As a non-native speaker who has spent my entire life learning English, I’ve come to embrace being a bilingual copywriter—and the journey has been far from simple.
As a child, I have vivid memories of sounding out letters in ways that native speakers might not naturally do. We were always asked to enunciate words, push a bit more air for the T’s and D’s, and speak vowel sounds in two tongues.
I developed an uneasiness toward English the more I had to learn it. There’s always the never-ending debate about whether it truly is a universal language. In our country, it tends to signify social status and, at times, even intelligence. So my personal journey as a bilingual writer ended up clouded with doubts, shame (mostly for stressing the wrong syllables), and overthinking.
Accepting my voice wasn’t easy, so I’ve gathered a few tips for writers in the same boat—some to hype you up and a few practical ones to help hone your craft.
1. It’s okay to think in your mother tongue.
It’s not a battle of languages, even if it feels like one inside your head. Personally, I’ve had ideas come to me in English, and some naturally developed when I was thinking in Filipino. Both routes are valid. It doesn’t make you any less of a strong copywriter if your thoughts come in a language different from the one you’re writing in. Embracing both is a powerful mental exercise that will fuel fresh and novel ideas.
An exercise that helped me was writing down ideas or copy without editing myself. Let it flow, code-switch all you want, and capture the concept on paper. No grammar police are in sight, so let it all out.
2. Don’t underestimate the power of inspos.
This applies to all copywriters, not just bilingual ones. When you’re stuck, finding inspiration on Pinterest, looking at other copywriters’ work, or even browsing through existing work for the brand you’re working on can spark ideas.
Words give birth to more words, so don’t get stuck staring at a blank page.
I love browsing idioms related to the idea I’m trying to capture in my copy. I sometimes ask ChatGPT to list random words and ”common” expressions (which are not always that common for me). If none of that works, I can always rely on alliteration.
3. Grammar checkers are your friends. Friends are grammar checkers.
If I could implant The Elements of Style into my brain, I would. But since that’s not humanly possible, grammar checkers are my go-to.
They’ve got my back with prepositions, verb tenses, and spelling. Because yes, there are days when I can’t even spell a word.
One trick I learned in publishing, which I still use to this day, is to get a fresh set of eyes to review your work. A new perspective helps you spot language gaps and nuances you might have missed.
4. Trust your voice.
The hardest thing I learned was shedding the shame that came with learning a second language. For many of us, our voice is our first line of defense, so not having the confidence to speak up and write perfectly in English has always haunted me.
What if I didn’t articulate my ideas correctly? What if I don’t make sense?
My doubts often came first without realizing I was in the process of developing a distinct voice. Yes, I overcompensate by learning every grammar rule, but that also helps me find ways to break them strategically. I may not watch the Super Bowl every year, but I’d happily pitch a TikTok video featuring employees dressed as Super Bowl memes, inspired by meme-themed Filipino Christmas parties.
For so long, I obsessed over writing flawless sentences that I often dismissed the value of my voice. So I hope you give yourself enough credit. Your bilingual brain is sexy!
5. Speaking the language well is as important—if not more important—than the written word.
Copywriting, as I’ve learned the hard way, isn’t just about putting words on a page. More often, it involves concepting, brainstorming with others, and pitching ideas before you actually get to the part where you write. That's why honing your spoken language is just as crucial, and being able to articulate the reasoning behind your words is key.
My tip: Practice makes perfect. There’s simply no other way. Even if that means reenacting your conversations an hour later and trying to edit what you could’ve said, go for it.
I will never be fully fluent in English.
My younger, aspiring writer self would be crushed to hear this. But I’ve realized that I shouldn’t feel the need to fix the way my brain works. Instead, I should embrace the fusion of languages as part of my identity as a copywriter.
So even if that means I sometimes pretend to get jokes in English and often just Google them and laugh later, I will persist.
I’m funny in Filipino anyway, I swear.
Hanna Sorbito is a storyseller and essayist, as well as a brand copywriter at Canva. Beyond her world of words, she lives in a well-kept web of multiple passions, including but not limited to random newsletter drops, homemaking, and hobby-hopping.
As a non-native speaker who has spent my entire life learning English, I’ve come to embrace being a bilingual copywriter—and the journey has been far from simple.
As a child, I have vivid memories of sounding out letters in ways that native speakers might not naturally do. We were always asked to enunciate words, push a bit more air for the T’s and D’s, and speak vowel sounds in two tongues.
I developed an uneasiness toward English the more I had to learn it. There’s always the never-ending debate about whether it truly is a universal language. In our country, it tends to signify social status and, at times, even intelligence. So my personal journey as a bilingual writer ended up clouded with doubts, shame (mostly for stressing the wrong syllables), and overthinking.
Accepting my voice wasn’t easy, so I’ve gathered a few tips for writers in the same boat—some to hype you up and a few practical ones to help hone your craft.
1. It’s okay to think in your mother tongue.
It’s not a battle of languages, even if it feels like one inside your head. Personally, I’ve had ideas come to me in English, and some naturally developed when I was thinking in Filipino. Both routes are valid. It doesn’t make you any less of a strong copywriter if your thoughts come in a language different from the one you’re writing in. Embracing both is a powerful mental exercise that will fuel fresh and novel ideas.
An exercise that helped me was writing down ideas or copy without editing myself. Let it flow, code-switch all you want, and capture the concept on paper. No grammar police are in sight, so let it all out.
2. Don’t underestimate the power of inspos.
This applies to all copywriters, not just bilingual ones. When you’re stuck, finding inspiration on Pinterest, looking at other copywriters’ work, or even browsing through existing work for the brand you’re working on can spark ideas.
Words give birth to more words, so don’t get stuck staring at a blank page.
I love browsing idioms related to the idea I’m trying to capture in my copy. I sometimes ask ChatGPT to list random words and ”common” expressions (which are not always that common for me). If none of that works, I can always rely on alliteration.
3. Grammar checkers are your friends. Friends are grammar checkers.
If I could implant The Elements of Style into my brain, I would. But since that’s not humanly possible, grammar checkers are my go-to.
They’ve got my back with prepositions, verb tenses, and spelling. Because yes, there are days when I can’t even spell a word.
One trick I learned in publishing, which I still use to this day, is to get a fresh set of eyes to review your work. A new perspective helps you spot language gaps and nuances you might have missed.
4. Trust your voice.
The hardest thing I learned was shedding the shame that came with learning a second language. For many of us, our voice is our first line of defense, so not having the confidence to speak up and write perfectly in English has always haunted me.
What if I didn’t articulate my ideas correctly? What if I don’t make sense?
My doubts often came first without realizing I was in the process of developing a distinct voice. Yes, I overcompensate by learning every grammar rule, but that also helps me find ways to break them strategically. I may not watch the Super Bowl every year, but I’d happily pitch a TikTok video featuring employees dressed as Super Bowl memes, inspired by meme-themed Filipino Christmas parties.
For so long, I obsessed over writing flawless sentences that I often dismissed the value of my voice. So I hope you give yourself enough credit. Your bilingual brain is sexy!
5. Speaking the language well is as important—if not more important—than the written word.
Copywriting, as I’ve learned the hard way, isn’t just about putting words on a page. More often, it involves concepting, brainstorming with others, and pitching ideas before you actually get to the part where you write. That's why honing your spoken language is just as crucial, and being able to articulate the reasoning behind your words is key.
My tip: Practice makes perfect. There’s simply no other way. Even if that means reenacting your conversations an hour later and trying to edit what you could’ve said, go for it.
I will never be fully fluent in English.
My younger, aspiring writer self would be crushed to hear this. But I’ve realized that I shouldn’t feel the need to fix the way my brain works. Instead, I should embrace the fusion of languages as part of my identity as a copywriter.
So even if that means I sometimes pretend to get jokes in English and often just Google them and laugh later, I will persist.
I’m funny in Filipino anyway, I swear.
Hanna Sorbito is a storyseller and essayist, as well as a brand copywriter at Canva. Beyond her world of words, she lives in a well-kept web of multiple passions, including but not limited to random newsletter drops, homemaking, and hobby-hopping.
