Page to Post Vol. 7
marketing brief for Leave It Up to Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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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 Kristy Woodson Harvey's latest, Leave It Up to Love.
Leave It Up to Love by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a charming short story about Lila Everwood, a debut author and barista who becomes an unlikely ghostwriter for her literary idol, Elizabeth Lancaster—a bestselling legend suffering from three years of writer’s block. It’s a story about mentorship, collaboration, unexpected romance, and learning that sometimes you have to write your own happy ending.
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: This campaign transforms your feed into the world where debut ambition meets literary legacy. Make your followers feel like they’re witnessing Lila pour lattes while dreaming of book deals, Elizabeth staring at a blank page for the thousandth day in a row, and Grady watching his plan to save his mother’s career get complicated by feelings he didn’t see coming.
Share story-inspired content such as: Lila's two book ideas she's ready to pitch, Elizabeth's regency romance shelf (the books that built her career), the coffee shop where Lila works between writing sessions, Elizabeth's empty writing room after three years of silence, the ghostwriting contract and its deadline, collaboration sessions showing two voices becoming one manuscript, and for fun—Grady's calendar showing blocked time for "mother's ghostwriter meetings" turning into something else.
Key Themes
Second chances at any stage. Elizabeth reviving her career, Lila getting her big break
Mutual mentorship. The debut and the legend learning from each other
Creative collaboration breaking blocks. Sometimes two minds work better than one
Family complicating business. Grady navigating being both son and agent
Professional boundaries failing. When the work relationship becomes something else
Choosing yourself. Writing your own story instead of the one you imagined
Popular Tropes
Grumpy/sunshine energy. Elizabeth’s creative despair meets Lila’s hungry optimism
Mentor/mentee bond. Literary idol and debut author becoming genuine partners
Workplace romance. Falling for someone during a professional collaboration
Writer’s block breakthrough. The legend finding her voice again
Opposites attract. In the case of Elizabeth and Lila’s writing styles
Character Spotlights
Lila – An unknown debut author with two fresh book ideas, is asked to ghostwrite for her literary idol instead of advancing her own list
Elizabeth Lancaster – A regency romance legend facing three years of writer’s block, finding her way back through an unlikely partnership
Grady Lancaster – Elizabeth’s literary agent and son, supporting his mother’s career and navigating his growing feelings for Lila
The Publisher – The voice of the industry, offering solutions that change everyone’s trajectory
Interactive Series
A custom series designed to spark engagement and immerse readers in your story’s world.
Series Concept: Start an I am now a ___ but I was once a ___ series, inviting your audience (writers and readers) to celebrate the growth that comes from staying in the arena—no matter what arena that is.
The Writer Evolution. “I am now a ___ but I was once a ___. Writers, share your then-and-now. What’s changed, and what’s stayed the same?”
The Reader Journey. “I am now a ___ reader but I was once a ___ reader. How has your relationship with books evolved over time?”
The Career Pivot. “I am now a ___ but I was once a ___. What unexpected path brought you to where you are today?”
The Craft Growth. “I am now confident in ___ but I was once terrified of ___. What skill did you have to grow into?”
The Industry Wisdom. “I am now ___ about publishing but I was once ___ about publishing. Writers, what changed your perspective on the industry?”
Partnerships and Collaborations
Strategic outreach ideas to connect with authors, brands and influencers who align with your book’s themes and genre.
Women’s Fiction Authors. Cross-promote with Emily Giffin, Elin Hilderbrand, or other authors in Kristy’s genre ecosystem for book bundles, Instagram Lives about the writing life, or joint reader events
Writing Craft Platforms. Partner with industry professionals like Jane Friedman, for content about navigating a long-term writing career and the realities of publishing
Book Clubs and Reading Communities. Leverage Kristy’s existing book club following with discussion guides that work for both the story, and its format
Southern Living and Coastal Lifestyle Brands. Partner with brands that align with Kristy’s aesthetic and reader demographic—Southern hospitality, coastal style, elevated comfort
Kindle Unlimited and Digital Reading Platforms. Since this is a Kindle short story, collaborate with KU book bloggers, Kindle reading communities, and digital-first book influencers to reach readers who love bite-sized fiction they can read in one sitting
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: Lila’s perspective. It should feel both aspirational and grounded. It’s the visual meeting point of coastal Southern charm and literary academia, mirroring how Lila’s everyday life and Elizabeth’s legendary one gradually blend together. Think soft coastal palettes (sea glass blues, oyster whites, warm sand tones, and muted sage), layered with the textures of the writing life: linen notebooks, coffee rings on manuscript pages, dog-eared books stacked beside laptops, and handwritten notes in the margins.
Tone & Voice: Warm, witty, hopeful, and cautiously optimistic. This is a story about taking a leap: for Lila with her future, Elizabeth with writing, and for Grady, romantically.
Typography & Design Elements: When necessary, mix elegant serif fonts (for Elizabeth’s regency world and literary legacy) with clean, modern typography (for Lila’s debut energy). Layer in subtle manuscript-inspired details: margin notes, red pen edits, typewriter-style annotations, and handwritten script to visually reinforce the idea of collaboration and evolving drafts.
Content Mood: Every post should capture the pull between two worlds: debut ambition and established legacy, professional boundaries and personal feelings, the work of collaboration and the unexpected romance growing out of it. Balance the charm of the love story with the genuine creative partnership at its heart. Let it feel like a book you’d press into your friend’s hands with the nudge to “just read it.”
Engagement Hooks
Short, strategic prompts designed to spark interaction, deepen reader curiosity, and encourage community engagement.
Elizabeth or Lila? “Whose journey are you more invested in: Elizabeth rediscovering her voice or Lila getting her big break?”
Your Literary Idol. “If you could collaborate with any author (living or dead), who would it be and what would you want to learn from them?”
The Meet-Cute. “Have you ever met someone important to your life in the most ordinary place? Tell us the story.”
Would You Rather? “Would you rather: Be the debut author getting your big break OR the legendary author rediscovering your voice?”
Writer’s Block Wisdom. “What’s the longest you’ve gone without creating something you love? What finally broke the spell?”
Short Story Timing. “Here’s a list of things you can do in the time it takes to read a digital short story.”
Character Quiz. “Are you a Lila (ambitious debut hustling to make it), an Elizabeth (legendary but lost), or a Grady (trying to fix everything)? Take our quiz!”
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 Leave It Up to Love as the perfect Hallmark-esque short story. It introduces new readers to Kristy’s writing while offering longtime fans a bite-sized read. The campaign celebrates the charm of Lila and Grady’s romance, the depth of Lila and Elizabeth’s creative partnership, and the universal truth that sometimes the best collaborations—and love stories—come from the most unexpected opportunities.
Platform No. 01 // Instagram
Carousel posts designed like manuscript pages showing Lila and Elizabeth’s collaboration—early drafts, margin notes in two different handwriting styles, the evolution of their partnership
Reels featuring “POV: You’re the debut author meeting your literary idol,” “[Work] date: regency romance research,” and “POV: Realizing your barista is here to ghostwrite your book”
Stories with question boxes with prompts like “Who’s your literary idol?”, and polls asking if they were Lila, would they rather Grady as an agent or boyfriend
Grid aesthetic that feels quintessentially southern from Lila’s perspective: alternating between moments in the coffee shop, Elizabeth’s house, and time with Grady
Platform No. 02 // Substack
Long-form essays exploring the short story’s themes: what it means to collaborate with your idol, how mentorship evolves into friendship, the courage it takes to break a creative block, what happens when professional boundaries blur into something personal
Character deep-dives—essays from Lila’s perspective (what it’s like to be the debut author in the room with a legend), from Elizabeth’s perspective (what three years of silence does to a writer), from Grady’s perspective (how it feels to start allowing himself to enjoy life again)
“Behind the Story” content—Kristy discussing what inspired Leave It Up to Love, why she wanted to write about ghostwriting and creative partnership, the research that went into writing a short story versus full novel
Reader Q&As—answering questions about the characters, the world, the themes, and what readers hope happens after the story ends
Bonus scenes—extended moments that didn’t make the final draft: more Lila and Grady chemistry, Elizabeth’s breakthrough moment, the conversation that changed everything
Platform No. 03 // Newsletter
Letters from the characters—short, intimate notes in Lila’s voice (what she’s working on between shifts, what Elizabeth taught her today, how she’s trying not to fall for Grady), in Elizabeth’s voice (rediscovering why she loved writing in the first place), or in Grady’s voice (watching his plan to save his mother’s career get complicated by feelings he didn’t see coming)
Coffee shop playlist—the songs playing in the background while Lila pulls espresso shots and dreams of the day she can quit to write full-time
Regency romance recommendations—the books that made Elizabeth a legend, curated for readers who want to understand what inspired her
Behind-the-scenes snippets—quick glimpses into the collaboration: the day they figured out the ending, the argument that almost derailed everything, the moment Grady realized this was about more than just his mother’s career
“What happens next” speculation—inviting readers to imagine where Lila, Elizabeth, and Grady go from here, building community around the story’s world
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.
This is filled with such useful info for writers! Thank you.