The key to being a successful author lies within a good combination of writing skills and marketing strategies. This is easier said than done. If you want to get noticed, you have to try and get in people's eyesight in every way possible. There is a good chance to get the attention that you desire by participating in an author interview. But why is it actually so important? You will find the answer in this article.
The importance of author interviews
Readers love to feel involved with the book and its author. In one interview they can receive a lot of valuable information about you as a writer, or about your books and their backstories. It is very important to create a feeling of closure with your potential readers. People love to feel closure and you can use this to your advantage. Let them get to know you more and if they like you as a person they will become your loyal readers.
In these interviews, you can reveal some of the creative processes behind the release of your newest books, you can give hints about your future releases. For example, you can talk about your new book's genre, some of the characters' backstories, you can give reasons for people to buy your current books and to be looking forward to your new releases.
Of course, as with everything in life, interviews can also backfire on you. If you say something offensive or controversial, you can become famous but for the wrong reasons only. You have to be very careful with your words because they can either make or break you as an author.
Another thing you should remember is that no one likes people who give false promises. Even if you have flaws as a person or as an author you shouldn't be afraid of expressing them publicly in the interviews. This way your flaws might actually work to your advantage. If your potential readers notice that you are completely honest with them and that you are not afraid to show who you really are, they will actually like you a lot more. Showing them that you are just a normal human being like them will only work in your favor.
Interviews can also create new friendships with fellow authors. Sharing your writing experience and giving tips out to other writers might be helpful for you in the future because you never know if another author might reach out to you after an interview, to ask you more questions about your experience and maybe share his own. This might help you form a friendship that can turn out to be very fruitful in the long term. Having connections within the writers' community can help you grow a lot.
Of course, the most important part of the interview remains the advertising one. You are participating in these interviews and your main goal is to get more readers and increase your overall popularity. Your words are your most powerful weapon in these situations. Tell people why they should buy your book, tell them why is this book so special and what is the difference between your book and all the other books in the stores. Of course, you should avoid creating unrealistic expectations in your readers' minds because that will do your career no good.
Another thing you should look out for is the person interviewing you. Do a little research before accepting an invitation. You never know if your interviewer is not actually trying to harm your reputation so he can get more popularity. Only accept invitations from interviewers that are completely professional and will not try to lure you into a trap with provocative questions and misunderstood answers. Media is a dangerous place. Keep an eye!
Should you participate in author interviews?
Before deciding to participate in something like this, you should think about what do you want as an author. First of all, if you want to keep yourself more anonymous, you should avoid getting interviewed as that will make your persona less mysterious. If you are not afraid of getting this much attention, then you should definitely get interviewed, it will help your career a lot.