Jamya is a senior at Indian Land High working as a publicity intern with The Literary Lobbyist. She is considering majoring in mass communications or journalism with a double minor in public relations and entrepreneurship. Jamya plans to attend an HBCU. In different areas of our society, such as workplaces and educational and religious institutions, …
Often, I am asked about what I look for in prospective clients. Over the past several years I have tweaked my response as I continue to learn more about content development, platform building, negotiations, and managing author expectations and career moves. When I first started, I was passionate about wanting to represent celebrities. I just …
Well, here we are in February 2021, one year since Covid-19 was introduced to our lives. By now you are probably an expert at setting up Zoom calls, Google Meets and StreamYard as the platforms you use to ‘go live’ simultaneously and connect with your audiences across multiple social platforms. The newest social app, Clubhouse …
In 2018, I was contracted by a first time, self-published author of African fantasy. Honestly speaking, I shared with the author that I had no experience in this genre and, to be really honest, I didn’t even have the desire to read it. Fantasy for me, is best executed on screen (my opinion). To my …
Every year I engage prospective authors and self-published authors who want to know what it takes to land a book deal in mainstream publishing. They are seeking a deal that comes with the cache of being paid an impressive advance, having an in-house publicist obtain media attention, having a marketing and sales team push their …
We made it! 2020 is behind us. As we move ahead, our goals for this year are top of mind. As an author, I’m sure one of your goals may be to release your current work in process. I’m also sure you want your book project to be a success. Maybe you are unsure what …
Being an author without a platform is similar to being a musician without a fan base. Your platform is the foundation in which you will launch your career as an author. An author platform is evidence of your proven and multifaceted, active engagement with your book’s targeted readership. Writing and independently publishing a book without …
The facts don’t lie. Everyone who publishes a successful book doesn’t have a deal with a major publisher. Over the last two decades, self-publishing has flourished and the books sold by independent authors have done amazing things in the industry, including winning awards, becoming national bestsellers, and even landing television or movie option deals. Whether …
“While the intriguing, laugh-out-loud, or soul-stirring content on your blog has amassed a 6-figure subscribers list and a great social platform, that content alone won’t be enough to garner a deal.” The words of wisdom above come from Dawn Michelle Hardy, also known as The Literary Lobbyist. The name was given to her by EBONY Magazine years …
