How to start a copywriting career from scratch, by Word Tonic

by Carolyn McMurrayAdvicePublished 15th April 2025

Chapters

Word Tonic is the copywriting launchpad Carolyn McMurray wished she had. At 17, she stumbled into writing blog posts for a local business — without even knowing “copywriting” was a real job. School hadn’t mentioned it, uni didn’t suit her and breaking in without connections felt impossible. Five years later, Carolyn is now a full-time copywriter and founder of Word Tonic — an online platform helping young creatives from non-traditional paths land paid writing gigs. Here, she shares the exact steps she (and her members) took to go from zero experience to working with brands like Spotify and Virgin.

What Is Word Tonic?

Word Tonic is an online learning platform and community for young people who want to get into copywriting. Think of it like Duolingo meets Netflix. You get:

Weekly masterclasses with top brands like Spotify
Creative briefs to build your portfolio
Challenges in partnership with real brands to get noticed

But honestly? The best part is the community. Seeing people my age break into the industry – despite the odds – is the most rewarding thing of all. And seeing them all come together (we do IRL events too) is so amazing!

So today, I’m sharing the exact steps I, and many of our Word Tonic members, took to go from zero to paid with no experience. Including advice from real young writers working with brands like Virgin, Spotify and Semrush.

If they can do it, you can too.

Some of the Word Tonic community

Step 1: Learn the fundamentals

Before you even get to building a portfolio and working on your career, you’re gonna want to take some time out to learn and understand the craft of copywriting - because it is a craft. Writing an ad is very different to writing a blog post, and writing a blog post is very different to writing an email, and you get my point.

Here are a few things that might help you:

Create a swipe file
Go out into the world and open yourself up to copywriting around you. The ad on a bus. The funny line of writing on an Innocent Smoothies bottle. See something that really catches your eye? Add it to your swipe file, aka, a collection of copy examples you find cool. It’s a great way to build up a bank of inspo.
Analyse copy you love
Take that swipe file and pick a few examples of copy you particularly love. Now, analyse them. What makes them good? Who is the target audience? Are there any language techniques being used?
Read copy-related work
Get your mitts on as many copy-related books and newsletters as possible. Find a list I’ve created filled with my top picks here.

Step 2: Create spec work

The most important step to landing your first gig is building a portfolio of work - samples of your copywriting in action. But right at the start when you have no experience, how are you supposed to do that?

The answer lies with spec work – aka, ‘made-up’ copy (think fan-fiction for brands.) It really is that simple. Here are a few ways you can build a portfolio using spec work:

Pick a brand you love
Let’s say you have a thing for Cadbury’s - sweet. Now, write up a blog/ad/email for Cadbury’s as if you’re actually writing for them.
Have a Google
Look up copywriting examples online (or from your swipe file) and try rewriting some of them.
Use dedicated resources
Check out D&AD New Blood Awards - you can download their briefs and use them to create work. FakeClients.com can also help generate writing briefs for you. And don’t forget about ChatGPT!

Damaani Burns’ spec work success

Damaani Burns is a 26-year-old Word Tonic member who started copywriting from scratch and now writes for brands like Spotify and Virgin. And her saving grace?

Spec work. It was one of the main things that helped Damaani go from no experience to writing the script for Spotify’s Wrapped Event in 2023.

Damaani explains, “I got into copywriting during a uni placement, writing blogs and captions as a social media manager. Once I realised people got paid to write creatively, I started freelancing and building a spec portfolio—mock work for my fave brands and my own lash biz. That work led to real gigs and launched a career that’s taken me to Spotify, Bumble, GUESS, and Virgin Media.”

Damaani Burns

A note on portfolio builders

You only need 5-6 pieces in your portfolio - quality over quantity! And if you’re wondering where to put all that work, there’s lots of amazing (free) portfolio builders you can use:

Step 3: Add context

Okay, so you’ve done your spec pieces, they’re polished and fine-tuned and sat in a beautiful portfolio builder.

Now you can apply to gigs and get interviews... but hold up. If you really want your portfolio to stand out and leave an impact on employers, you’re going to want to give context to all your work. Which sounds kind of stuck-up and frilly but all it means is explaining the ‘why’ behind your work. Why you did what you did. What challenge you were confronting.

Ben Jennings on why context is key

Ben Jennings is a 24-year-old Word Tonic member who won an Emerging Writer Runner-up Award in 2024. A key part of his success? The contextual approach to his portfolio.

Ben explains, “I’m BJ – a copywriter with a soft spot for custard creams and over-explaining my work. After studying Creative Advertising, I built a portfolio that told a story, not just showed the work. Now, I help new copywriters do the same – making sure their thinking shines through, not gets lost. I don’t just write good copy. I break it down to the atoms, baby.”

Ben’s approach is reflected in his portfolio, where he doesn’t just showcase his work but explains it. Take his ‘Naked Glory’ spec work as an example: while the copy itself is impressive, it’s the context that makes it stand out. He walks through his thought process and shows the strategy behind the work, giving employers insight into his creative thinking.

Ben's portfolio for Naked Glory

A helpful template

To help you, here’s a template you can use when adding context to your work:

Brief: What was the task?
Challenge: What problem were you solving?
Solution: What did you come up with?
Result (if any): What would success look like?

Step 4: Network

Ah networking. Shiny foreheaded men in business suits, shaking hands, and - ick. Networking is not like that at all (or at least, it doesn’t have to be). Networking is what you make of it.

From retail to SEO copywriter: Amy’s networking win

Amy Worgan is a 24-year-old Word Tonic member who started copywriting from scratch while working a dead-end retail job. Now, she’s a copywriter for one of the world’s biggest SEO brands, Semrush. And her secret to success?

Networking!

Amy explains, “I started copywriting in 2023 through Word Tonic, building my portfolio with spec work and free projects for local businesses. Once I leaned into networking—with tailored compliments and genuine connections—everything changed. I treated myself like the product, and it paid off. Two years on, most of my work still comes from those early chats, referrals, or even a joke in my LinkedIn bio. Every tiny conversation counts.”

And Amy’s not exaggerating – nearly 80% of her gigs now come through networking alone. Not through job sites. Not through cold DMs to random founders. It’s proof that networking is that powerful.

Amy Worgan

Word Tonic's step-by-step networking guide

Here's a guide to networking from someone who is shy and a hermit and will turn the other direction if I see someone I know coming towards me in the street.

Step one: Get on LinkedIn
Seriously. If IRL events make you squirm, this platform will be your best friend.
Step two: Connect with people who inspire you
Whether it's other copywriters, creative directors, whoever. Don’t be afraid to shoot your shot. The creative industry wants to help.

You might be thinking, “Cool, but how does talking to other copywriters get me work?”. When you’re active, helpful, and genuinely curious, people remember and recommend you.

In 2022, I messaged a big-name copywriter (think Spotify, Nando’s, Jaguar). I didn’t ask for a job – I just had a nice convo. They became my mentor, then a friend and then started sending gigs my way.

Ready to start?

Now it’s time for you to get out and start doing. Stop waiting for the perfect time. Stop waiting till you have more experience. Stop waiting for permission.

And if you want an extra helping hand (and want to be mentored by brands like Pokemon and Google), grab a discounted Word Tonic membership here or follow us Instagram for some tips.