Page to Post No. 5
marketing brief for Everything We Never Knew by Julianne Hough
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Author’s Note: Last summer, Julianne Hough promoted her debut novel as if it were her full-time job-having fun with it, incorporating “author” into her personal brand as a multi-hyphenate creative, and going on a strong press circuit.
But since her press tour ended, we haven’t seen her book mentioned once, even though she’s consistently active across channels and growing in popularity as Dancing With The Stars continues to attract new viewers. If I were Julianne, l’d dedicate time to a backlist book marketing campaign, and this is how I’d do it.
Editors always say, "show, don't tell," when it comes to good writing. It's time to apply that same principle to your marketing! In this edition of Page to Post, we're diving into Julianne Hough's debut novel, Everything We Never Knew.
Everything We Never Knew by Julianne Hough is a fictionalized take on breaking down your life and embracing your power, no matter what your world thinks. Follow Lexi as she uncovers truths about herself and begins a journey of radical self-discovery, navigating who she is and who she knows she is meant to be.
This marketing guide was not paid work. It was made specifically for my portfolio! xx
Story-Inspired Content
A peek inside your novel, spotlighting key themes, tropes, and characters through storytelling to intrigue potential readers.
Immersion: Your campaign transforms feeds into an invitation for personal transformation. Make your followers feel like they’re witnessing Lexi’s journey while being invited to begin their own—caught between who they’ve been and who they’re becoming.
Share story-inspired content such as: journal entry excerpts from Lexi's private diary, moments of clarity photographed simply (handwritten notes, open books, Polaroids), voice memos of inner dialogue, the permission slips Lexi writes herself, Lexi's movement rituals that settle her into meditation, spiritual practices that ground her, texts from different characters reacting to her transformation, milestone markers of her evolution, and for fun—Lexi's self-discovery playlist.
Key Themes
Breaking down to break through. Sometimes you have to dismantle everything to build the life you actually want
Trusting your inner voice. Learning to listen to your intuition over everyone else’s expectations
Movement as transformation. How the body knows what the mind is still learning—using dance and embodiment as a path to self-discovery
Spiritual awakening. The journey of reconnecting with yourself on a deeper level
Permission and power. Giving yourself the freedom to want what you want and be who you are
The courage to choose yourself. What it costs to stay true to yourself, and what it costs not to
Popular Tropes
Self-discovery journey. A woman finding herself by losing everything she thought defined her
Fictionalized memoir. Life-inspired storytelling that blurs the line between character and author
Spiritual transformation. Awakening to intuition, signs, and inner wisdom
Breaking free from expectations. Choosing authenticity over approval
The heroine’s journey. The awkward and uncomfortable adventure of going inward
Becoming who you were meant to be. Evolution, not resolution
Character Spotlights
Lexi – A woman at a crossroads who chooses to break down her carefully constructed life and rebuild it from the inside out, trusting her intuition and inner wisdom over the status quo and external validation
The Inner Circle – Friends, family, and loved ones who witness Lexi’s transformation—some supporting her evolution, others struggling to accept the woman she’s becoming
The Former Self – The version of Lexi she’s leaving behind, the one who said yes when she meant no, who performed instead of lived
The Emerging Self – The woman Lexi is becoming—unafraid, unapologetic, deeply connected to her own truth
Interactive Series
A custom series designed to spark engagement and immerse readers in your story’s world.
Series Concept: Start an Everything I Never Knew series, where you share a truth you’ve uncovered about yourself and its ripple effect—inviting your audience to share their own surprising realizations about who they are and who they’re becoming.
The Truth You Discovered. “Share something you recently learned about yourself that completely changed your path. What was the realization?”
The Pattern You Broke. “Tell us about a habit, belief, or way of being that you finally released. What made you ready to let it go?”
The Permission You Gave Yourself. “What’s something you finally allowed yourself to want, be, or pursue? How did giving yourself permission change things?”
The Voice You Started Listening To. “When did you start trusting your own intuition over outside noise? What was the shift?”
The Version of You That Emerged. “Share a moment when you realized you’d become someone you didn’t recognize—in a good way. What had changed?”
Partnerships and Collaborations
Strategic outreach ideas to connect with authors, brands and influencers who align with your book’s themes and genre.
Co-Author Ellen Goodlett. Create joint content exploring the collaborative writing process, behind-the-scenes of bringing Lexi to life, and Instagram Lives discussing themes of transformation
Wellness & Spirituality Brands. Partner with brands like The Pattern, Co-Star, or spiritual wellness companies for content about intuition, self-trust, and inner work
Transformation Memoir Authors. Cross-promote with Glennon Doyle, Cheryl Strayed, or Elizabeth Gilbert for book bundles or conversations about courage and self-discovery
Dancing with the Stars Community. Leverage the DWTS platform for skybox interviews about how dance is helping contestants grow and discover themselves, watch party book discussions that connect performance to personal transformation, or backstage book moments exploring the parallels between Lexi's journey and the contestants' evolution
Personal Development Influencers. Collaborate with coaches, therapists, or wellness voices who speak to women in transition for “Real Talk About Transformation” content series
Women’s Empowerment Platforms. Partner with platforms like The Everygirl, Girlboss, or Goop for essays about choosing yourself and stepping into your power
Interested in a Page to Post strategy for your next book launch or to revive your backlist? I’d love to work with you. Click the link below!
Creative Direction
An overview of the aesthetic direction for your campaign: colors, textures, moods, and design cues that bring your story’s world to life across content.
Visual Aesthetic: Intimate, personal, and grounded. Think morning light through windows, handwritten journal pages, Polaroid self-portraits, open notebooks with coffee rings, candles and crystals, soft textures, quiet moments alone. Use a color palette of warm neutrals—cream, soft beige, golden hour tones, muted terracotta, sage green, and gentle lavender. The aesthetic should feel like coming home to yourself.
Tone & Voice: Honest, gentle, and inviting. Your copy should feel like a conversation with your most trusted friend—the one who tells you the truth with kindness, who sees you clearly and loves you anyway. This isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about asking better questions. Think: vulnerable, wise, encouraging.
Typography & Design Elements: Use handwritten fonts for journal-style content, elegant serif fonts for reflective quotes, and clean sans-serif for grounding moments. Incorporate design elements like journal page templates, permission slip graphics, voice memo visualizations, playlist cards, transformation timeline markers, and simple, intimate photography that feels personal rather than produced.
Content Mood: Every post should feel like an invitation—to pause, to reflect, to consider what you might be ready to release or embrace. Balance Lexi’s transformation story (her journey through the book) with universal moments of self-discovery that your followers can see themselves in. Create space for both the messy middle and the beautiful breakthrough.
Engagement Hooks
Short, strategic prompts designed to spark interaction, deepen reader curiosity, and encourage community engagement.
Choose Your Journey. “Are you more Lexi at the beginning (breaking down) or Lexi at the end (breaking through)? Where are you right now?”
Fill in the Blank. “The version of me I’m becoming would ___. How would you complete this sentence?”
Would You Rather. “Would you rather: Stay comfortable in a life that doesn’t fit OR risk everything to find out who you really are?”
Tag Someone Who. “Tag someone who’s in their transformation era and inspiring you to start your own.”
If You Liked.... “If Glennon Doyle’s ‘Untamed’ changed your life, you need ‘Everything We Never Knew’ on your shelf.”
Permission Slip. “What do you need to give yourself permission to do, be, or want? Write it in the comments.”
Character Quiz. “Which version of Lexi are you? Take our quiz and find out where you are in your journey!”
The Body Knows. "How has movement helped you process emotions or transformation? Share a time your body led you to a truth your mind wasn't ready for."
Bringing it to Life
Main launch goal and the platforms that best support it, plus a quick guide to which content types will perform strongest on each.
Overarching Goal: Position Everything We Never Knew as the must-read for women in transition who are ready to trust themselves, release what no longer serves them, and step into their power—while building a community of readers who see their own transformation journey reflected in Lexi’s story.
Platform No. 01 // Instagram
Carousel posts designed like journal entries that unfold Lexi’s transformation—start with a wound or question, end with a revelation or permission
Reels featuring “POV: You’re finally choosing yourself,” “Signs you’re in your transformation era,” or “Books for women who are becoming”
Stories with polls about personal growth, question boxes for “What are you releasing?” prompts, and intimate behind-the-scenes of Julianne’s writing process
Grid aesthetic that mirrors the journey—moving from darker, more confined imagery to lighter, more expansive visuals as the campaign progresses
Platform No. 02 // TikTok
“POV” videos – “POV: You’re Lexi the day she decides to choose herself,” “POV: Your old self watching you become who you were meant to be”
Transformation storytelling about personal evolution, spiritual awakenings, or moments of radical self-trust
BookTok trends – “Books that changed my life,” “Main character energy,” “If you loved Untamed/Big Magic/Wild, read this”
Duet opportunities – Create videos specifically designed for followers to duet with their own transformation stories or realizations
Platform No. 03 // Newsletter (Substack or similar)
Serialized journal entries from Lexi’s perspective that go deeper than social media posts—raw, unfiltered glimpses into her internal journey
Essay series exploring the book’s themes: what it means to trust yourself, how to navigate others’ reactions to your transformation, the spiritual dimension of self-discovery
Behind-the-book content with Julianne sharing her own journey, what inspired specific moments in the story, and how fiction became a vehicle for truth
Community features highlighting reader transformation stories, creating dialogue around the “Everything I Never Knew” series responses
Resource sharing – book recommendations, practices for self-trust, guided reflections that extend the book’s invitation to transformation
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.
