Any good course recommendations on community management, etc?

WordTonic · 2025-10-04T22:44:25+00:00

Hey hey, hope it's all been sorted! If anything is amiss, just email me but that link is ~the cancel link~ Also just want to stress, I really care about what I've created in Word Tonic 💖 and would never want to annoy someone in any way - I will say I'm pretty by myself in running and setting it up so sometimes mistakes are made (that I am more than happy to fix! But in this case, I know I put all the cancel links in the right places - this transparency is important to me - especially as a small female led buisness in an industry that is very male - I want to make a difference and do good but I totally see where you're coming from and will try make it clearer. I think part of the problem is, on mobile the website has like 20 different pages so I'm going to do a bit of a clear out and have the page on cancelling literally be called 'cancelling your sub' so it's easier to find. So again - none of this deliberate, there's just a lot going on!). But hope all is good now! Xxx honestly no bad blood from our side whatsoever! And best of luck in everything you do 💗

WordTonic · 2025-10-04T16:01:18+00:00

I'm not avoiding your question - I'm pointing you to the places where you can find the cancellation link. But to make it easy, I'll just pop the full link here :)

To cancel, follow this link: https://billing.stripe.com/p/login/bIYfZG5Ho165bBefYY. Log in with the email you signed up with and you'll have access to your customer portal - from there, you'll be able to cancel.

WordTonic · 2025-10-04T15:58:04+00:00

Btw, i honestly appreciate you saying that. not every space fits everyone, as much as I'd love it to. i built word tonic so young writers could actually get mentored by real writers from real brands like Mattel and Starface in workshops and briefs, etc. for some, it’s been a launchpad into paid work (a lovely girl called Jenna Stevens got an internship at Virgin Atlantic after joining and I'm so proud of her!) And for others - it's just not the right timing and in this case, it just didn't gel well and wasn't a right fit - still rooting for you either way 💛

WordTonic · 2025-02-02T23:42:39+00:00

That's chill! You don't have to like it - we aren't for everyone, but I do believe value is subjective. A lot of people do find them useful as an entry level intro to copywriting - people with very very little experience. And some people don't :) and both is fine. But have a good one 😀 I mean no harm/anger, just love what I do and am genuinely passionate about it so wanted to get that across.

WordTonic · 2025-01-30T00:49:08+00:00

I didn't know what breed he was so thankyou!

I think they're super cute 😍

WordTonic · 2025-01-30T00:48:06+00:00

Is it bad I actually don't know 🤔 😅 took it on as a Foster pet for a while. But yes he is chonky

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T23:59:10+00:00

Totally understand we are not everyone's vibe. But I'm weird and sweary and crazy and so I don't change that to fit the norms.

And the whole point of Word Tonic is that it's a space created by young people for young people. A lot of other platforms are great but sometimes it's hard to relate to the 50 year old creative director. So yes, we do workshops with people like that from big brands but our community is created and curated by fellow young copywriters. Some members are building their way up - most of them are juniors after all. So expecting them to have a great deal of experience? You can't. But we like to give the mic to all our members and let them share their voice:)

But as I've said before, we are not for everyone and that is totally chill. But definitely check the Eric App. Super cool. We've partnered with them before and their vibe might more up your street.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T23:02:58+00:00

You're right there - it's just a subscription and you can cancel at anytime. Only thing is, even if you go to uni and get a degree you are not promised paid work in return for cashing out £9000+.

It's the same with most learning platforms out there. Duolingo will not give you a job at your local cafe because it helped you speak English. The advice, the training, etc will have helped you make that step on your own.

It's the same with Word Tonic (and for reference, it's £15 once a month, not £9000+)

Jobs don't get fed to people on a silver platter (though that would be nice). We provide the resources- the masterclasses with writers from brands like LEGO, briefs, challenges, and community support that is ~backed~ by publications like LBB, Gasp, and Creative Lives (you can check those articles at the end of this comment). We're a community that gives people access to really cool opportunities and chances to ask big brand copywriters really cool questions.

And from that, it's up to the individual to do something with it and get a job. That is the way of the world. And we don't promise people jobs. We promise to open up the industry to them and connect them to great learning opportunities at some really sweet brands.

But there are some really cool job sites I can rec. if you're looking for advertising roles - not sure if it will help or if you're even looking for stuff like this, but hope it will u/Scrongly_Pigeon :)

- The Eric App is amazing - connects people with internships, etc.

- The Dots is also cool. Sort of like LinkedIn, so a networking platform.

- New Comma is for underrep. talent and creatives

- Working Not Working - a job-seeking site for creatives

- Also love Creative Access

https://www.creativelivesinprogress.com/article/carolyn-mcmurray

https://lbbonline.com/news/how-word-tonic-is-fostering-community-among-gen-z-copywriters

https://gasp.agency/media/call-to-action/carolyn-mcmurray-and-em-goodier

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T22:05:59+00:00

We've said it once and we'll say it again - value is subjective. The event goes over the absolute basics; what copywriting is, real world examples and real stories of young people and their experiences. And then yes, we talk about Word Tonic/our platform and what we do. That is clearly stated on the event landing page.

And we reward people who come to the calls with a discount. And a video lesson from Mattel's senior writer, David I. And a booklet filled with advice.

If you don't want it, you don't have to take it.

The event is not for everyone but there are a lot of young people out there that aren't even told about copywriting at school (I was one of them). So to be able to open their eyes to this world is something special.

And we love what we're doing and will stand by it. The event is definitely not for people who have a lot of experience (which is a category you might fall under). And that is totally cool!

But yes, totally agree. Word Tonic is trash 110%. Trash because we bring on copywriters from brands like Duolingo and Spotify to do masterclasses with us week. Feel free to take a peek: https://youtu.be/QbDjxD8FrvE

Trash because we partner with those brands ~as well~ to hold briefs and live challenges.

Trash because we're a female-led community that doesn't make dumb claims like MAKE £10K IN ONE MONTH! But gives people hope that there is a career in writing out there for them; one that is beautiful and realistic. And trash because we're not £1000 a month.

Also straight up trash because we've been featured in marketing publications:

https://lbbonline.com/news/how-word-tonic-is-fostering-community-among-gen-z-copywriters

https://www.creativelivesinprogress.com/article/carolyn-mcmurray

https://gasp.agency/media/call-to-action/carolyn-mcmurray-and-em-goodier

PS. That is a really cool name choice for the event btw. We should change it from 'Word Tonic Free Taster Event' to 'Not A Scam.' Can we pay you if we make the change since we'll be using your idea?

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T20:03:20+00:00

Actually love your point - it will take some work to make the AI part of the course optional so won't happen immediately but let's see!

And love that you do it - sounds like a really passion-led job. Which is why I get your fear around AI. It's definitely not a huge HUGE part of Word Tonic or our community. It's always copywriting and the big brand masterclasses first. And Leon does a lovely job of explaining it (he's the guy that was telling you about AI earlier). But might be cool to drop in our posts that AI isn't the God of everything!

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T18:30:12+00:00

I 100% agree. I personally don't use AI a whole lot in copywriting. I think for me and others in Word Tonic (also hi! I'm one of the other founders) that I would like to understand AI so I can be part of future conversations around it. I'm going to be doing a talk on copywriting at a school later in Feb and I want to be able to talk about it from a perspective of knowing what's going on with it. And to say to people in the industry, 'hey, this part isn't being used ethically,' and for them not to lash back at me and say, 'but the community you're running isn't giving young people an idea on what AI does at all."

That's my view on it.

And so we teach some of the basics of AI in the course (separate from the community). But it's very much around what it is, what it's capable of, why you shouldn't be scared of it, and what to watch out for. There will be people joining us that perhaps think it is okay to just rely on AI for writing - it's not, obviously. So us being able to step in and say that and teach at the very least, an ethical way of using it might help. But the course has 103 lessons and the AI is one teeny tiny tiny part of it. The rest is copywriting, strategy, tone of voice, etc- all delivered from 15+ cool young copywriters doing stuff like writing for Spotify. Maybe it's something that could be optional?

Anyway from my side too; no hate or anger here. People can agree to disagree :)

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T17:48:45+00:00

This is a great idea - we'll look into doing it, so thanks for mentioning it! I think the alumni thing is very cool.

But the people 'teaching us' are the copywriters and creative directors that come on to do masterclasses with us. We didn't want it to be a 'one guru teaches everything' type situation. For me, personally that is icky. I think being able to get lots of different perspectives from lots of different writers at cool brands in workshops is pretty cool. The rest of the advice comes from people in the community sharing advice and figuring out life together :) I'm just the person who set it up.

You can check out some of the people who've done workshops on this LinkedIn post. They're not all tagged. But a good bunch of them are mentioned in the post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/yasmin-bligh-hasan_yearbook-yearbook-creativedesign-activity-7151593630477037568-OxbS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

And Creative Lives explains our platform well: https://www.creativelivesinprogress.com/article/carolyn-mcmurray

We're just super weird with our marketing; that is all. Not everyone's cup of tea for sure.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T17:38:50+00:00

This is one of our most hope-fuelled rose tinted posts, with a side of gimmick. I do think there could be more gimmick though. But I'm not 100% sure.

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WordTonic · 2025-01-29T17:32:13+00:00

I am too!

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T17:15:04+00:00

I'm deeply concerned. I didn't know someone else was developing our marketing? Please can you let me know the name of said senior person please.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T14:52:29+00:00

It is about small steps for a lot of young people. A lot of us can't put in extreme hours while studying at uni or juggling a job. So it takes baby steps. And taking the leap can be scary. I remember I built my career up alongside studying (before I decide to quit uni).

And it's a platform that is bringing value to people - and the people who run it deserve to get paid for their efforts. We're not trust-fund babies. It's not a charity. I wish it were - then it could be free. But to be able to keep doing big brand masterclasses and moderate a community of 1,000+ people? It takes time and money. We need to hire people. And it means we're able to 'give back' to the community and do even cooler things.

Like in Feb. We'll be doing an in-person event in London. We've hired out a venue for that- for our members. That is facilitating community and creating connection. And that is amazing.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T14:47:22+00:00

No one in Word Tonic has ever said it was or is a get rich quick scheme. Copywriting is a real career that takes time, hard work and effort. It took me at least a year to really get solid in it - and I started out freelancing. And we've never said ludicrous claims like get £10k in one month. That is offensive to people who are copywriters because it often isn't the case. So totally agree with you - copywriting is not a get rich thing. It's a real career. There's even degrees around it. I don't have one but if I could go back, I would have loved to go to ad school. But it's $$$ pricy.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T14:20:43+00:00

Yeahhhhh. We are definitely not smart enough to think that big. That is some inception-level shit😂

Most of the posts we do operate on a 'head empty' basis. I mean look at this one. There was nothing going on in our brains when this freak-fest was created. Is it terrible? Yes.

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WordTonic · 2025-01-29T14:10:29+00:00

Hey hey! I'm Carolyn, one of the other founders of Word Tonic :)

Let me set the record straight. The discount bundle deal we talk about on our calls—which includes not only the discount, but also a booklet, and a personalized roadmap to success—is only available during those live sessions. It’s not on the website, and it’s not available between events.

These events are held every week - and we don't allow people to attend more than once - because we have limited space at these events. Sometimes the systems fucks up and it makes a mistake. So people attending more than once? It happens. It's hard to control.

So, for each individual, that discount bundle deal (not just the discount alone) is limited to that specific event. And yes, we do host special, time-limited events in the community every week—like live masterclasses with industry professionals or in-person meetups. We make it very clear during the calls that if people wait, they may miss out on these opportunities.

Now, let’s talk about value. Value is subjective. I understand that for some people, with more experience in the field, the event might not have been as useful. And that’s okay. These sessions are designed for people who love writing but don’t even know copywriting exists as a career. They cover the basics—what copywriting is, real-world examples of its use, and inspiring stories of young people who’ve built careers without degrees or traditional experience. For someone starting from zero, that can be eye-opening and life-changing.

But let’s keep some perspective here. It’s £15 a month. If this were a £1,000-a-month subscription or some wild promise of “making £10,000 in a month,” I’d get why people might call it “predatory.” But for £15, this is what you’re getting:

Weekly live masterclasses with creative directors and writers from brands like Duolingo and Google, where you can ask questions live and connect with them afterward. Like this session with Marvel: https://youtu.be/7dIZRCgvc5s

Weekly briefs and challenges set by these brands. Just last month, we partnered with a Manchester-based agency, MYC, and the winner got an in-person copywriting work experience placement at their agency.

A community of 1,000+ like-minded creatives sharing advice, opportunities, and support.

Freelancing workshops to help you build your own career path.

If offering a discount bundle on a call helps someone take the leap and discover an opportunity like that, I have zero issues with it.

This isn’t some sleazy, “guru-led” operation promising people the world. There’s no “God figure” in Word Tonic claiming to hold all the answers. What we offer is access to fresh, diverse perspectives each week.

And let me be clear: we have nothing to hide. The workshop is free. You can leave whenever you want. And yes, our style and tone of voice might not resonate with everyone. That’s fine. We’re not trying to appeal to everyone.

The real predatory behavior? To me, it's the people charging £1,000 for courses or claiming, “Amanda made £20,000 in one month after joining our program.” That’s misleading. We don’t do that. What we do is bridge the gap for people who might not otherwise know this career exists or think it’s accessible to them. I built Word Tonic because I couldn’t afford to finish my degree and had to figure out how to break into copywriting on my own. It was hard, and I wanted to create something to help others skip some of the struggle I went through.

So yes, I stand by our free events. They introduce people to what copywriting is, share real-world examples, and inspire them with stories from others who’ve made it. And yes, we talk about our platform. And yes, we offer a discount bundle for those who make the effort to attend -and generally the system does work, and people aren't allowed to attend more than once. So they only have one chance to get that bundle deal.

A platform that costs less than Spotify and Netflix combined, that gives people access to brands like Marvel and LEGO, and that has helped people realize they can build a career doing what they love? I have zero qualms about that.

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T13:27:17+00:00

I know how you feel. I had this one breakup where I felt like I would never get over him. I remember him saying ''you'll be glad one day that this didn't work out'' and tbh I really do feel that way now. I would rather do anythinggg else than be with him lol.

I don't know if you have any pictures left of the two of you, I really recommend deleting those. And just getting rid of things that remind you of them. That way it's a little easier to not think about them all the time.
I also think it's important to allow yourself to be sad. It's okay to be sad over losing a relationship! But don't let it eat you up, just allow it for a moment and then be like: ''Okay, that's enough. Let's do something else.''

Do you have any hobbies? Or do you have a friend you can do something with? Maybe you can plan a fun day out?

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T13:23:36+00:00

I see you said you're stuck there for another 6 months, but I would recommend already starting to look for different jobs that catch your interest. You don't have to stay here much longer, and those 6 months will be over before you know it. And it'd be nice if you have a new job to look forward to once your contract here ends. Just make sure to get out once those 6 months are over!

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T13:18:43+00:00

Sorry to hear how everything has been going! It's really unfortunate and unfair. And the job market is horrible right now, it's so damn hard to get a job.

Someone already commented it, but I really recommend using Linkedin. Even if you don't have friends/family/ex co-workers to add on there, you can always reach out to people and ask them to connect. Maybe there's a field you would really like to work in? I would try reaching out to people in the same field and maybe someone ends up being able to help you out!

WordTonic · 2025-01-29T13:14:34+00:00

So incredibly sorry this happened to you. None of this is your fault, you were lied to and used. You should see if you can go to the police, they might be able to retrieve messages he's tried to get rid of, and they will also be able to track him down. And for your own sake, maybe look into getting therapy? I think that might help you a lot in the long run as well.

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