Side-by-side comparison
Build Your Library vs IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing)
A side-by-side from Build Your Library and Institute for Excellence in Writing.
IEW and Build Your Library both teach writing, but they belong to almost opposite homeschool philosophies. IEW is a structured method that gives students concrete templates for producing organized prose. Build Your Library is a Charlotte Mason-style literature-based curriculum that builds writing organically through narration, copywork, and dictation. Families searching this comparison are typically deciding between a writing-specific program with proven templates and a broader literature-based approach where writing emerges from reading.
IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing), built by Andrew Pudewa, uses the Structure and Style method: nine progressively complex structural models (note-taking, summarizing, story sequence, all the way through persuasive essays and research papers) paired with stylistic techniques (dress-ups, openers, decorations). The video instruction is the heart of the program — Pudewa is animated, funny, and genuinely engaging. Level A targets grades 3–5, Level B serves 6–8, and Level C prepares 9–12 students for college writing. Streaming packages run $169–$289. Reluctant writers usually thrive because the structure removes the blank-page problem.
Build Your Library, by Emily Cook, is one of the few truly secular comprehensive literature-based curricula. The 36-week teacher's guide plans daily lessons across history, science, literature, poetry, art, and geography using Charlotte Mason methods. Writing develops through narration (the child retells what was read), copywork, dictation, and gradual composition. PDFs are $30–$60 per level, though the required reading list adds $300–$600 per year. BYL does not include a dedicated writing curriculum like IEW's — writing is woven into everything else.
They're not really the same kind of product. IEW is a writing program. Build Your Library is a humanities curriculum that happens to teach writing.
At a glance
The specifics
| Build Your Library | IEW (Institute for Excellence in Writing) | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Build Your Library | Institute for Excellence in Writing |
| Established | 2012 | 2000 |
| Price | $30–$60/grade | $169–$289/grade |
| Grades | PreK, K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 | 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 |
| Subject | Language Arts, Science, History | Language Arts |
| Method | Charlotte Mason, Literature Based | Traditional, Online Video |
| Format | Print, Digital | Print, Digital, Video |
| Worldview | Secular | Neutral |
The verdict
How to choose
Choose IEW if your student is a reluctant writer, you want explicit templates and stylistic techniques, you're heading toward college-level writing and want a clear progression, or you're in a co-op where students can watch Pudewa together and workshop their writing. Many families pair IEW with literature-based programs like Build Your Library or Sonlight for the writing piece.
Choose Build Your Library if you want a complete secular humanities curriculum (not just writing), you value Charlotte Mason methods, you're comfortable letting writing develop organically through narration and copywork, or you're already comfortable teaching writing yourself. Plenty of BYL families add IEW on top for an extra writing boost — they're complementary, not competing.
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