How to Coach Junior Copywriters (Without Coddling Them)
Coaching Pays Off
Every marketer has been there: a junior copywriter shares a draft that just…doesn’t land.
Yeah, you could rewrite it. (Been there.) But that teaches them nothing — except that you’ll always be there to clean up the mess. And we don’t want that.
After years of mentoring copywriters, I’ve learned this: coaching takes patience, but it pays off in the long run. Less turnover, less fewer errors, faster approvals, healthier budgets, more creativity…the list goes on. The key is giving feedback that’s clear, honest, and pushes them to think a little more, a little longer.
Here are my top coaching tips to manage junior writers in a way that builds their confidence (and doesn’t have them running for the door). Let’s get started.
The Mindset Shift: From Editor to Coach
The fastest way to stunt a writer’s growth? Do their job for them.
It’s easy to fall into editor mode. Slicing sentences, hacking headlines, adding a pinch of spice…it’s so tempting, I know. But that only serves you.
Coaching writers is all about resisting your own ego and helping them get to your level. Sure, your job is to ensure quality work goes out the door — but you can’t do everything yourself. The more they learn from you, the better the writing, the lower the proofing time, and the healthier the budget.
5 Coaching Tips to Build Stronger Writers
Take 10 minutes and write a damn brief.
I will die on this hill. Write the brief. I don’t mean a seven-page document that covers every detail of the brand and project. I mean a half-pager that explains the project, medium, length, goal, audience, key messages, etc. It’s that simple. A brief won’t guarantee a flawless first draft, but it will definitely prevent your writer from making simple mistakes.
Give feedback in layers.
Focus on the biggest issue first. Is the copy way too long for the medium? Is the angle wrong? Start there. If they’re still trying to grasp the bigger picture, don’t waste your time debating em dashes vs. semicolons. Your goal isn’t to stress them out — it’s to guide.
Face AI head-on.
The average senior marketer can tell when something was written by AI. (No, it’s not the em dashes.) And guess what? We can’t escape it. I don’t like it, but copywriters are going to use AI to help them write. Period. When this happens to you, first have a little cry. Then tell them to edit the shit out of it. If the copy still sucks, tell them to close their laptop and go touch grass with a pen and a notepad in tow. I’m serious: test their chops by making them go analog.
Ask questions.
Make them think about how they got here — but only when you have time — and when the budget isn’t a dumpster fire. How do you think the audience would feel reading this? Does this sound like something the client would say? How can we make this more [insert adjective here]?
Praise progress and lead with the positive. (Thanks, Dale Carnegie…I think)
Rarely is a first draft perfect. Highlight what’s working — and give them the kudos they deserve. Excellent taglines. Oozing with creativity. This gives them something to build on, and which they can repeat. Then slip in the “next time, do X differently.” Criticism stings less when they already have their flowers.
The Bottom Line: Honesty and Elbow Grease
Bottom line? Be honest and get them to put in some elbow grease. Oh, and be kind.
Coaching junior writers isn’t always quick, or easy, or even enjoyable. But if you want better copy, fewer timesheets, and more profitable projects, you’ve got to invest in the process — and the people.
But if you’d rather have someone else do the creative coaching for you, I’m your person. Reach out — I’d love to chat.
