September 2024 Preparing to be Interviewed

One of the fun things about events where authors gather is that they not only develop relationships and learn from one another, but a fairly significant number of them have podcasts and start making connections with each other for future interviews.

“You should come on my podcast,” I’ve heard them say to one another.

“Oh, I’d love that,” is the inevitable response.

Those seemingly casual conversations are really a bit more serious underneath as a good podcast has some parameters and guidelines.

In addition, offers to interview may not only come from podcasters, but often come from radio and TV journalists who express an interest in your topic. If you are working with a publicist, those offers typically come to the publicist after a professional and somewhat formal contact is made.

And once you get to that point, with either type of interview — then what happens?

How should you prepare?

Just this week the tables were turned on me, when I was asked to be interviewed on a show hosted by a business expert. The interview is in just a few weeks.

The expert is very organized. She sets her calendar for the broadcast year and gets all the pieces in place ahead of time.

A few hours after I had agreed to a date, she breezily said, “OK then, by tomorrow, I need your head shot, the topic and the interview questions for your interview.”

Wait – what?

And here’s what my response was.

I came back with questions. Perhaps some of them might be useful for you to consider when you are invited to do an interview.

Some things you need to know are:

What is the actual focus of your show?

How long is my interview?

Where can I find links to previous shows to get the flavor and rhythm of the show?

Those are all things you need to know.

For example, most podcasters have a focus such as parenting, or women’s health, or dealing with grief and trauma.

If you have been invited to be on that podcast, the host must see a way to connect your message with theirs. But they might not really explain all of that to you.

So, you should be thinking about that ahead of time.

Also, if you are an author, you quite naturally want to talk all about your book. Your interviewer might just barely refer to the book. What do you do then? Do you push and keep bringing the book up anyway?

My advice would be no.

I believe one of your primary goals when being interviewed is to make the show interesting for the viewer or listeners, and to make the host shine. The better you can make the host look, the more positively you will be viewed by those listening. And if you cooperate with the host, don’t correct their mistakes but just go with the flow, they will enjoy talking to you and all of that contributes to an interesting show.

Most of the time your host will mention your book, and your website, often multiple times.

One of the authors Buoyancy represented in our booth at CPE, Nicki White, has already interviewed another one of the authors, Jodi Hendricks.

In that instance, Nicki’s podcast augments her ministry theme which is Live Boldly. She describes her guests as those who “have taken BOLD steps in their lives with large impact…. guests with unique experiences, challenges and opportunities to Live Boldly.”

She tied Jodi’s ministry, #NoFilter, about being who God made us to be, with her theme.

I look forward to watching or listening to it, as like many podcasts, it’s available on YouTube as well as from audio only podcast providers.

Now a word for those of you who, with a publicist or working on your own, have already prepared a press kit about your book, including interview questions.

What then?

I’ve said here before that in an interview there is no rule that someone has to use your questions, and often the best interviews are ones that use some of the questions but adjust them – for their own show and audience.

It’s my goal when writing questions that the journalists who use them will find them a good starting point as they customize to make their interview unique.

To be a good guest, the more you know about the show or media outlet ahead of time the better. Ask some questions, ask for the website so you can visit it and get acquainted. The host won’t be offended, they will likely be delighted.

That will all help you be more thoughtful and winsome when you are interviewed, and feel a bit more in control.

I only have a couple of weeks to get my ducks in a row but it’s a high priority for me so I can do my best.

I’ll let you know how I do.