Questions for Author Interviews. What do you like?

I write a series about a 'troubled' teenager who solves murders.

Okay, I was once asked, 'Did you have a troubled childhood?' 'Did your parents mistreat you?' 'Did you always feel like an outsider?'

Seriously, at my one big chance at a great interview with a major newspaper, this is what I was asked. But excuse me, I AM NOT the character I write about. HE is not ME.

Sorry for caps. So please do not confuse the MC in a book with the writer writing about him or her unless the author specifically says, yes, that character is based on me, my life, my past, my history, whatever.

That is all I'm gonna say.

Skyler West said:

Wasn't sure where to put this, so thought I'd ask in here. I'm going to be doing a series of guest author interviews on my website, but I'd love to know what sort of questions you all wish people would ask the authors.

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Recommend you listen to the interviews on litopia.com for some ideas.

The best interviews seem to be done by interviewers who've read the book(s) and ask pertinent questions.

Consider the audience, too. If the audience is writers, there may be the generic method and lifestyle questions. Readers may also care about these things, unless the author lives a boring life in a trailer with 50 cats.

I always love to hear a little about the writer's inspiration and his or her writing process - everyone does things just a little differently, and it's fascinating to see how the creative mind works.

Since authors write more than just novels, I'm moving this to the Roundtable for wider discussion.

I once attended a reading by Annie Proux
she was asked: 'what other writers influence you?'

she replied that she always gets asked that question, so she prepared a list.

She took a tiny piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it, and unfolded it, and unravelled it into this long strip about twelve inches long. She then rattled off a list of about a hundred names, most of them obscure.

The only question I can say I -don't- want to see asked is, "Where do you get your ideas?" It's so cliche, and kind of nonsensical. Personally, I love it when writers answer something like "Walmart" or "the magic idea store, don't you know where that is?"

Generic questions like where ideas come from and what inspires you tend to be dull as dirt, unless the author also thinks that and gives funny answers. I prefer to see questions that show the interviewer has some idea about the author's work and life.

And please dont make the author tell you what her book is about. It's tedious finding original ways to do so over and over when the interviewer can simply post the back cover copy before the interview. Or heck, read the book and summarise it himself!

... ask whom their voting for. If they say Romney, abruptly end the interview and politely excuse yourself.

"I've got a pot roast in the oven. Gotta run. Sorry."

At The Nervous Breakdown, authors write self-interviews, parodies of the standard form. They're quite entertaining to read, and informative, too.

If the author writes a series, I like interviewers who ask for hints/ teasers about upcoming instalments. Even if the author refuses to answer or give any clues, it can still be exciting to read their answer if you're a fan of the series.

I think it also makes the interviewer seem more likeable (ie. they're also a fan and keen to know what's coming next).

I like to ask authors what their favorite thing about their story is, and who would like their book. Also a few quirky questions about themselves, if possible, but always leave room for them not to be put on the spot if they'd rather not talk about anything other than their book. (That's easy to do online, but probably difficult to do live.)

dangerousbill said:

Consider the audience, too. If the audience is writers, there may be the generic method and lifestyle questions. Readers may also care about these things, unless the author lives a boring life in a trailer with 50 cats.

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A life with 50 cats in a trailer? That might be many things, none of them quite pleasant, but I can't imagine boring!! (However, what author would want to share such reality-show-fodder information about themselves?)