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Indie Authors: favourite interview questions?
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So many interviews ask exactly the same thing.I'd like a really random question so potential readers learn something unusual about me. e.g. What's your favourite cheese?
You get fed up with all the old chestnuts, so yes, something quirky or unusual is the way to go. My personal favourite was "What's the weirdest sandwich you've eaten?"
I like questions on how I got my inspiration and what I learned from the process. I write history so I appreciate if someone has done their research and ask a question that has to do with the time period.
T.L. wrote: "So many interviews ask exactly the same thing.I'd like a really random question so potential readers learn something unusual about me. e.g. What's your favourite cheese?"
Thanks T.L. Do you prefer a mix of insightful and pure personality (i.e. not related to writing)?
Safa wrote: "Authors here can participate??"Do you mean be interviewed, Safa? Yes, if we've done a character review for one of their books (this blog is specifically for favourite female characters, not book reviews) - this is how the blog works.
Helen wrote: "I like questions on how I got my inspiration and what I learned from the process. I write history so I appreciate if someone has done their research and ask a question that has to do with the time..."
Thanks Helen, I'm definitely a lover of the inspirational development process - in terms of historical insight, do you like to talk about what drew you to that era, and the people in history that perhaps gave you the inspiration? Or more specific, like how much research you did, and your process of forming the story around it? I'd probably ask all of those, they're pretty interesting.
Nik wrote: "What's the purchase link? -:)"Purchase link for...? There's no sale happening here, Nik! :)
Jessica wrote: "Nik wrote: "What's the purchase link? -:)"Purchase link for...? There's no sale happening here, Nik! :)"
I meant it being a very popular interview question -:)
Jessica wrote: "Thanks Helen, I'm definitely a lover of the inspirational development process - in terms of historical insight, do you like to talk about what drew you to that era, and the people in history that perhaps gave you the inspiration? Or more specific, like how much research you did, and your process of forming the story around it? I'd probably ask all of those, they're pretty interesting. "All those would be great questions.
I agree with Nik, it would be a very popular question :)
Nik wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Nik wrote: "What's the purchase link? -:)"Purchase link for...? There's no sale happening here, Nik! :)"
I meant it being a very popular interview question -:)"
Oohhh, right, I see. Sorry, I'm at work and have Monday brain...!
So are you for or against that question ;D
Jessica wrote: "Oohhh, right, I see. Sorry, I'm at work and have Monday brain...! So are you for or against that question ;D ..."
-:)
It's a bit cynical, but I'm for the question. Don't think any author would skip an opportunity to sell a book or two or dozen (even if it's perma free)
I'm definitely going to continue with book links/info. No point telling people how much I love stuff without telling then where they can get it, too!
Hey,Yes, a mix of quirky and information.
Let's face it, at the end of the day the author is doing the interview because they want to sell their book/s.
So, questions aimed at what the book is about.
And yes, a link to where they can find it.
But mixed with humorous personal info (I like the sandwich question; that's fun!).
And any readers on here...
What would you like to hear about an author (if anything)...?
:-)
Agree, a mix of quirky and information, and yes, a link.
As one of the quirkier authors you might come across, I like the question, "what led/inspired you to write this particular book?"
As one of the quirkier authors you might come across, I like the question, "what led/inspired you to write this particular book?"
I recently did an interview with Daniel M Quilter, it was my favorite so far! He included plenty of questions that made me think, some were great marketing q's for me (i.e. Helped me market my books) and others were detailed "writers craft" questions, and others led to great insiders view answers. I am getting great feedback and responses on the interview. I think it is important for the "interviewer" to ask questions that illicit great answers from the "interviewee" in order to keep the readers attention. I know when I read interviews that are the same ole same ole, I get bored and stop reading them.
Herr is the link to the interview for your homework purposes:
http://danielmquilter.weebly.com/blog...
(Mods, if the link is a no no, please remove but leave my response if possible. Thank you)
And special thanks to Daniel for the great questions!
T.L. wrote: "Hey,Yes, a mix of quirky and information.
Let's face it, at the end of the day the author is doing the interview because they want to sell their book/s.
So, questions aimed at what the book is a..."
Yes, I like that idea. I have a list of questions that I ask the author to choose from, so it's a pot luck for them to decide how they want it to go. Might include some more abstract or obscure ones in the roll from now on.
C.M. wrote: "I recently did an interview with Daniel M Quilter, it was my favorite so far! He included plenty of questions that made me think, some were great marketing q's for me (i.e. Helped me market my book..."Thanks C.M., there's some great questions there - I'll revisit and read the whole thing when I'm out of work (eep!) but I especially like the spare time and hobbies stuff, I missed a trick, I'll have to weave those things in!
Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get asked who would play certain characters in a movie/tv adaptation. I just like to think about who I'd see on the big screen as those characters. When I interview others, I like to ask about what they listen to (if anything) while writing.
Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get asked who would play certain characters..."Haha, beer and pizza, great question! I think novel soundtracks would be interesting to hear, as well as writing music. I know some authors who share them on their blog for their own books. And yeah, actors to play characters... Fun to expose writer's secret desires :D I can't deny Nathan Fillion was on the list for one of mine back in the day... XD
Mainly because I'm a complete nerd, I loved the question about who would I casts for each of the characters. I even made a vid on iMovie for it and a friend asked whether all the actors had been on Power Rangers at some point.Guilty laugh and fake denial.
Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get asked who would play certai..."Nathan Fillion is a solid choice for any movie adaptation of anything ever.
Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get asked who would play certai..."Oh I'd love that, especially because my characters would have to travel far into the future to have pizza. I can only imagine their reactions.
And Maymunah,
YES, movie characters :)
I try to ask different questions from the same one ones always asked to authors. My first question is always the same that I ask which is what can you tell us about your book(name of book)?I then usually base questions off the person's GR's profile and or website if they have one.
From an interviewee standpoint my favorite question asked was if you could go back in time where would you go and why? I like it because I have several places I could go with plus not many have asked it so if I. ever get asked again I can always switch it up because I have so many places I'd go.
V.M. wrote: "I like the cast questions and the 'who would you have dinner with' questions, as these get to the heart of the characters. Another good one is to ask the author which fans of what books might find ..."Oh, and kind along the same lines as V.M., I like to ask indie authors what other indie authors they would recommend. Gives a chance for someone to praise their peers a little and help promote their work. I've been asked a few times as well and I love being able to sing praises for other indies.
Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get asked who w..."Of course you are right. And when I said back in the day, I of course meant still, now, absolutely. I was trying to be cool with my professional handling of fangirling. I shouldn't hold back.
Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I like it when I get..."No, never hold back.
V.M. wrote: "I like the cast questions and the 'who would you have dinner with' questions, as these get to the heart of the characters. Another good one is to ask the author which fans of what books might find ..."That's a good one - would you find it hard though, especially if the similar books were mindblowing, to recommend your own beside them? (Not that it wouldn't be mindblowing itself.)
So many good comments on here, thanks all, lots to think about!
Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Personally, I li..."Absolutely. Can't stop the signal...
Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fun question. Pers..."Aww...poor Mr. Universe.
Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Ben wrote: "Someone once asked which of my characters I'd like to go out for beer and pizza with and why. That was a super fu..."Man I wanna watch that film now.
I agree with what most of the other folks on here are saying about using one or two kind of quirky/unique questions that you don't typically see on the standard author interviews. I always have liked the one about what character from your novel you would like to meet. Or what location from your novel you would most like to visit (mostly interesting if it's a fantasy or sci-fi novel with otherworldly locations). Then there's always the fun ones that I call 'kid questions', because they are the ones my kids would probably ask, like "what superhero would you most like to be?"
As a reader, my favorite question is "what is one of your favorite words" because I LOVE words. I also like seeing what authors recommend for reading, who their favorite authors are.
I hate "where can we buy your book?" questions. On my own book blog, I have started simply saying at the end of the interview:
Learn more about the author here and the books here and then add links to website, SM, and their preferred sales channel. I have found that I get more clicks on the link since I changed up the format.
Heidi wrote: "As a reader, my favorite question is "what is one of your favorite words" because I LOVE words. I also like seeing what authors recommend for reading, who their favorite authors are.
I hate "wh..."
I did love that question, Heidi! I always put the purchase stuff elsewhere in the post. The interview is about getting to know the author.
Ben, that is awesome. I have cringed when I have done a couple of author interviews for bloggers and they include that as a question, and then put it in the blog as the question! I feel like it makes me look like a slimy sales person.
Heidi wrote: "As a reader, my favorite question is "what is one of your favorite words" because I LOVE words. I also like seeing what authors recommend for reading, who their favorite authors are.
I hate "wh..."
I've asked some (physicist) authors the favourite word question before, those replies were interesting :)
V.M. wrote: "Jessica wrote: "V.M. wrote: "I like the cast questions and the 'who would you have dinner with' questions, as these get to the heart of the characters. Another good one is to ask the author which f..."More theme/style than specific book then. Personally, I'd probably skip that question if I was asked, but I'd have it on the list for interviewees it's something people want to know/share.
Cory wrote: "I agree with what most of the other folks on here are saying about using one or two kind of quirky/unique questions that you don't typically see on the standard author interviews. I always have lik..."Love the location one :)
I like being asked about my characters rather than myself. You might consider having interviews with characters instead of with the author. That would be really popular, I think!
Missy wrote: "I like being asked about my characters rather than myself. You might consider having interviews with characters instead of with the author. That would be really popular, I think!"What a fantastic idea!
Helen wrote: "Missy wrote: "I like being asked about my characters rather than myself. You might consider having interviews with characters instead of with the author. That would be really popular, I think!"Wh..."
Agreed! I've seen this done a couple of times recently. The way we post at the moment on the blog is our personal views of the character, but it would be great to have a character's viewpoint instead, so readers can see why they're so damn cool. I wonder where on our earth they'd like to visit, who they'd like to meet, what their views on their writer are (eek!). I'm going to have a lot of fun forming these interviews...
Missy wrote: "I like being asked about my characters rather than myself. You might consider having interviews with characters instead of with the author. That would be really popular, I think!"I'm with you on that. Maybe it's because I prefer reading interviews of characters and I barely ever look at an author interview. It seems, and it's normal too, that author interviews are always a bit on the egocentric side so adding questions about the characters takes it away from the ordinary me, myself, and I interviews.
As part of a (non-profit!) character review blog I run I'm starting to interview indie authors. I've got probably about 15-20 questions with things I want to know about authors' work, but I'm looking to see if anybody's had absolute favourite questions in the past, or ones they really wished they'd been asked?
Also, as readers too, what do you enjoy hearing about most from new/established indie authors (or any authors)?
The first interview I've posted is here so you can see the direction I went initially. It's also unusual for me to post two character reviews at the same time, this was just a convenient occasion for it so there are more questions than will be normal!
I want to get the best out of an author's time and not rehash the same old info. I'm not looking to pilfer other people's hard thought out soul-searching either, just a bit of inspiration :)
Thanks all,
Jess