Commitment Before Clarity
the relaunch of JessicaSorentino.com
Join the Open Book subscriber chat to get simple, actionable tips inspired by my philosophy that less is more when it comes to brand and book marketing.
I’m beyond thrilled to share that the new JessicaSorentino.com is officially live!
This rebrand has been over a year in the making and was brought to life by the talented team at High Moon Studio. I am so proud of this brand. It is centered around helping authors build lasting, intentional brands and market their books with clarity and confidence, and now, that shines through with such clarity.
Before we get into the process of growth commitment, I have to sing High Moon’s praises. I feel so aligned with the visual identity, messaging and language, and the overall simplicity of the brand’s activation. As you know, I firmly believe in a less is more approach, and High Moon really nailed it. This brand feels so me, and has the bones to represent my work for years to come. I can’t wait for you to see all it has to offer.
Now, I’d like to talk about how this all came to be.
Baby, you’re too close.
You know when you’re so close to a project that you can’t see it clearly anymore? I imagine many of you feel that way about your manuscripts. That’s why we bring in beta readers, editors, critique partners—to help us see what we can’t on our own.
This is exactly how I felt with my brand identity, and why I signed on with High Moon Studio in March 2024. While I help authors clarify their brands and how they show up for their communities, I was having a difficult time accomplishing the same thing for myself. I have big goals for this business—goals that required a fresh set of eyes, a more refined identity, and a home that can hold it all now, and as we grow.
Putting yourself out there requires knowing who you are, and choosing who you want to be in the face of your industry.
In the process of this rebrand, I pushed myself outside my comfort zone in ways that mirror what I ask of the authors I work with:
I committed to experts I trusted. Experts are a dime a dozen these days. You can find offers at any price point, making a range of promises. I encourage you to do your own research and find those that align best. High Moon was a financial commitment for sure, but I knew they were the ones for this job. I saved up, reallocated funds, and I made it work.
Paying that balance was such a huge point of pride for me. My little business that could, got its first real brand six years in, coming to life better than I always envisioned. I am so proud of myself for that. And now that all related expenses are paid off, I can rebalance my finances, something my accountants will be so thrilled to hear!
I adapted to a new process and platform. A majority of my work with clients happens via Google Workspace, Notion and on the social platforms we recommend for them. I know these places like the back of my hand. High Moon uses ClickUp, and I realize me learning ClickUp is very similar to me asking clients to learn Notion. It’s not easy! But, when you commit to your providers and their way of working, you will get the best experience.
I made space for deep strategy and thoughtful revision. The rebrand process took place on top of my normal business responsibilities, which is similar to the writers who work with me and also have day jobs. The thing is, though, if you’re committing in the process, you need to understand that you’re not only investing money, but you’re investing your time. Come to the table with a clear head, and give it your all, because at the end of the day, you want the partnership to be worth it!
I practiced patience, because Rome wasn’t built in a day. Like the people who come to me for work, I wanted this brand done yesterday, though unlike the people who come to me, I knew that was a pipe dream. Brand and platform building are two places you really need to flex your patience muscle. Trust your team knows what they’re doing, and go out of your way to help them help you.
None of it was easy and a majority of it stretched me thin in different ways. The creative wellbeing you know I value so deeply was rarely maintained, as much of my rebrand time allocation was supplemental to my usual working hours. But I’d be remiss to say I didn’t love it, even the hard parts. And now I have a brand suite I’m in love with, an online home I’m proud to share, and the foundation to anchor my work and bring the projects of my dreams to life.
Growth doesn’t always look like knowing. Sometimes, it looks like committing to the process before the outcome is clear.
There’s rarely a direct ROI with branding; with the commitment, you’re opting into a game of chess over checkers. But great branding—paired with a thoughtful, active platform—creates space for the right readers, agents, publishers, and collaborators to find you, remember you, and recognize your work.
If you’re:
trying to rebuild after a platform-related rejection
sitting on a backlist that deserves more attention
planning a launch and want to create momentum early
simply ready to show up with more clarity and confidence
…I hope this post gives you the nudge to begin (and you consider me as one of your preferred service providers!).
Done is better than perfect.
I hate this phrase. I’m a perfectionist at heart, and frankly, I’m not interested in changing that. That said, if we waited for full platform perfection, the site would not be live today.
The smartest thing we could all do is prioritize our platforms before we officially need them. For you, while you’re working on your manuscript is ideal. For me, with a handful of projects—including the rebrand, up until today—buzzing privately, knowing I had a long road ahead gave me the perfect runway to do just that (but I didn’t).
As someone who is an extremely visual, overthinking, under-sharer, and will die on the hill of not posting “I’ve been working on something behind the scenes and I can’t wait to show you soon!”, I had a rough time committing to visibility before the brand was complete, even knowing what I know.
I know how important platform is. Community building is the foundation of most things I do. So, my digital footprint is linked across the site and my posting cadence across each activated platform is clearly stated in the footer! Awkwardddd.
Considering helping authors show up with consistency is quite literally my specialty…yikes.
I could’ve changed the footer, or spam-posted a bunch to sort of pad the launch, but that’s not how I roll. Instead, I whined to Tamara about it for a bit, then figured out way forward with a fresh mentality.
I’m treating my platform like another job. Something to take seriously and pour into—now that I’ve got some mental space back. Let this serve as an opportunity to show you what committing to platform development actually looks like in real time.
We’re live!
Okay that’s the backstory! We’re live, and it’s even better than I could have imagined.
The site speaks for itself, but I’d love to highlight a few pieces that are still in progress, that I’m especially proud of:
Library: this is a growing collection of books I read, showcasing how I envision the authors could use their stories to connect with readers.
Open Book: the podcast is in the midst of a relaunch, though it will remain part of the Open Book concept. There’s a teaser in the footer of what’s to come there.
Shop: right now, the shop boasts a mini service, one you don’t need to apply for. It’s an author brand audit, and the perfect way to dip your toes into a partnership with me. Expect more mini services (and products) in the future!
Stalk the site, share your feedback, and raise that Google ranking. ;) And if you’re ready to step outside of your comfort zone, and play chess with your author brand and book marketing, I’d love to hear from you. Thanks so much for being here.
xx
Jessica Sorentino specializes in branding and marketing for authors, helping them connect with readers and position their work for agents and publishers. With over a decade in publishing, she transforms stories into lasting brands through strategy, connection, and visibility.
EXCITING!!!!
Congratulations!! Can’t wait for the podcast!