Episode 21: Advocating for Authors of Color: A Conversation with the Literary Lobbyist -- Dawn Michelle Hardy

Jan 12, 2020

Dawn Michelle Hardy_The Literary Lobbyist

In this week’s episode, we amplify the voice of The Literary Lobbyist -- Dawn Michelle Hardy. Dawn holds dual titles in publishing— book publicist and literary agent. She is the President of Dream Relations PR & Literary Consulting, and also the brainchild behind Publishing in Your Pajamas, a virtual writers conference that educates and empowers aspiring and debut authors.

In the publicity space, Dawn Michelle Hardy has aided novelists and non-fiction authors for 17 years on their climb to publishing success by using strategic promotions to expand their readership, build their brands, win awards and garner national and local media attention. She is an award-winning publicist, conference speaker and sought after book publishing consultant who believes that promoting writers and their work is truly about discoverability, access, and an entrepreneurial approach. Her clients have won a wide range of awards including the IPPY, USA Best Book Award, Eric Hoffer Award and a sports narrative that was Shortlisted for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing.

Some of the authors she has serviced with book publicity include, Sadeqa Johnson (Love in a Carry-on Bag) Jayne Allen, (Black Girls Must Die Exhausted), Tia Williams (The Perfect Find), Clint Smith (Counting Descent), D. Watkins (The Beastside: Living and Dying While Black in America), Resurrection to Rejection by Steven Eugene Carter, and From the Block to the Boardroom by Tracey Syphax.

As a Literary Agent, her client's body of work includes a biography on Nicki Minaj, NBA-Allstar Allen Iverson, the Superbowl winning Seattle Seahawks and The New York Jets, along with a memoir that was adapted to the screen with the Syfy Channel, an essay collection and a forthcoming narrative on self-care for black women publishing in 2021.

Listen in as we speak about Dawn's journey in the world of publishing.

What you'll learn:

Dawn's early career years as a literary agent & publicist and what sparked the establishment of her own agency.
What a typical day looks like for her in both spaces serving as a literary agent & publicist.
The type of content and body of work she's looking to represent and tips on how to partner with her.
Key tips on how to author your memoir in 2020 and additional services and resources she's offering to assist you in your writing goals.

CONNECT WITH: Dawn Michelle Hardy

IG: TheLiteraryLobbyist | FB: DreamRelationsPR | LinkedIn: Dawn Michelle Hardy

Websites:

http://dreamrelationspr.com/

https://publishinginyourpajamas.com/

Rapid Fire Questions:

Are you more productive at night or in the morning?
What book had the most significant impact on you?

Books mentioned in our conversation:

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