Are you an author trying to promote yourself on the
worldwide web? There are a few basic rules to taking part in an interview. I
have found that the general masses miss these basics, and being the impatient
human being that I am, this bothers me immensely.
Moving on.
After having conducted so many interviews myself, I have
noticed constant, recurring mistakes that authors make when participating in an
interview. No, I will not name names. But there is a marked difference between
the people who I love to read in an interview…and the people who might as well
have their words on the nutrition box of a milk carton.
Here are a few ways to make your interview pop.
First, answer questions as concisely as possible. I don’t
mean that you should go around answering every inquiry on planet earth with a
singular ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Answering yes to a question like, ‘are
you inspired by other writers?’ would be a flat answer. No, you just need to
keep things short and entertaining. People want to read an interview that is
fun to read, not similar to a college essay.
Because let’s face it. Who wants to read a college essay,
let alone write one?
Answers shouldn’t be longer than one paragraph – and that
doesn’t mean that you should make that paragraph unbelievably elongated. Cut to
the chase. Don’t bore your readers. You may love to talk about yourself, but
there is nothing in it for the readers if they are not being entertained.
Period. You are not a celebrity. What you do with your hair in the morning isn’t
interesting unless you’re Ellen DeGeneres. Focus on what matters.
Second, do the world a favor and be able to sum up your
novel quickly and efficiently. My biggest pet peeve is when I literally have to
read 3 to 4 paragraphs to find out what the synopsis of a book is. Come on,
people. You should be able to tell me in one sentence. Furthermore, a flat and
monotonous synopsis practically yells, ‘this book is as equally boring as this
summary!’ You should showcase every writing skill you have in your synopsis.
Third, don’t forget for a second that an interview on a blog
is a showcase of your writing abilities.
Don’t think that just because you’re answering questions you can slack off. No
way! A brilliant book can lose its sparkle because of a sloppy interview. Don’t
go there. When I read an interview by an author that is boring, full of
misspellings and the like, I think, “How did this person become an author? Why
would I want to read their book if they can’t even handle an interview?”
Fourth, remember that an interview may be all about you, but the last thing people want to hear is
your life story from birth to high school graduation to your second divorce to
your recent trip to the dentist’s office. You must make it entertaining, or I
can and will guarantee you that you will lose
the reader’s attention. Big no-no.
Lastly, I may sound like a drill sergeant, but all I’m
really trying to do is steer you in the right direction. I’ve conducted a lot
of author interviews. I’ve read thousands more. I can tell you exactly which
interviews held my attention and which ones fell by the wayside and into the
obscurity of the dustbin of history.
You get my point.
Make. It. Entertaining.
It’s not about you: it’s about your writing.
Be a professional. I don’t care where you go or what you do,
conduct yourself as a professional and positive things will come from it.
That means you shouldn’t be mentioning playing beer pong on
Friday nights with your friends (yes, I’ve come across that too). You may be doing that, but it is absolutely imperative
that you keep the playful and the professional separate. Exercise discretion.
And please, please, please…
Make it snappy.
You can find more advice like this in the book I wrote, Snappy Social Networking, right here.
