Q&A With Katelynn Dreyer 

My Q&A this week is with publicist Katelyn Dreyer. I am so delighted to be doing this Q&A with her. It’s always great doing Q&As with publicists, agents & editors because they help get our favorite authors’ works as well as new authors’ stories out into the world like ships sailing across the seas. 

Q: Katelyn, what is your favorite part about being a publicist & how long have you been a publicist for?

A: I’ve been a publicist for just over 7 years and with Kaye Publicity for just over 3 years. I love everything about my job, but I think the most rewarding aspect is seeing an author get the coverage they deserve and help them hit items from their author bucket list. 

Every book is unique, and I love the variety & creativity that each campaign needs. It’s also a wonderful feeling to play a large role in an author’s book journey!

Q: What made you want to be a publicist?

A: The short answer is simple: I love books! 

I’ve been a big reader for as long as I can remember. I studied Communications and Writing in college and wanted to find a career that allowed me to utilize the skills I learned in both. Once I started my first publicity job I was hooked! I love that I get to read and write for a living and meet some amazing authors. The people in the book world are some of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met, it’s a joy to work with them every day. 

Q: What is your advice for anyone wanting to be a publicist? I know some publicists say try out for an internship and some of them did go to college before working at one of the big publishing companies. I would love to know what your experience was like. 

A: My first introduction to publicity was getting my first job out of college so I jumped right in the deep end. However, I highly recommend getting an internship so that you can truly understand what a day in the life of a publicist entails. 

If you’re not interested in an internship then shadowing a publicist or interviewing one is a great alternative. 

Publicists are typically very eager to chat about all things book related so don’t hesitate to reach out to one to discuss everything you need to know about the job!   

Q: If you became an author yourself, what kind of book would you want to write & would you represent yourself as a publicist?

A: As much as I enjoy reading and writing, I don’t think I’ll ever write my own book. If that changes, I’d definitely hire someone to be my publicist. I have no problem pitching someone else’s book and being their biggest fan and advocate, but I’d find it uncomfortable to do that for myself! I’d likely be very involved with the campaign, but I’d feel more comfortable letting someone else take the reins. 

Q: Would you like to tell the readers of the blog and I about which authors are your clients? 

A: At Kaye Publicity we work with authors from every genre of fiction and non-fiction! We work with debut authors as well as bestselling authors. A few that come to mind are Namrata Patel, Jennifer Givhan, Nick Petrie, Joe Reid, and Shawntelle Madison. We have a running list of our current clients on our website (www.kayepublicity.com) and we feature them daily on our social media accounts! 

Q: For an author wanting a publicist I heard that an author should have their work finished and have an agent first.  Then that’s when an author would get a publicist. What is your advice for any authors wanting you as their publicist? 

A: At Kaye Publicity, our campaigns are typically 6-7 months long and end the month of publication. So, we like to be in conversation with the author at least 6-7 months before pub day, but often we hear from authors around 10-12 months before pub day. That gives us time to read the manuscript, put together a proposal, provide references from our previous clients, and answer any questions you may have before we officially begin our work together!

However, there’s no harm in reaching out earlier! Getting a publicist is something that takes time and you need to make sure it’s the right fit. Once your book is under contract it’s a good time to make a list of publicists and start reaching out to get additional information and proposals.