How Authors Can Prepare for Interviews and Podcasts

So your book is out (or almost out—yay!), and you’ve booked an interview on a podcast or show. Congratulations! That’s a huge and exciting step. These kinds of appearances can help you reach new readers, build your author brand, and legitimize you as a professional doing ~The Thing~.

Interviews aren’t the only way to market your book, but they can be one of the more fun options—especially if you enjoy a good chat and don’t mind being the center of attention for a little while. (Honestly, what author doesn’t like talking about our stories now and then?)

I’ve sat on both sides of the mic—years ago, I worked as a travel journalist, and I also hosted my own podcast about travel and feminism. These days, as an author, I’ve been lucky to be featured on the Reader Seeks Romance podcast, interviewed for IndieView, and I’ve got a spot coming up on Andrea Bartz’s Substack, Words with Writer Friends. I’ve also done author features in Facebook groups. In short: I’ve learned what makes for a smooth, sparkly interview—and what can make for a rough one.

Here’s everything I’d suggest to help you show up feeling confident, prepared, and ready to shine.

Get familiar with the show beforehand

In my early 20s, I was asked to join a group of folks on a podcast episode. I didn’t listen to podcasts, but I was involved in the particular project that was the highlight of the show. I thought it sounded like fun, so I agreed. Little twenty-something me did zero preparation for this recording, so when the host asked the question that they always asked their guests at the end of the show, I drew a blank. It was painfully obvious I had not listened to any of their other episodes before, otherwise I would have had something in mind to say.

So tip #1: don’t do that.

Listen or watch other interviews from the host to get a sense of what to expect. You’ll become familiar with the host, the way they talk, and the kinds of questions they like to ask. You’ll also catch onto any recurring segments (or, ahem, questions) that are almost a guarantee to be asked. Doing an interview can really make you nervous, so the more familiarity you have with the host and the show structure, the better.

Get pre-show info from the host or producer

As a journalist, I can’t tell you how many times people asked me this question: can you please send over the questions in advance? I almost always said no—not because I’m a horrible person who wants to watch people squirm in the hot seat, but because people would then prepare scripted answers, and the interviews ended up sounding stiff. Those were the absolute worst interviews, and you’re better than that!

Every host/show will be different. If you were to ask some, they may provide you with the questions. But I think this is the better question to ask: what topics will we be discussing?

This gives you the chance to prepare some talking points without writing and reciting an essay on air (which, trust me, will not sound good).

Test your audio, video and lighting in advance

Nothing feels worse than that last-minute panic, mere moments before you’re about to hop in the Zoom room, and you don’t think your mic is working properly or the video isn’t turning on. Always go through a test run to make sure everything works.

In general, audio is the most important—listeners are able to forgive poor video quality or lighting, but if they can’t hear you or you’re coming in garbled, then they’ll just stop listening. You don’t necessarily need to invest in a special mic, but do your best to make the room you record in quiet. An inexpensive microphone is also not hard to come by, either to purchase or to borrow, if you anticipate doing more interviews in the future.

When I recorded the Reader Seeks Romance podcast episode, due to the time difference, I was recording at midnight. The lighting in my room was all artificial, and I ensured it would look good before I hopped on the call. It still wasn’t ideal—natural daylight would have looked better—but it was something I didn’t have to worry about while I chatted with Liz and Libby.

Warm up

Former theater kid here, and I can attest that vocal warmups will make a big difference. Stretch, recite some tongue twisters, and speak out loud before you hop on the mic. You’ll feel silly doing it, but even just a couple minutes of a warmup can mean you’re not stumbling over your words and that you feel much more comfortable in your body.

Have some important notes in a cheat sheet

Create a 1-page document with vital information that you can refer to during your chat. Why just one page? Because you don’t want to be flipping through papers (or scrolling on your computer) to get to the info you need.

This sheet should include the basics and important points you could bring up. Make sure you write down the book’s name, release date, main character’s names, and the tropes. It’s also good to have a one- to three-sentence premise prepared to summarize your book. In my Quick Notes sheet for The Half of It, I also included a few bullet points on travel (since that is a big part of my background), DNA and ancestry, my writing process, and comp titles.

Slow. Down.

One of the best things you can do during an interview is take your time. After a question, inhale and exhale before speaking. Speak in full sentences, rather than a string of run-ons that can cause you to lose your breath (guilty). It is so much better for you to take a moment before giving a thoughtful response than it is to ramble for three minutes until you finally reach the point you meant to make all along.

Unless the interview is on live television, I think it’s totally fair to say, “That’s a great question, I need to think about that for a second,” and formulate a response first. I had people ask me this when I was conducting interviews, and honestly, I liked the chance to look at my notes before moving forward.

Have answer to the question, “So what are you reading?”

This is an excellent tip I got from Courtney Maum’s book Before and After the Book Deal. While you’ll be promoting your own work for the interview, other books will naturally come into the conversation. Have one or two recent reads that you would recommend and why—ideally within your genre, of course. It’s good karma and shows that you really know your stuff as an author.

Get ready to share that interview!

When hosting my own podcast, I had one guest in particular who totally disappeared after our episode aired. I sent them the link to the show, and I never heard from them again. Needless to say, they never promoted it on social media, either. It was an excellent episode, and they were a great guest—I was proud of it, and it stung a little to not hear anything back.

Life happens, and things can get overwhelming, but a short “thank you” email goes a long way. The best thing you can do, though, is share the interview once it goes live. Seriously, don’t be shy! When it comes out, you might feel a little embarrassed—you’ll know the places you stumbled, the answers you didn’t think were that good, and you’ll wonder why your voice sounds weird to your own ears. But in the same way that an interview is a chance for you to reach new readers, a good interview can bring in a new audience for your hosts. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship, so the more you share, the better.