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Jessica Holmes | Brand Storyteller
  • Custom Words
  • Copy Packages
    • Campaign in a Day
    • Website Rewrite
    • Brand Storyseller
  • Meet + Hire Jessica
  • Noted.

“Everything is copy. Take notes.” Nora Ephron

In Solopreneurship
February 24, 2025

The edgy art of client gifts

YEAR 1 CLIENT GIFT (rating: normal) – Custom Thank You Cards & Wooden Pen with Thank You Stamps YEAR 2 CLIENT GIFT (rating: sh*t talked) – The Comeback & Potty Humor Concept Notebooks. THE COMEBACK concept notebook: POTTY HUMOR concept notebook: (However effective, the Potty Humor

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In Solopreneurship
July 4, 2023

Here’s looking at you looking at you, kid

“You have a face for copywriting,” is a joke radio people like to tell, probably. When you make it your job not to have a name (not one you can really put to anything in writing)—why have a face? Launching this business in 2022 put a mirror up to the rolodex of faces I have. […]

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In Apocalypse CapitalismSolopreneurship
January 22, 2023

10 things I’m doing differently (this this in solopreneurship)

Why did I go solo again? I wouldn’t exactly call it a mid-life crisis (though it’s not not a mid-life crisis), but more of a mid-Apocalypse crisis. Blithely wiling away the end-of-days in a 40-hour-a-week office job. This is not how I pictured Armageddon going down. “Ummm…it’s jus

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In Apocalypse CapitalismSolopreneurship
October 22, 2022

10 things I hated about me (the 1st time I freelanced)

A recession is not a bad time to start a business. I learned that the first crash. Ad agencies and architects especially got hit hard in late 2008, as if the economy lazily went gunning for whatever’s listed first in the yellow pages. The world is tenuous. We learn that in waves of revelation. Espe

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What kind of brand is this, you wonder when pickin What kind of brand is this, you wonder when picking up a box, skimming the headlines. That’s why I ask myself and my clients as a standard part of the brand voice creation process: “What kind of brand is this…in the universal story archetype sense, like Carl Jung style?” I mean, obviously.Go deep into strategy and positioning, and you’ll see ‘em shine in every line. I could not decide if Beaux Glow—a skin, sex and self care oil made from bare nature to buck the toxic beauty system—is the Lover archetype or a Rebel brand indeed?I realized…in a surface-level, disconnected society, the Lover is the Rebel. Someone willing to be naked and vulnerable for the sake of that indescribable vibe of real connection. This became the heart of the manifesto. That became the “go deeper” beat for every other word.See the way The Lover as Rebel positioning—targeted to peri/menopausal women who are elite brand snobs— is infused into every line on every turn of the Beaux Glow box.[Design by Alex Rhodes]
My typical client Thanksgiving gift migrated (like My typical client Thanksgiving gift migrated (like the geese) to a New Year’s resolution package. It includes a mini-“clipboard of the old school” from PENCO. Mini-cards from my SOCIAL [DIS]GRACES series. Plus a bottle of my “what I did in 2024” passion project skin care brand BEAUX GLOW. Let’s go smoothly, 2025.
That rush of getting a product you wrote delivered That rush of getting a product you wrote delivered to your door... For over a year, I've been working on a rebrand of nearly 20 skincare and supplement products from a phenomenal Himalayan sea berry company, Sibu. Early on, I pinpointed their wild-grown positioning, and made sure to consistently play that up on every box and turn of the label.
Hot to see passion projects come together. My new Hot to see passion projects come together. My new fling @beaux_glow hooked up with my OG babe @storystoryboise for some naked storytelling sponsor action.I wrote the postcard copy for this DOORS themed series of shows (as I've been doing for 14+ years). Story Story Late-Night will always likely be one of my favorite creative projects. Dreaming up the logo variation (a black sheep) with the tagline "positively shameless" alone: golden (shower) memories. Late-Night will likely always be my favorite series too. I require swearing and X-rated content to exist in the real world, personally.
Spotted stock photos from the late 90s still livin Spotted stock photos from the late 90s still living in the wild. Giving me a reason to live. “Get eye surgery because you look like a nerd, foureyes, holding that giant phone over a neck-high pile of papers. Then we’ll wear hard hats in suits and high five while waterskiing, kay?” #wordonthestreet
Listen up to the head phoneable voice of Word Up. Listen up to the head phoneable voice of Word Up. I play a small-town waitress on episode 10 of MONARCH—a new creeps-up-your-spine podcast series about the supernatural and the wilderness.This is the brainchild of Laura Munsil, one of the most creative / unstoppable human beings / storytellers on the planet. She told me about this idea years ago when we first met. It’s based off her 1,000s of miles trekking the PCT. (We often bond over harrowing tales of desert hiking.)I said: “You’ve got to make this.” So she like totally made it. You’re welcome, world. It’s absolutely brilliant. And brilliantly produced (I mean, the sound editing alone) because that is how Laura rolls.Spooky up your fall with a MONARCH binge. (And hear me channel an uncanny waitress using my previous method-acting as an awkward server at the Outback Steakhouse in Nampa, Idaho.)https://buff.ly/3TqZIDY
“I want me some donuts.” That became the launch li “I want me some donuts.” That became the launch line of an epic story at the slamming show for this year's Story Story Night at Writers at Harriman. This is a camp for nose-in-books teens set in the Idaho version of Yellowstone that I've taught for 10+ years.I started off by having campers write the theme of their life (so far…) on a “Hello, my name is” sticker badge. “I’m trying.” “Courage.” “Curiosity.” I stopped at Curiosity and changed his Story Story Studio packet (a series of worksheets and exercises I created a few years after creating the storytelling program) folded in an old poster, to a 2011 show on that theme: CURiOSiTY.“It featured a true story by Caleb Chung,” I pointed out, “who invented the Furby.” Eyes wide, this camper told me that, formerly on display in his childhood bedroom, he happened to have a collection of 30+ Furbies. Playthings, what a universal theme.Life just gets curiouser and curiouser. That’s how stories bring us together in small and big ways. This is how we find the themes and the obsessed, silly, strange, wild, wonder-filled moments worth talking about. Nothing lands like it.This will likely be my last camp. It's been a decades-long summer ritual. The very nature of it has left deep impressions on my soul.I now want me some donuts though.
This site is so good you want to lick it. (Mmmm... This site is so good you want to lick it. (Mmmm...screen flavor.) I love a headline-heavy digital experience with dynamic visuals and an immaculate scroll. Writing the website for this photography studio specializing in food and beverage was a dream. And the end result…dreamier.  Thanks to the amazing team at Full Tilt Studio, especially creative director Brijean Brennan for her meticulous eye for UX/UI design and content. Let’s make content, too. Ping me for website rewrites that revamp your brand.brand storytelling services: navigation | all content | basic SEO
Uncopyable copy.
Boise, Idaho.
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Jessica@wordupholmes.com

© 2025 word up holmes

Word up, Holmes.

What kind of brand is this, you wonder when pickin What kind of brand is this, you wonder when picking up a box, skimming the headlines. That’s why I ask myself and my clients as a standard part of the brand voice creation process: “What kind of brand is this…in the universal story archetype sense, like Carl Jung style?” I mean, obviously.Go deep into strategy and positioning, and you’ll see ‘em shine in every line. I could not decide if Beaux Glow—a skin, sex and self care oil made from bare nature to buck the toxic beauty system—is the Lover archetype or a Rebel brand indeed?I realized…in a surface-level, disconnected society, the Lover is the Rebel. Someone willing to be naked and vulnerable for the sake of that indescribable vibe of real connection. This became the heart of the manifesto. That became the “go deeper” beat for every other word.See the way The Lover as Rebel positioning—targeted to peri/menopausal women who are elite brand snobs— is infused into every line on every turn of the Beaux Glow box.[Design by Alex Rhodes]
My typical client Thanksgiving gift migrated (like My typical client Thanksgiving gift migrated (like the geese) to a New Year’s resolution package. It includes a mini-“clipboard of the old school” from PENCO. Mini-cards from my SOCIAL [DIS]GRACES series. Plus a bottle of my “what I did in 2024” passion project skin care brand BEAUX GLOW. Let’s go smoothly, 2025.
That rush of getting a product you wrote delivered That rush of getting a product you wrote delivered to your door... For over a year, I've been working on a rebrand of nearly 20 skincare and supplement products from a phenomenal Himalayan sea berry company, Sibu. Early on, I pinpointed their wild-grown positioning, and made sure to consistently play that up on every box and turn of the label.
Hot to see passion projects come together. My new Hot to see passion projects come together. My new fling @beaux_glow hooked up with my OG babe @storystoryboise for some naked storytelling sponsor action.I wrote the postcard copy for this DOORS themed series of shows (as I've been doing for 14+ years). Story Story Late-Night will always likely be one of my favorite creative projects. Dreaming up the logo variation (a black sheep) with the tagline "positively shameless" alone: golden (shower) memories. Late-Night will likely always be my favorite series too. I require swearing and X-rated content to exist in the real world, personally.
Spotted stock photos from the late 90s still livin Spotted stock photos from the late 90s still living in the wild. Giving me a reason to live. “Get eye surgery because you look like a nerd, foureyes, holding that giant phone over a neck-high pile of papers. Then we’ll wear hard hats in suits and high five while waterskiing, kay?” #wordonthestreet
Listen up to the head phoneable voice of Word Up. Listen up to the head phoneable voice of Word Up. I play a small-town waitress on episode 10 of MONARCH—a new creeps-up-your-spine podcast series about the supernatural and the wilderness.This is the brainchild of Laura Munsil, one of the most creative / unstoppable human beings / storytellers on the planet. She told me about this idea years ago when we first met. It’s based off her 1,000s of miles trekking the PCT. (We often bond over harrowing tales of desert hiking.)I said: “You’ve got to make this.” So she like totally made it. You’re welcome, world. It’s absolutely brilliant. And brilliantly produced (I mean, the sound editing alone) because that is how Laura rolls.Spooky up your fall with a MONARCH binge. (And hear me channel an uncanny waitress using my previous method-acting as an awkward server at the Outback Steakhouse in Nampa, Idaho.)https://buff.ly/3TqZIDY
“I want me some donuts.” That became the launch li “I want me some donuts.” That became the launch line of an epic story at the slamming show for this year's Story Story Night at Writers at Harriman. This is a camp for nose-in-books teens set in the Idaho version of Yellowstone that I've taught for 10+ years.I started off by having campers write the theme of their life (so far…) on a “Hello, my name is” sticker badge. “I’m trying.” “Courage.” “Curiosity.” I stopped at Curiosity and changed his Story Story Studio packet (a series of worksheets and exercises I created a few years after creating the storytelling program) folded in an old poster, to a 2011 show on that theme: CURiOSiTY.“It featured a true story by Caleb Chung,” I pointed out, “who invented the Furby.” Eyes wide, this camper told me that, formerly on display in his childhood bedroom, he happened to have a collection of 30+ Furbies. Playthings, what a universal theme.Life just gets curiouser and curiouser. That’s how stories bring us together in small and big ways. This is how we find the themes and the obsessed, silly, strange, wild, wonder-filled moments worth talking about. Nothing lands like it.This will likely be my last camp. It's been a decades-long summer ritual. The very nature of it has left deep impressions on my soul.I now want me some donuts though.
This site is so good you want to lick it. (Mmmm... This site is so good you want to lick it. (Mmmm...screen flavor.) I love a headline-heavy digital experience with dynamic visuals and an immaculate scroll. Writing the website for this photography studio specializing in food and beverage was a dream. And the end result…dreamier.  Thanks to the amazing team at Full Tilt Studio, especially creative director Brijean Brennan for her meticulous eye for UX/UI design and content. Let’s make content, too. Ping me for website rewrites that revamp your brand.brand storytelling services: navigation | all content | basic SEO
This New Yorker profile about the manic productivi This New Yorker profile about the manic productivity of Joyce Carol Oates left me bitter and awestruck. Like I had just seen a saint. How dare she be…so…when we’re all just here human. In 2024, I’m getting some Joyce Carol Oates resolution. To quote her Marilyn Monroe from the novel “Blonde”: “I live for my work. I live only for my work. One day I will do work deserving of my talent & desire. One day. This I pledge. This I vow.”

jessica@wordupholmes.com