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What's the point of author interviews?
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I can't answer that one. I don't read them either. I only ever read one that I recall. I don't read interviews and I don't read bios either, even from well known authors. Sorry but I'm not interested in what authors studied, did or do, or why they do/did it. Some say it helps with the sale, but I honestly don't know how. Maybe I'm just not curious enough.
Some people like reading them because they like to know more about the author and you can't put everything in your author bio.I've also seen character interviews, which is a bit weirder, but still....
Also, I was reviewed by a website for women who were attracted to paraplegics and other disabled men. I spoke with some of these 'devotees' and gave them an interview geared specifically about disability in fiction.
I also did interviews about specific pet peeves, like my dislike of info-dumps.
I don't assume everyone likes to read my opinions, but then, these interviews are easy enough to ignore... and there are many people who do enjoy them.
Martyn V. wrote: "Some people like reading them because they like to know more about the author and you can't put everything in your author bio.I've also seen character interviews, which is a bit weirder, but stil..."
Martyn,
That, I can understand. There's a specific topic (fiction featuring disabled persons) and already interested persons. This interview has an angle.
What I see too much is bloggers interviewing authors WITHOUT an angle. The author is typically unknown, the work unheard of, and the questions stale.
I need a reason to read the interview. Or maybe, like G.G., I'm just not curious enough.
Vicki wrote: "G.G. wrote: "I can't answer that one. I don't read them either. I only ever read one that I recall. I don't read interviews and I don't read bios either, even from well known authors. Sorry but I'm..."I'll read biographies, too. There's a difference. With a biography, there's a story there, not merely "Why do you like writing?" or "What's your motivation?"
Henry wrote: "I've done quite a few interviews myself, and I've read a few as well. But I only look at interviews if they are attached to a book review that I just happen to read. I don't go out looking for them..."Can you point me in the direction of a character interview? I'm intrigued.
To endear readers ??? Although I'm not sure if it is working for me. :-)
I've also been wondering about these types of interviews. I can only think of a couple authors that I would want to read interviews with. In both cases, it's due to controversial issues surrounding the author, not their books or their creative process.
Jen, I think the proliferation of indie author interviews has to do with how easy it has become for the blogger to upload new content. Typically, the blogger sends an interviewee a list of questions, the author fills in the answers and sends it back. I've also seen a number of sites with interview web forms for the author to fill out. This requires little-to-no-work for the blogger. He just needs to review the author input and hit approve and it's published.I like to listen to author interviews. And I also prefer to read author interviews where it's obvious that there is an actual exchange going on between the author and the interviewer (not just answers to a questionnaire).
As far as character interviews go? I never want to read one. Never. (Sorry, Henry and Rudy.)
I like interviews if the questions and answers are entertaining in and of themselves, or when I'm interested in the author. They can be pretty dry, and since I don't like that I've started working to make sure mine are flavorful.
I would say authors enjoy doing interviews because it gives those who do enjoy reading them a way to get to know them and their works better.From a blogging standpoint, a lot of bloggers enjoy featuring and showcaseing authors on their blog, it makes their site more productive and active I suppose.
As for Character Interviews, I've done a few and they are actually quite fun. I didn't hold back and I talked and ranted whereas I wouldn't have if it was me who was interviewed. It's creative, fun and give's a reader an inside look of a character before they read the book.
I sampled the character interviews. Because I'm at least familiar with both works, I did enjoy them. That said, I'm not sure those who've never heard of the characters would.Of course authors enjoy giving the interviews, and obviously bloggers enjoy writing them. If you are "involved" in the process, or even involved in the writing world, it would surely appeal.
For myself (a non-writer and non-blogger), however, I have never read through one in its entirety. I doubt if I ever will. I just think there needs to be a "draw" aside from reading answers to questions asked and answered by people I don't know, about things I've never heard of.
It's not for everybody, but a lot of people really do enjoy reading them. As was already mentioned, many bloggers have more hits on interview day because people like to read them. I imagine this works best for bloggers who write interesting questions and/or interview entertaining writers.
I think the best author interviews are those that not only showcase the author but attempt to give some insight into the kind of mind that writes that particular type of fiction. I always love answering questions, but I find the interviews that go down best are those where the questions are a bit more lateral...'if you were a cheese, what kind of cheese would you be, and why?' rather than the boring old standard 'where do you get your ideas from?' which always gets (from me) the answer 'a little shop in town, 50p a half dozen - bargain'.
R.A. wrote: "It's not for everybody, but a lot of people really do enjoy reading them. As was already mentioned, many bloggers have more hits on interview day because people like to read them. I imagine this wo..."I suppose that makes sense. To be fair, I ALMOST read through an entire interview with Stephen King once...
I tend to assume that authors do them because self-help books tell them to and bloggers like them because they get extra hits from whatever fan base the author already has. It is also a long-held promotion tradition in the media. An interview with an author about their life with a closing question or paragraph about the book that has just been published.The big no no is to spend the interview criticising other authors. Elizabeth George made herself a hostage to fortune by criticising other novelists for not doing research as good as she does. The ransom note has been posted as her research is very poor if you are a Londoner and read her London located novels.
I've done a few for bloggers who asked, but they are kind of awkward for me, as it seems to be just another way to toot ones own horn (imo). I can talk about writing all day, but personal questions...yeesh.I don't really read them, either.
It is a way to try to promote your writing. I have Guest Authors on my website www.ritalechapman.com and I enjoy getting to know more about the authors I interact with on Goodreads. (If anyone would like to be interviewed you can contact me through my website).
I agree with Janelovering. I've seen and been part of way too many interviews with the same ole cliche questions. The real good ones are the ones where they ask questions that aren't normal or ones that really try to get the reader to expand on themselves rather then the norm, get them out of their basic responses so to speak.
I think interviews that just ask questions like, "how did you come up with this idea" or "what were your writing habits" are really boring. Someone once told me they didn't care at all about the story's backstory. They want to eat the sausage, not watch how it is made. But, as an author I guess the hope is that someone who reads that specific blog often will stumble across your book (maybe the cover jumps out at them) and get interested. There are usually links to where to buy the book at the end of the interview, so one hopes that helps.
I think it might be interesting--in some cases--to read about the origins of a story. Or what the author brings to the story.Or, what can be interesting to beginning authors, how authors do research and their work methods.
I read author interviews, but what I really like are character interviews.
So, what I think I've learned here is that bloggers and authors appreciate them, and fans of the author like them...but perhaps they just aren't meant for the average reader.
Jen wrote: "...but perhaps they just aren't meant for the average reader."Question for you, Jen. Do you read interviews at all?
And if you do read interviews, do you read interviews with:
- politicians
- actors
- comedians
- musicians
- movie directors
- entrepreneurs
- artists (painters/sculptors)
- thinkers (philosophers/scientists)
I find it funny that this discussion went up just as I began submitting forms to do author interviews. Honestly, I've found other sitee, like blogradio shows, in other author interviews. So now I read them to see what kind of useful information I can gather as I am still new to the industry. And I hope that others will find the info in my interviews useful as well.
Martyn V. wrote: "Jen wrote: "...but perhaps they just aren't meant for the average reader."Question for you, Jen. Do you read interviews at all?"
I do, yes. Let me break it down:
If there's a political issue I care about, I'll read an interview with a mayor, governor, congressman, or secretary of whatever.
Big celebrity faux pas? I might check out an interview with the offending actor, musician, etc.
Musicians, generally? No.
Movie Directors? Only if they have a unique project and an interesting story behind it. (Or if it's M. Knight Shyamalan. I love that guy.)
Entrepreneurs? I have, but I'm choosy. Again, I'll need to know of the person (or their work) beforehand, and care what they have to say.
Artists? I once found a site that featured fictional interviews with deceased artists. I read at least thirty. Probably not what you mean, though.
Um...maybe. Would depend on a number of factors and my level of interest.
Thinkers? Yes.
I'll concede that my opinion may not be fair or accurate, but I see a lot of bloggers offering interviews to unknowns when I just don't see the point. If I haven't heard of the writer or the book, I'm not likely to read the interview.What I'd like to see is a fresh spin. Something to pull me in first, subtly introducing the author in a way that makes me interested in what they have to say.
Kari wrote: "I think interviews that just ask questions like, "how did you come up with this idea" or "what were your writing habits" are really boring. Someone once told me they didn't care at all about the st..."Yeah, generic and cliche questions are so boring! "Why do you write?" "What inspires you?" Blah blah, everyone always says the same thing. "At what age did you start to write?" (A lot say since they were 5 or 6, etc.)
I think interviews would do much better with more interesting questions.
Jackie wrote: "Kari wrote: "I think interviews that just ask questions like, "how did you come up with this idea" or "what were your writing habits" are really boring. Someone once told me they didn't care at all..."that's exactly what I was saying... I did about five different ones and they all pretty much asked the same questions... one did however let me create my own questions and that was more fun...
I think there needs to be an angle, and I'd want a better headline than "Interview with Sally Nobody."These are the headlines of author interviews I'd read (if I didn't know the blogger or writer):
1. Is The Exploration of Psychiatric Disorders Too Heavy for Teens?
(Supposing the author wrote a YA novel which explored the impact of mental illness in a child's life.)
2. Winning The Lottery: Why You Really DON'T Want That Payout
(Non-fiction author investigating the "Lottery Curse")
3. The Reality of The Monsters Under Our Beds
(Fantasy author with something along the lines of Monster's Inc.)
4. Abandoning Stereotypes
(Author who has written a non-traditional story in virtually any genre)
Notice these all focus more on the work than the author because, in my opinion, authors get more readers based on what they've written, rather than how they "developed their craft" or whatever.
Just my opinion, of course...
I've done a couple of author interviews on my website. I've even done one of myself. I have one of my protagonist too. Most author interviews are boring. That's especially true if the interviewer hasn't read the author's book(s).
Best author interview quote I ever heard: "Success as a writer is not about getting up when you're down, it's about SITTING down when you're up." hahahaha I totally get it. It takes a lot of fanny time to write a book. Curtains help, too.
Be careful where you sit, f***y time means something very different in British English and curtains definitely help.
Mercia wrote: "Be careful where you sit, f***y time means something very different in British English and curtains definitely help."What a hoot!
As far as the OP, I do like getting to know more about an author I may have heard about, but I don't like the form-letter "interviews" that seem to be the norm. It's not an interview if everyone gets the same set of "fill this out and return it" questions. That, to my mind, leaves no room for personality or interaction, which is the entire reason I'd read an interview to begin with.
Martyn V., I enjoyed your interview on Writing in a Dead World because it was about info-dumps in novels and deal-breakers when reading fiction. I also happened to learn a little bit about you and your writing (and heard the word "verisimilitude" for the first time). It was conversational post, and I felt as if I were watching the two of you interact. Those are the types of interviews I like.
I also like it when an author doesn't give the same old answers to different interviewers. Granted, it may be difficult to be creative if the questions are practically identical, but again, this comes back to the interviewers asking the same dumb questions. I want to know something different about you; it doesn't have to be a deep dark secret, but what do you do when you're not writing? If you could be famous for only one book in your lifetime, what would you write about? What's the interview question nobody asks and you wish they would? If you knew me better, what would you buy me for Christmas?
Stepping down from my soapbox now...obviously I feel strongly about this. I have a billion questions in my head, and nobody ever asks them. They simply have people fill out a questionnaire, copy & paste, spelling errors and all, and call it an interview.
The subject of my book did not live to see it finished, and neither did his wife as well as one of the musicians I had interviewed. I'm running a facebook tribute page with their surviving daughter and that's off to a slow start, so for my smashwords page it looks like I'm going to have to interview myself. I know it takes time to spread the word if advertising's not a possibility, but I'd sure appreciate someone with a real question... http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
I have been interviewed and I have interviewed. The interview I enjoyed the most was a back-and-forth over the internet affair with the interviewer basing each question she asked on something I had said in answer to an earlier question. I ask maybe five questions of guest authors I feature on my blog site. My intention is to elicit interesting information that the author hasn't included in his bio. I try to ask one question that relates to something the author has written that amazon.com has included in its "look inside" feature.
I agree that an interview should not be a stand alone feature on a blog site. I also include the author's bio., a brief synopsis of the author's book, and an excerpt of the author's choosing.
Jen wrote: "I'll concede that my opinion may not be fair or accurate, but I see a lot of bloggers offering interviews to unknowns when I just don't see the point. If I haven't heard of the writer or the book, I'm not likely to read the interview."If I extrapolate your answer, you read interviews if the subject is interesting and if you know or want to know the interviewee.
However, someone who is an unknown to you, might be know to others who would read the review.
I stayed with a friend who had this huge stack of Playboy Magazine. What I found interesting were not the photoshopped glossy pictures of women, but the rather long interviews in the magazine. At first I only read the interviews with actors and musicians that I knew, but later I started to read all of them, which involved athletes I didn't know (we don't watch US baseball and basketball in the Netherlands) and politicians (US politicians are often considered laughing stock in Europe). What drew me in was that Playboy employs sharp interviewers, who were able to draw out their interviewee to tell them stuff I didn't find in the more superficial 'let me tell you about my latest album/movie/book interview'.
So if I come across a blogger who is good at asking the right questions, I might read interviews with people I don't know, simply because the interviewer is entertaining.
Same way I enjoy talkshows by Graham Norton, but not by Ophrah Winfrey.
Lynda wrote: "Martyn V., I enjoyed your interview on Writing in a Dead World because it was about info-dumps in novels and deal-breakers when reading fiction. I also happened to learn a little bit about you and your writing (and heard the word "verisimilitude" for the first time). It was conversational post, and I felt as if I were watching the two of you interact. Those are the types of interviews I like."The interview was born out of a scathing review on a lazy writer whose book I stopped reading because of an info dump and my blog article on info dumps, so we already had some ground work on my pet peeves before we did the interview.
Martyn V. wrote: "The interview was born out of a scathing review on a lazy writer whose book I stopped reading because of an info dump and my blog article on info dumps, so we already had some ground work on my pet peeves before we did the interview. "
That's exactly why I like his interviews. He'll find someone interesting and then will look into his/her blogs and other social interactions, and tailor the questions to fit each person.
Interviews are like oxygen for authors. They're essential to our working lives!
Ha-ha, well I guess that's why I will never consider myself an author. Writing might be part of my life, but I can do without interviews. :>
Martyn V. wrote: "If I extrapolate your answer, you read interviews if the subject is interesting and if you know or want to know the interviewee.However, someone who is an unknown to you, might be known to others who would read the review."
Absolutely. I won't dispute that.
So if I come across a blogger who is good at asking the right questions, I might read interviews with people I don't know, simply because the interviewer is entertaining.
Again, I won't argue that.
My initial post was prompted by the fact that this has become a standard feature on many blogs and I always felt that a lot of these interviews were more for authors than for readers. When the blogger is new and the author unknown (as is often the case), there should be some effort made to draw in an audience. For the most part, I don't see that effort being made.
I've done only a few interviews, but one of them got my books their first real recognition. Oddly enough, I didn't rush out to do more. I don't read many interviews and don't think I'll do another one. They may be a marketing tool, but they're too repetitious, as others have said--that, and I can never get past the feeling that authors interviewing other authors is vaguely incestuous.
Jen wrote: "Henry wrote: "I've done quite a few interviews myself, and I've read a few as well. But I only look at interviews if they are attached to a book review that I just happen to read. I don't go out lo..."Character interviews are lot of fun, both to read and to write. I guess it is a good way to find new reads. Read about Bob the Slayer and you MIGHT be temprted to buy the book. Of course many are not.
I have a few I've run on my blog, my favourite being a ghost horse. I've 'interviewed' him, a few aliens, a couple of detectives, some wizards, and a viking.
Author interviews - either a reader wants to learn about an author - especially one they already follow or looking for new ones or they aren't. It really depends on the questions, which tend to be a bit formulaic sometimes - did you always want to be a writer? When did you decide to be a writer? As an author, I don't like those as the reader of the interview probably doesn't care when I 'decided'. Have a bit of variety, ask opinions on things (like commenting on reviews or their opinions on free books) and try and have a mix of genres.
As a reader I probably wouldn't read an interview with, say, a writer of Westerns, or Christain fiction, but I MIGHT read one from a fantasy or historical author.
Jen wrote: "My initial post was prompted by the fact that this has become a standard feature on many blogs and I always felt that a lot of these interviews were more for authors than for readers. When the blogger is new and the author unknown (as is often the case), there should be some effort made to draw in an audience. For the most part, I don't see that effort being made."I've seen them too, the author interviews that look more like the reading of a curriculum vitae to accompany a job application.
Deleted my duplicate post above, sorry. I was sneaking online from work and got interrupted.I have a set of questions but there are several and they aren't all the usual ones. I ask authors to pick at least 10. Not everyone picks the same. I guess a lot of it comes from time. Bloggers don't always have time to read a particular author's book(s) and so send generic questions and perhaps don't have time to tailor questions.
Actually the good mix of questions are fun. I have just been sent some to fill in. The blogger asked for 20 at least to be answered, 3 were mandatory (but not the usual stuff) and there were about 60 questions to choose from. Some of them were fairly similar. This has promoted me to think of some more.
I guess it comes down to this - are you interested in reading about an author and how interesting are the questions.
Some people don't. Some people do. Whether it garners sales - honestly I have no idea. It might. I think it may be one of those strategies which work alongside other promotional tools. It may well be correct that authors tend to interview other authors, but that said it may well be partly to support a colleague and partly as they tend to network. Also authors are readers too:) Whether any non-author readers care I can't comment.
For the record I also run reader and reviewer interviews, and they are more interesting;)
This interested me so much I set up a poll. Please answer with the closest to your view, although I have allowed write ins.https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
Dee Scott one of the creators of Authors on the Rise was one of my best interviews ever. She did a terrific interview concerning my book, "True Season of Love." Dee asked for a brief bio, what propelled me to write my book, how I created my characters, did I do an outline, what did I want readers to learn from my book, etc.True Season of Love
I just saw this post and have to chime in. My site Awesomegang.com does author interviews by form with questions I change up from time to time. Doing interviews are not about getting authors to read about other authors. When an interview comes in to us we promote the heck out of the author. It is about getting the author discovered by a reader that may not have heard of them. It is about reaching a new audience.
After the interview goes live on our site it goes out to our newsletter list which is a couple of thousand that are waiting to find new authors and books.
The average author gets about 300-500 new visitors the first day and then a couple hundred the next couple of days as people open their emails and see the tweets we send out. On their interview is a link to their website and to their social media accounts. Besides the book sales they get fans and followers who may buy their book in the future.
I hope this helps why authors do interviews.
To be honest, I don't read interviews of traditionally published authors, either. Unless I want to know when the next book is coming out (which I can easily find out with a one second search), I'm just not interested.
If you like reading these, could you explain what I'm missing or overlooking? I'm genuinely curious.