The author of many glittering words on Edinburgh, Spence was not a native of the city, but came to it as a student, having been born in Broughty Ferry. He worked as a journalist on The Scotsman, and became an authority on ancient folklore and mythology, publishing widely in the field. With Hugh MacDiarmid, Spence was involved in the literary renaissance in Scotland in the 1920s, choosing to write in a version of Scots reminiscent of the 16th century makars, in The Phoenix (1923) and Weirds and Vanities (1927). Also like MacDiarmid, he was a nationalist, having been a founder member of the National Party of Scotland in 1928.