By Laura Brennan
Please welcome Laura Brennan who gave me tips on my recent radio interview. Wise woman who offers wise advice. Laura, take it away! ~ Donnell
Author Laura Brennan
What a fabulous time to be a writer! There are so many ways to reach our audience, so many opportunities to be interviewed on radio, television and podcasts.
Too bad live interviews make most writers feel like they’re signing up for the third degree.
While I can’t make anyone love public speaking, I can at least make it less painful. The key to any interview is to realize that you have roughly three things you need to say about yourself to feel heard. Knowing what these things are and having a way to clearly say them allows you to relax and be fully present in the interview.
So what are those three things and how do you make sure you say them?
First, the things you need to say, while different for each project, always come from the same place:
– What it is exactly that you do
– How you got started
– Why you do it (ie: your underlying passion)
For instance, I have a children’s book called Nana Speaks Nanese. Whenever I talk about it, the three things I need to say are:
– Nana Speaks Nanese is a picture book about a grandparent with dementia. (What)
– I wrote it after my mother came to live with us, and I found myself parenting both my three-year-old and my mother. (How)
– We couldn’t find a picture book that would help explain to our son the changes that Nana was going through. This is the book I wish we’d had, and I hope it can help other families going through this difficult time. (Why)
When I have said those things, I’m complete. I can answer other questions without worrying, because I have said what I needed to say.
To figure out your three things, I recommend bribing a friend with coffee. Bring a way to record yourself (phone app or audio recorder). Have your friend ask you, What do you do? How did you get started? and Why does this project matter? Don’t prep ahead of time, just let the words flow.
Get feedback from your friend and listen to the recording. Where can you not stop talking? What ideas are you circling? It may not be the logical answer, but the emotional one. There are things you need to say not just for clarity but because your heart is involved. That’s fine. It’s how we connect as human beings, and your interview will be all the better for it.
Once you’ve figured out what you need to say, how do you make sure you say it? There are two ways:
1) Give the interviewer some questions ahead of time. Come up with 5-8 questions that cover the things you want to say, with the Big Three (what/how/why) prominently featured.
2) Get adept at answering what you wish they’d asked. This is a little tricky only because as human beings, we are so literal. You will find yourself pulled to answer exactly the question asked, even when it’s not interesting or useful. Luckily, transition phrases are your friends! Instead of answering exactly, what you say is:
“Amy, that is a great question. The first thing you need to know is…”
And then you follow that with your What, How, or Why answer. You can always get to their actual question after that.
Too much of the time we listen to find a place to speak. Once you’ve identified the things you need to say and you’re confident that you can say them effectively, you can focus instead on listening to connect — with the interviewer and your audience.
No third degree required.
Laura Brennan is a screenwriter, author, and consultant, helping people communicate their vision. Nana Speaks Nanese is the book she wishes she’d had when her own mother developed Alzheimer’s. She hopes it will help other families explain the changes brought on by dementia.
Learn more at NanaSpeaksNanese.com
Thanks for having me on your lovely blog, Donnell!
Laura, thank you for your generous input.
Great tips, Laura. Thank you for sharing. I participated in a book event at a library and always write down what I want to say. The writer next to me asked what my notes were for and I explained. She said she never did that, she just talked. Yup, she went ten minutes over time allowed and the audience looked bored.
Ha! Yes, alas, that’s the risk of “winging it.” She probably never made her most important points, and they had already stopped listening if she finally did.
*Sigh*
It’s a tango. Don’t take the dance floor and forget to bring your partner — the listeners — along with you. (I bet you killed it, though!)
Donnell, thank *you* for inviting me onto your blog! I’m delighted to help people get out there and get heard.