Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion
I. Author Interviews!
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Doing my first interview.....need advice
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As an author, I always prefer having the questions sent to me in a form. It's easier to think up an answer and also rewrite it, in case it doesn't 'sound' right. Seeing the questions written down focuses the mind, not just of the person answering but also of the one writing the questions...saves you asking the same thing in several different ways.Hope that helps.
Most authors are more comfortable with formulating their thoughts in writing than speaking, so sending the author a word.doc with questions and perhaps a sample of how you want the interview to look would be best. Don't forget to ask the author for jpegs of the covers, author photo and perhaps other images to spiffy up the interview., so you can have the best quality covers on your website.
Thank you both! This is what I was thinking as well. And I love the idea of asking for cover art, it had crossed my mind but already I'd left it off the list. Thanks for the reminder :)
In the list you send to the author, include more questions than you need in case the author doesn't want to answer one or more of them, or he/she comes back with a couple sub-standard answers. Let him/her know he/she doesn't need to answer all the questions.Also, if you want something unique, ask unique questions. Look at what other interviewers ask, and don't ask that. I've gotten to the point where if I get asked a stock question, I'll reuse my answer from the last time it came up.
Look to see if the author has his/her previous interviews posted to or linked from his/her website. You may want to follow up on some of those answers if the original interviewer didn't.
You might want to ask for a bio and links to the interviewee's social media and books.
Thanks Lance and CMJ! I've added it to my ongoing list :)
Lillian, I recently had an interviewer create the questions in a Google Doc and send me the link. I was able to answer the questions and then based on my answers she added other questions to the document. I found it to be an intelligent way to conduct the interview.
As an experienced interviewer, and a non-experienced author interviewee, I have always found instant message to be the best way to conduct an interview. Audio ones are hard but email interviews are sound very static whereas on Skype text chat you can have a very nice flow and edit afterwards where needed.
Lillian wrote: "I'm a blogger doing my first interview with an author and my question is really for both bloggers and authors. What is the best way to conduct an interview? I already know the questions I would lik..."If you're blogging the interview, send your questions to the author. That way, the author can reply in writing. You can decide whether or not to create a narrative or publish straight Q&A format.
Thank you Shane and Sharon! I hadn't thought to do Skype. I've conducted several interviews since this post using Google Documents. I edit after I receive the answers so it sounds like a conversation and usually I'll have follow up questions. My only issue with Skype would be that several of the authors I've interviewed are in different time zones (some only a two or three hour difference, others almost a whole day!) How would you suggest working around that?
Checked out a few of your interviews Lillian and your formula seems to be working so far as I can see :).
Thank you! I like doing them. They're a lot of fun :)
Lillian wrote: "Thank you Shane and Sharon! I hadn't thought to do Skype. I've conducted several interviews since this post using Google Documents. I edit after I receive the answers so it sounds like a conversati..."There's usually a time that's not too late for one person, not too early for another. I did an interview with someone in the US (I'm in the UK) and we planned it for my evening, which was about lunch time with her. Just make sure you both know the time difference, figure out a good time for you both, and announce both time zone's times on any posts about it.
Lillian,You may wish to consider reviewing those interviews previously conducted by literary magazines, websites, and blogs. Focus upon those that are well established and better known within the literary world.
After you have reviewed the different approaches and presentation styles, discard those with which you are uncomfortable and adapt those with which you were impressed to blend seamlessly with your own style and personality.
Relax and enjoy the process. I think that you will do just fine.
This is a side notice. I'm currently sending out ARCs of my latest novel Hell Struggle - the 2nd book in the 2018 series - due for release in April. I would really appreciate anyone willing to host me in an interview. My email is ksb@kingsamuelbenson.com and you can find details about Hell Struggle on my cover reveal post here: http://kingsamuelbenson.com/cover-rev...
Hell Struggle is a YA Urban Fantasy. I'll be grateful for any help I can get.
This is probably going to sound stupid, but is there a list somewhere of good interview questions?
I did a radio interview recently and I was sent a list of questions: background about me and my books for the interviewer. I kept a copy of my answers and wrote down everything I could think of to say if one of the subjects came up. I had it beside throughout the half-hour and it was a life-saver. Thinking "on your feet" is fine; it comes over as spontaneous, but your prompts are handy to stop you drying up.There's a recording of it on my profile page here on Goodreads if you think listening might help.
Thank you Sarah. I tried clicking on it but it never connected. I will try it again in a bit :)
As part of your marketing package, interview yourself and write down the results. You can ask yourself the questions you wish other interviewers would, and use them to bring out interesting points about your book. You should have one for each book.You can make these available as part of your media kit, and send them to soon-to-be interviewers to give them ideas for their own questions. It's a not-bad way to escape endless repetitions of "Describe your writing process..."
For an example, check my website under "Doha 12 / Bonus Material" and "South / Bonus Material."
Melissa wrote: "Thank you Sarah. I tried clicking on it but it never connected. I will try it again in a bit :)"Yes, do try again. It's just connected for me. It was done on Skype. I was able to ring the interviewer in America 15 minutes before the live broadcast so we could check we could hear each other, and just chat a bit. The only real "fumble" was my first sentence; I thought of a different way of putting what I wanted to say too late to check the exact words of a song quote. I wouldn't make a change like that again. Otherwise I was very well prepared. I had a list of questions sent to me and it's well worth encouraging the person you're going to interview to answer as fully as possible. You, and they, won't use all of it but it's amazing what does pop up.
One was had I met any famous people. I have, and I wrote a list, but the one the interviewer thought would be most interesting to writers & readers wasn't the Princess Royal or Neil Armstrong. It was Mary Stuart (Nine Coaches Waiting & This Rough Magic) She'd read one of my early, unpublished, novels and told me the lovers met too late. They didn't need to fall in love, or even like each other, but they should meet before chapter eight!
I don't know if "Which famous people have you met" is an unusual question? It could produce different answers! If the person with the questions knew you didn't expect answers to all of them it wouldn't matter if they couldn't name any. I skipped very personal questions; I use a pen-name to protect my family. Some people are happy to talk about where they were born etc. Some have very interesting stories to tell that don't centre on what Aunt Jane said to Uncle Bill -)
Thanks in advance for all your input!