Interviewing an Author: Don’t Be Left Speechless

Edited by Jenny Wilson
Joyce Carol Oates. Langston Hughes. Anne Sexton. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nikki Giovanni. The names of authors (dead and alive) can go on and on. But I’ll let you have first pick!
You are in a room with some of your favorite authors. About ten of them. However, you are only allowed to invite one of them to Starbucks for a couple of chocolate mochas. Just you and your favorite author. It doesn’t matter if the writer is deceased use your imagination! After all, you’re a writer, right?
Oh dear, who shall it be? Should it be William Shakespeare with his purple pantaloons; Sylvia Plath who now vows to use an electric oven instead of gas; or should it be Maya Angelou and old playmates from her broken-hearted brothel?
Finally, you have selected an author.
You take him (or her) to Starbucks. You order the mochas. You sit down. As you open your mouth to ask the author questions nothing useful comes out.
What’s the problem?
Often times we’ll chance upon moments when we can interview an author. And, with technology nowadays, methods of research and brainstorming have changed slightly.
1. Research the Author
Ask yourself, “Is the author self-published or published in a traditional publishing house?”
Actually, does it really matter?! No. Why? Because you’re going to need to treat all authors the same with much respect. Be laid back, and in turn, the interviewee will become comfortable and open-up to you.
After all, whether published or not, we’re all human. Before the interview, however, use your investigative reporting skills and attempt to discover as much as you can about the author. Surf the Internet for any hidden agendas internet-published writings the writer may have. Not only do you want to know about the author’s book, but the personal life as well. Find out what makes the author tick.
2. Research their genre and subject matter
Does the author write poetry? Historical nonfiction? Dramatic nonfiction? Children’s literature? Discover how easy or difficult it is to publish in that particular area of writing. Before you meet up with the author, you must know their genre, as well as the basic themes. If the author writes only historical nonfiction what’s their subject matter? Pre-civil war? Early African Slave Trade? Cuban artwork? Compare and contrast authors in similar subject matters.
Learn as much as you can while you can. And, at the same time, be sure to formulate an opinion about the subject matter, whether it be pro or con. This will allow you to ask more in depth questions.
3. Don’t Interrupt
Remember to ask your question then shut up. This isn’t a time for you to reminisce of your (waning) writing skills. This is moment for the author to be in the spotlight. Listen to their responses, and make sure that you have a rebuttal question prepared in the back of your head.
After you are away from that particular topic, be sure to go to your next question. Though you may have your list of questions it’s okay to ask the questions out-of-order. Actually, I highly recommend to adlib the questions. This will make the questions seem a bit more unforced. In short, treat your interview as if it’s just a regular discussion amongst friends.
Above all, I highly recommend to record the interview. Before you display your trusty hand-held recorder, ask the interviewee for permission to record them. Keep and label all used tapes with the author’s name, date and location of the interview. You never know when that once self-published novelist will become the next Best Seller.

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused

Not commonly seen even from unpublished writers, who are probably familiar with the difference because they’re all waiting for an acceptance!
“We accept your invitation to your party, except for Bill, who will be away on that day. “ADAPT, ADEPT, ADOPT
Adapt means to adjust, adept means skilled and adopt means to take as your own:
“Some people cannot adapt to new surroundings. ”
“He is very adept at dodging awkward questions. ”
“He tends to adopt the attitudes of those around him. “ADVERSE, AVERSE
Adverse means inauspicious, hostile; averse means disinclined, repelled.
“I’m very much averse to making a long, arduous journey under such adverse weather conditions. “ADVICE, ADVISE
Advice is the noun and advise the verb.
“His advice was that we should advise everybody to either stay away or be extremely careful. “AFFECT, EFFECT
Affect is a verb; effect is a noun.
“Bad weather will affect the quality of the fruit. ”
“The effect of bad weather is a reduction in fruit quality. “ALREADY, ALL READY
Already means by this time; all ready means prepared.
“Are you already packed?”
“Yes, I’m all ready to leave. “ALTOGETHER, ALL TOGETHER
Altogether means wholly; all together means everybody in a group:
“It’s altogether too bad you can’t come. ”
“All together, now: ‘Good morning, Sir!'”ALL RIGHT, ALRIGHT
All right is the correct form; alright is grammatically incorrect. ALLUDE, ELUDE
Allude means to refer to; elude means to dodge or escape. ALLUSION, ILLUSION
Allusion is an indirect reference or hint; illusion means deception or mirage. ALL WAYS, ALWAYS
All ways means by every way or method; always means all the time, forever. ANNUAL, ANNUL
Annual means yearly; annul means to make void or invalid. ANYONE, ANY ONE
This is quite tricky. Anyone means anybody, any person at all; any one means any one person and is followed by “of”.
“Does anyone else want to come?”
“Any one of you is welcome to come along. “APPRAISE, APPRISE
Appraise is to assess or estimate. Apprise is to inform or notify:
“I will appraise the situation and immediately apprise everybody of my conclusions. ”
Please don’t make your character say or write anything like this, though–unless you want him to sound like a pompous twit!ASCENT, ASSENT
Ascent is an upward movement; assent means agreement. ASSISTANCE, ASSISTANTS
Assistance means help or aid; assistants is the plural of assistant, one who gives help. ASSURE, ENSURE, INSURE
Assure means to guarantee; ensure means to make sure; insure means to protect against loss or damage:
“I assure you there’s no call for alarm. ”
“To ensure your crockery doesn’t get broken, wrap it all in bubble wrap. ”
“In case of breakage or loss, you should insure everything with a good insurance company. “

Need a Book Coach, Ghost Writer, or Editor?

If you either want to write a book to help others create a better life and boost business or you already have your book nearly finished, you may need book coaching to answer all of your questions “What step to take next?” Many writers think that all they need is a good editor and their book will be ready for publishing and promoting.
Maybe you think you don’t have enough time to write it yourself. You may want a ghost writer to finish the research and get it out.
But you need to start by consulting with a book coach who knows your book category, who your market is, and where to find them. Your book coach also knows what makes up a saleable title and can help guide you to write a great seller by knowing your thesis, your audience, your “tell and sell,” and the correct introduction. When you incorporate these essential “hot-selling” points before you write many chapters, you will then write a compelling, organized, easy-to read page turner.
Don’t hire a ghost writer before you know exactly what you need to write, publish, and promote a great-selling book.
Maybe you have a lot of your book done. You wrote your story, but did you write it for your audience or yourself? Many professionals and business people know their topic well, but may not know the rules for writing a saleable book. Too many “I’s” and linking verbs like “is” and was” slow readers down and bore them because of the lack of action. They put your potential great book down and don’t recommend it to friends or associates.
You already know that word-of-mouth works, yet takes a few years to really get up steam. Many authors quit too soon because they don’t know how or don’t want to promote their book. An experienced book coach can give you the real picture before you put time and money into your book. She can also make you aware of easy marketing and promotion that takes only a few hours a week at home or in the office.
Maybe, you just want to get your book done. An editor can fix your grammar and even your disorganization, but can an editor help you get your book published, and know which way is the best for you?
Think about what you want–a saleable book whose audience will flock to it because it totally helps answer their questions or solves their challenge. Editors are not trained to think about the benefits your book will give their audience. They don’t know how to market as you write. Check with your book coach who will point out your brilliance and show you your benefits and features. Because only benefits sell, and most authors think features such as charts, tips, interview, pictures, or quotes.
When you don’t know why your audience should buy your book and you can’t tell them in a few sentences either in print or in person, they will back away and keep their wallet or credit card inside their pockets or purse.
Hire your editor after you contact a book coach. When your chapters do not have a consistent format with questions posed as headings and answers following in the copy below, a line editor cannot make your work sell just by changing a few sentences. Even a developmental editor needs format to help make your book the best it can be.
Think of your book as a lifetime profit center. Invest in the service that gives you what you need to sell well. Part two of this article is available.