How to Prepare for Your First Press Interview as an Author

From podcasts to television, here’s how to best showcase your book

So you’ve written your first book and it’s about to be published. Your editor understands the vision, a cover is selected, internal layout gets done — and then, marketing has an opportunity. Maybe it’s to guest on a writing podcast or your hometown paper wants to report on your success. It could even be a tv show.

How do you prepare for the interview?

First, get as much information about the outlet as you can. What type of media is it? Different types of press approach books coverage in different ways. With television, for example, it’s all about the visuals — specifically, what you wear (no stripes!) and how natural you come across on camera. But with a video-free podcast, you could be in your pajamas and the listener wouldn’t know it: Podcasts are all about content and presentation — while with print media, the reporter controls how information is presented.

Before your interview, watch, listen to, or read prior coverage. If you’re going on a podcast, download at least one episode and play it from start to finish. In fact, we recommend listening to three. This will give you an idea of questions the host asks every time. Take Gabriela Pereira with DIY MFA…