introduction paragraphs using the method taught in this handbook.
We will continue to use the writer’s handbook to improve her writing skills. I will also start using the “Rubric for Writing Evaluation” found at the end of the book. It is an excellent rubric that will help provide feedback in her future papers.
How Else Can You Use The Handbook for Writers
Overall, the Excellence in Literature Handbook for Writers is a good reference book. Students can use it to look up how to write a thesis or arguments for literary works. They can also use it to help with the mechanics of writing and grammar. The “Usage and Style” section is a helpful resource to students. There is a table of contents that clearly outlines where you can find the information.
For example, my daughter has been learning about often confused words- words like sit/set and lay/lie. While working on her grammar exercises, she can refer to this handbook if she needs help. The table of contents says lay/lie is found on page 273, and sit/set found on page 276. She can quickly turn to those pages and continue her work.
Overall Thoughts
I think this handbook is a great reference and teaching tool for high school students. It would be a useful reference book for college students too. It teaches how to write well-written essays. The examples and exercises are an invaluable tool whether you are teaching writing or the student is using it as a reference book.
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Happy Homeschooling!
