Why An Interview?

Why an interview? An interesting question and one that was posed to me recently. I got in touch with an author who's book I read and enjoyed to ask for an interview. The author's answer to me was "The interviews perplex me because I can't see the value." I had asked this author to blog too which the author was okay with. The blog yes, the interview, no.

So I started thinking. What why was this author perplexed? And why could this author not see the value in an interview? Only the author can answer that. But I began looking back on all of my interviews and my intention was to ask the author questions that I wanted to know about either a body of their work or a particular piece or work, and some fun questions added in to get to know the author on a personal level, and end it with what the author is currently working on. And hopefully we have a giveaway. I always thought that the authors enjoyed interviews because, if done correctly by the interviewer, you get a good look into the author as an artist. So was this author afraid to divulge information? I do not think that is the case. It is not a time issue either because the author was willing to do a blog.

Then I began thinking is the interview more for the person who does the interviewing? Are we, as interviewers, guilty of making this about ourselves? Maybe we want everyone to know that we read a book and that we know a certain author and that they would be willing to come to our little blog for an interview? I thought long and hard about that and I think the answer is that is not the case. I think to a degree an interview, just by nature of it being a post on a blog, helps out the blogger, but I really think an interview is a great tool for an author also. But again, it has to be done correctly. I have unfortunately seen some pretty horrible interviews in my short blogging career.

I do not profess to be the perfect interviewer. But I do believe my interview questions show the author and the readers that I am familiar with, and enjoyed the authors work, and want to know more about the work and the author because I enjoyed the book so much. Plus I notice my number of blog views goes up when I post an interview, but the authors tell me the are sending people over so it is helping them also. A lot of authors also take the link so they can post it somewhere else for example on their own blog.

So it is I who sit her perplexed today by this author. Of course I am very respectful and would not mention names and if you noticed I did not mention gender. But I will always remember that answer and wonder.

And I always make sure, just so the readers know, that the author wants to do the interview. I do not badger them. I may ask them once and I have been on a lucky streak - all of them have agreed to do an interview with me. But if the time comes when an author says no, I will respect that request. Whatever their reasons may be, it is none of my business. I am just as happy to have read their book. Getting an author to guest blog or do an interview is a huge bonus. I get excited about each and every interview. I get excited because I get to find out more information about the book and the author. Information that I may have been dying to know!

I am curious to hear your opinions. Why do you think an author would not see the value in an interview? Because I am now the one who is perplexed.

I believe in interviews and will keep bringing them too you and I hope you enjoy getting to know the authors of books that maybe you have read. Or, my intention also is to bring authors that I love to you by way of review of their book and subsequent interview. So I hope you do continue to enjoy the interviews and please comment. You know how I feel about comments.