Posted 18 September 2024

Resources for starting out in copywriting, from the copy lead at Jones Knowles Ritchie

As a copywriter, you might come up with anything from an eye-opening billboard headline to the name of a new product. 'Copy' refers to any written content, and copywriters use words to appeal to different audiences. Sound interesting? Read on for an essential list of resources to get you started, picked by Kathryn Hindess, copywriting expert at branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie.

🧑‍💻 Online Tools and Resources

OneLook (Thesaurus)
As a copywriter, words are your tools and OneLook is a thesaurus to help you access more of them. What raises it above/over/atop the competition is the ways you can filter words, for example, by least to most 'funny-sounding'.

Check out OneLook here


Hemingway Editor (Writing Tool)
Clear writing is effective writing. To improve yours, try Hemingway App. Drop in your text and it’ll tell you when you’re using a complex sentence or complicated word. (It reckons a ten-year-old could read this paragraph).

Check out Hemingway Editor here


How Brands Are Built (Resources)
Pretty much a one-stop shop, How Brands Are Built puts a branding glossary, blog, podcast, and resource library at your fingertips.

Check out How Brands Are Built here

🗞️ Newsletters

The Subtext
This is a site that gives writers a platform to show off their latest projects, hot takes, and even their love for cryptic crosswords. It’ll also link you to the guidelines of big brands like Instagram and Twitch.

Subscribe to The Subtext here


Tone Knob

If you're here to deep dive into copywriting, let Nick Parker be your guide. In this newsletter he picks out brands that communicate in interesting ways, then explains exactly how they do it.

Subscribe to Tone Knob here


Really Good Culture

Okay, now it’s time to get a job, ideally a good one. This site can help. Sign up to the “Good Jobs for Bad People” newsletter to hear about opportunities from entry-level upwards, as well as student events, and tips.

Subscribe to Really Good Culture here

🎥 Online Creators

The Fix
Welcome to the kind of YouTube channel that leaves you thinking, “How is this stuff free?!” Industry heavyweights Nick O’Connor and Glenn Fisher invite guests to talk about everything from writing emails to receiving feedback.

Watch The Fix here


VikkiRossWrites

If there’s such a thing as a copywriting influencer, it’s Vikki Ross. Follow her on X or LinkedIn (or both) for non-stop inspiration. She’s even recommended some books here.

Follow VikkiRossWrites on X or LinkedIn

🎙️ Podcasts

The Follow-up
The opinions of Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio count for a lot in design circles. Their podcast pulls back the curtain of branding projects by interviewing the designers and clients behind them.

Listen to The Follow-up here

📚 Books

Don’t Call It That by Eli Altman
At some point in your career, you might be asked to name something. Or, like Eli Altman, you might open an entire naming studio. Either way, this book makes the process fun and a whole lot simpler.

Find out more about Don't Call It That here

👀 Anything else?

An Empty Notepad
Don’t worry, I’m not about to get misty-eyed about the beauty of a blank page. It can be terrifying. But that’s where your “swipe file” comes in. It’s where you store every great piece of copy you stumble upon, from quotes to email headers to random Instagram comments.

Start it today (and thank me when you’re a copy lead too).

...

Jones Knowles Ritchie
is a Creative Lives in Progress brand partner. Every year, we partner with like-minded brands and agencies to support our initiative and keep Creative Lives a free resource for emerging creatives. To find out more about how you can work with us, email
[email protected]

Mention Jones Knowles Ritchie
Written by Kathryn Hindess