Catfish Marketing Campaign, Day 13, Interviews

Doing interviews is a great way to market yourself and your books. Don’t know what to say? Here’s a list of interview questions I borrowed from Marketing for Romance Writers, a fabulous online writers’ group of approximately 1400 members.

Select eight to ten of the following questions to answer. If you wish to answer more, feel free to do so. Your interview will be posted with information on your latest book. The two questions at the top are vital. These will help direct traffic to your website and other promo places you might be using.

Please answer these two questions.

Where can your readers find you? (List them all.)

Where’s your favorite place to hang out online? (From the list above.)

Please include your cover.

[Select 8 - 10 questions]

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they?

What can we expect from you in the future?

How do we find out about you and your books?

How many readers/fans contact you?

Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

Why did you decide to write romance novels?

How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

What is your writing routine once you start a book?

Where do you start when writing? Research, plotting, outline, or...?

What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?

How do you come up with ideas?

Do you feel humor is important in fiction and why?

What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels? Do you find them difficult to write?

What kind of research do you do?

Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?

What does your husband/wife think of your writing?

Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)


What are some of your favorite things to do?

Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?

Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?

What do you think of critique groups in general?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

How many books have you written, how many have been published?

After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

List two authors we would find you reading when taking a break from your own writing.

Among your own books, have you a favorite book? Favorite hero or heroine?

If I was a first time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

What book for you has been the easiest to write? The hardest? The most fun?

Which comes first, the story, the characters, or the setting?

What are the elements of a great romance for you?

What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?

Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you work through it?

What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

What is the single most important part of writing for you?

What do you enjoy most about writing?

If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

What do you hope readers take with them after reading your work?

 A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be in six words or less?

 If money were not an object, where would you most like to live?

 What song would best describe your life?

 If you were a tool, what would people use you to do?

 Picture yourself as a store. Considering your personality and lifestyle, what type of products would be sold there?

 If you came with a warning label, what would it say?

What question would you love to answer that I didn't ask?

What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?

[Choose any or all of the following as alternate or additional questions. Your choice.]

Leather or lace?

Black or red?

Satin sheets or Egyptian cotton?

Ocean or mountains?

City life or country life?

Hunky heroes or average Joe?

Party life or quiet dinner for two?

Dogs or cats?

I love pizza with (fill in the blank).

I'm always ready for (fill in the blank).

When I'm alone, I (fill in the blank).

You'd never be able to tell, but (fill in the blank).

If I could (fill in the blank) I'd (fill in the blank).

I can never (fill in the blank) because (fill in the blank).

Fill in the blank favorites

Dessert.

City.

Season.

Type of hero.

Type of heroine.