Author Interviews Archives - Addicted to Writing

How to Survive Being on Podcasts and Cameras as A Writer: 8 Tips

Posted on June 14, 2024 Written by Pinar Tarhan

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a person listening to their own voice from a recording must cringe. I know I do. While as writers we go through phases of loving and hating our written work, having to talk to people on the record is a whole new challenge.

Some actors never watch their own performances on the screen after filming is done, and I suspect they do this to avoid hearing themselves.

Why Writers Need Podcasts and (Video) Interviews

But podcasts are here to stay. TV and video interviews are the bread and butter of writer publicity and marketing. Unless you are already famous with an established fanbase and an engaged email list of a few thousand, you can only ignore the audio and visual platforms at your own peril.

Every time I hear a marketing expert suggest we get on podcasts to talk about our writing, I find myself nodding enthusiastically. When it comes to pitching myself regularly, though, I fall behind. It is of course a cardinal sin: letting admin and writing and (some) procrastination derail your marketing efforts.

My Podcast/TV Experience

The first time I pitched myself to a podcast was for Lee Huffman’s We Travel There. My non-fiction work includes travel writing as well, so I talked about my hometown Istanbul. It was a lovely experience, and luckily video was off.

I enjoyed giving insider tips, especially about the Asian side where I live and most travel coverage concentrates on the European side of the city. And of course, I got to talk about my books as a bonus.

You might find it strange that a novelist got on a travel podcast, but as I mentioned earlier in the post I write about travel too, it made sense for me. It also makes sense if you are an authority on a place and your book is set there.

(I was also interviewed once on a podcast with camera on, and I was once filmed by a TV crew about mental health. In this article, I’m focusing on writing-related appearances.)

Even though I am used to seeing my own face on camera as I teach online, I still find it weird to see myself on the screen as part of an interview.

To get over this, I once agreed to do a TV interview here in Istanbul. They found me via LinkedIn, and I thought why not? Later, I learned that while they would interview me and broadcast it on their channel once for free, I’d have to pay if I wanted the recording. I passed. I was way too nervous, and it wouldn’t be worth the marketing investment. That said, getting in front of a real live TV crew and being interviewed by a host at a studio was a great experience. I thank them for thinking of me.

My latest appearance happened thanks to two writer friends Jon Meyers and Emily Brooks who started their own podcast: Write Better Together. It was a fun, educational and inspirational experience. You can listen to the interview here. If Spotify isn’t your gem, you can also find them on Apple and Amazon.

So let’s say you were invited to be on a podcast. How do you prepare? I’ve got you covered:

8 Tips to Prepare for a Podcast Interview

Listen to previous episodes to get an idea of the format, interviewing style and question types.
Know if the camera will be on. You might need to do some tidying up. And if you can, ensure the background includes your books and/or images of your books.
Know which platform you will be using.
Know what you will talk about and what you will say. But don’t go with a bunch of memorized stuff like a robot. Be flexible. Chances are whatever the topic is, you know what to say. You are an expert. That’s why they are having you on. 🙂
Know what you will say about your book. It is your book, and you know it better than anyone. But some reviewing and note-taking might be in order for an earlier book, and for the questions that stump even the veteran authors: “What’s your book about?” or “Why/Who should buy this book?” The problem isn’t that you don’t know the answer. The problem is the need to be interesting, succinct, and fun at the same time.
It’s okay to be nervous. Most hosts enjoy making you comfortable and understand writing is your main/preferred medium. If the host has a track of being controversial, argumentative or downright annoying their guests, just say no. But if you enjoy that sort of thing, you can take it on. Just prepare for the shocking stuff if you do.
Be flexible. Scheduling conflicts and changes can happen.
Don’t freak about potential tech problems. It can happen to anyone, and your hosts will probably help you out or do it another time.

While I’m still not an expert, I’m slowly getting more comfortable. As always, I wrote this article not just to remind you but also myself: We need to market our work more consistently. And podcasts are a wonderful way to do it.

Have you been on a podcast? A TV/video interview? Do you host a podcast or run a video channel yourself? Please share your experiences and links in the comments. Fellow writers and hosts will appreciate this. I know I will. ?

Interview with Yuki Carlsson – Author of Prison of Loneliness

Posted on August 10, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

Today on the blog, I’ve interviewed my author friend Yuki Carlsson, who’s just released their novel Prison of Loneliness. I’ve talked to Yuki about their writing process, how they got started, their advice for beginning writers and more.

Can you tell us how you started writing?

When I couldn’t write, yet, I glued together my first picture books with my own scribbles, and as soon as I could write, I created another book in which I was telling the story of a child living in the jungle.

Thereafter, I wrote mainly in my diary and came up with another story in my teenage years. However, my real writing journey only started when I went on a sabbatical from my job. A friend of mine and I wanted to write a fictitious vampire story together. The project did not work out, but I wrote my debut novel “Prison of Loneliness” instead and loved it so much that I quit my job and officially became a full-time author.

What genres do you write in and why?

I write psychological literary fiction. At first, I was clueless about it. Roughly thirty book ideas lingered in my head. However, the plots ranged from romantic over fantastical to thrilling. Which audience would want that? And then I realised: the common denominator in all of my stories is the mental background and development of my characters. I, therefore, aim to appeal to an audience of all genders interested in psychology.

How do you find inspiration for your stories?

Think about a walk in the forest. You might only see the path, but in truth, there are twigs and leaves, plants and mushrooms, foxes and mice. The world is full of treasures if you recognise their value.

It is the same with inspiration for stories. Our everyday life holds so much potential: a conversation with a friend, an experience we make, and observations of the people around us. I pick them up and they transform.

A premise idea starts to line out a plot. A character tells me their background. A topic wants to be regarded from all angles. All I do then is to put it together, and if I like the combination I can’t hold back my urge to write the story.

What do you consider the best part of having a writing career? And what do you dislike about this profession?

I love the outlining, the writing and the editing. Often, I lose track of time and find myself saying “Just one more scene and I’ll go to bed” at 2 am in the morning.

However, my experience with book marketing was sobering. A best-selling book is that: a best-selling book, not a best-written book. And hence, a lot evolves around how much money you spend on advertising your work. Also, instead of recognising the value that we authors create, many people claim to want to read your book, but ask you for money to do so. “I’ll write you a review for only $40.”

I despise that. It makes me wonder about the trustworthiness of book reviews and how we can help readers make informed decisions about which book they want to read.

Can you tell us about your latest project?

Prison of Loneliness touches on heavy topics that people avoid talking about: trauma, depression, loneliness, burnout and more. It also addresses differences in mentality between Asia, Europe and North America and brings awareness about the tense Japanese-Korean relation. It is, therefore, a rather tough read, but shows people that they are not alone and inspires their self-help journey through many metaphors and philosophical ideas.

Do you have a writing routine?

Yes, I write every morning right after getting up before doing anything else. Only after an hour or two, do I have breakfast and a look at my phone. Through this routine, I avoid getting influenced from the outside and obtain steady progress on my books.

Do you have a marketing routine?

I want to get a routine of being active on social media and reaching out to fellow authors for collaborations. But otherwise, marketing depends on the stage my books are at.

What wisdom would you like to impart on writers who are only just beginning?

Think about whether you want to make writing a hobby or a business. The approach will be fundamentally different.

The latter can be overwhelming because of the flood of things you have to learn in parallel to establishing your internet presence, writing, editing, and marketing your book.

Think about it this way: other people study literature for several years and others study business administration. Establishing a writing business from scratch is like studying two majors while onboarding a new job and working in it full time.

My advice would hence be to start writing as a hobby and learn about story composition, writing rules, and editing first. Only then, think about a business model, and your target audience, establish a webpage, and an email newsletter. Thereafter, schedule and plan your book launch. One step at a time.

What are some of your favorite books? Who are your fav. authors? Why?

Ironically, I don’t read much; I prefer to write.

However, some works really impressed and inspired me, among others: Goethe’s Faust and Werther, Hermann Hesse’s Beneath The Wheel and Steppenwolf, Exupery’s The Little Prince, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

What I love about these works are the beauty of the language, the depth of the message, and the timelessness of the plots. While my first novel is contemporary, I aspire to address timeless topics, too, and I want to continue improving my language.

What are some non-writing facts about you that you would like to share with us?

I lived many years abroad and always try to expand my horizon and come to a better understanding of people, regardless of their cultural background, mentality, personality, gender etc.

In my free time, I learn about psychology, play piano, do extreme sports or converse with close friends.

What’s next for you?

The first draft of my memoir is finished and going into beta-reading now. So next for me is editing my memoir, making Prison of Loneliness into an audiobook, and creating the concept for part 2 of the series.

Where can we find you on the web?

You can find me almost everywhere, but I am most active on my webpage and Instagram:

www.yukicarlsson.com

https://amazon.com/author/yukicarlsson

https://www.instagram.com/yukicarlsson/

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/YukiCarlsson

@yukicarlsson

https://yukicarlsson.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084395569886

https://www.youtube.com/@yukicarlsson

https://www.reddit.com/user/YukiCarlsson

https://www.linkedin.com/company/yukicarlsson/

Interview with Author and Coach Tiki Paige

Posted on May 6, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

You know I love interviewing lovely authors on this blog, and today my guest is Tiki Paige. She’s had quite the life, and she continues to have great adventures both in and outside of her books.

Enjoy!

Where are you from and where do you live?

I’m a true international soul that belongs everywhere and nowhere. I’ve traveled the world when I was younger and I still continue to explore this wonderful planet that I’m so proud to call my home. I was born in Africa, I grew up in Europe, lived and worked in Asia and found love in America. I currently live in Dubai and I’m immensely grateful to have had the chance to live on four continents.

When did you start writing and when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when I was eight years old, after I became very fond of pencils and notebooks. My grandma taught me how to write cursive and I was always impressed with her patience and perseverance. She was a talented storyteller and a wonderful teacher. I started writing through doodling and drawing comics and later on began turning short stories into mini novels as I used to call them. Wherever I go, I carry a notebook and a pencil case full of various pens and pencils, because I’m always jotting down my thoughts, enthralled by the world that I see around me.

What do you write?

I write contemporary romance and non-fiction. My non-fiction books are writing guides and journals as well as travel and personal development books. In my romance novels, you’ll always find gorgeous heroes and strong, independent heroines.

Let’s talk about your latest book. Can you tell us about Let’s Just Call It Love? What’s it about? What inspired it?

Let’s Just Call It Love is a contemporary romance novella. Our heroine, Tessa, who is a quality control executive and a writer/blogger for the airline magazine is on her way to Iceland but soon learns that her flight plans change. Here’s the blurb:

Getting stuck on the same flight as her ex-fiancé is not part of Tessa Reynold’s plan. She was on her way to Snowland, and now she’s headed for Dubai. Her mind is a mess and she must not do anything stupid. Only, her hormones dictate otherwise.

Enter Jack Smitt, a successful entrepreneur who offers her a lifetime’s worth of adventure in just a few short days.

Stuck between her past and a tempting present, Tessa must decide: allow herself a weekend of extraordinary enjoyment in a world of romance and excitement she’s never seen before or simply hide under the covers of her tiny hotel bed, and weep over her failed relationship with the jerk who shattered her heart in pieces.

Since I’ve been a long-time resident of Dubai, I’ve had the chance to explore every corner of this part of the world. My favorite places are found in nature and there are many wadis (valleys or channels that are filled with clean water in the rainy season) that took my breath away the first time I visited them. The inspiration for the story is actually set in Oman, a famous wadi many people know about but only a few explore because of the cave that I described in the book. UAE and Oman are fantastic places to visit to quench your thirst for adventure.

Can you tell us about your coaching?

I’m a certified holistic life coach and I spent over five years working with women, helping them find peace and harmony in their lives and accomplish goals that were once only written on paper. I was a very active blogger and a workshop facilitator. I enjoyed working as a life coach but somewhere along the way I realized that while I was doing a fulfilling work and helping others, I forgot to listen to myself in the process. I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer and that I would turn my writing into a full-time, thriving career. But with a busy coaching schedule, my writing was only reserved for blogging and magazine articles. And this wasn’t enough. I needed to express myself deeply, I needed to go back to the world of fiction and that’s when I decided to stop life coaching. I now coach writers who want to become authors.

You also host a fantastic podcast, which I’m honored to have been a guest on. How did you decide to start? What’s your favorite thing about hosting/having your own podcast?

Wow! Thank you so much! Yes, my podcast, Simply Romance, just launched a few days ago, on my birthday! I’m so excited. And it was a great pleasure to have you as a guest. Thank you!

I’m a devoted podcast listener and I’ve always wanted to be a host. I spent half a decade traveling the world and interviewing people for their dream job. So, I said to myself, if not now, when? And I am so happy that I did it. I can’t wait to bring so many amazing writers like you on the show and help all the beautiful souls out there who may just be starting out on their writing journey.

Do you have tips for authors who want to start their own podcasts?

Write down what you want. Research. Research. Research. Make a plan and stick with it. If you see it’s not going the way you wanted, tweak it. Ask for help. Don’t wait and don’t stop. You’ll learn along the way.

Do you have tips for writers who struggle with finding ideas or getting unstuck during certain scenes, etc.

Absolutely. One of my favorite hacks that I learned during a writers’ retreat is to take any book you like and simply start copying the sentences. You take a pen in your hand and open a notebook and simply start writing. I know it sounds like a daunting task but it won’t take you more than ten minutes to realize that you no longer need to copy someone else’s sentences but start writing your own. It’s as simple as that and it works every time!

And then there’s editing and marketing. Do you have a specific process and/or tips you’d like to share with authors?

I love editing . . . other people’s work. I love writing my stories but editing thousands of times before sending it to my editor is daunting and time-consuming. This is the part I do not enjoy but I never half-ass anything so I keep working until it’s done. Also, reading your story starting from the end always makes sense. It helps you find mistakes you otherwise never would have seen if you started from Chapter 1 as we all usually do.

Who are your favorite authors? And why?

I grew up reading Japanese, European, and American literature. There are so many authors whose work I fell in love with, to name a few: Dante Alighieri, Jane Austen, Herman Hesse, Jules Verne, Leo Tolstoy, Sei Shonagon, Ernest Hemingway, Yasunari Kawabata, Daphne du Maurier, Oscar Wilde, Françoise Sagan.

In my teenage years, I became very fond of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s books after I got To Be the Best for my birthday. I also liked reading Sandra Brown, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux, and Linda Howard.

I read about 30 personal growth books a year. On my website, I have a whole page dedicated to personal development books. The list keeps growing and I know there are many I haven’t yet mentioned.

Where can we find your books and writing?

My books are available worldwide but the best place to find them is on Amazon. You can also visit my website tikipaige.com to find out more about my books and my writing journey.

Can you share some non-writing related facts about yourself?

I love tap dancing and will forever be infatuated with the sound these shoes make. My favorite time of day is early morning and I love cloudy, rainy days. This is when I’m most productive. I also love sunshine and the sea and Dubai is so generous with sun and sand activities. I love kayaking and simply spending a few hours out at the sea, just drifting, jotting down moments I experience during that time and breathing in the world around me. When I’m not listening to podcasts while driving, you’ll find me listening to music in many different languages from all over the world. I’m a big Mother Earth and animal advocate. I’ve lived through hardship and devastation and I know how precious life is. I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful family and amazing friends in my life.

Where can we find you online?

Come say hi on Instagram @tikipaigewriter or visit tikipaige.com

Any parting words?

Keep writing and keep working on your dreams. Hang around people who’ve done it and who know what they’re talking about. If someone tells you that becoming a successful and thriving author is impossible, thank them, turn around, and continue walking your own path. If you keep working and keep writing, you’ll learn that your success is inevitable. Someday, you’re going to be someone’s favorite author.

Interview with Novelist Trudy Myers

Posted on April 7, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

For this post, I interviewed American author Trudy Myers. She writes in different genres and has some great insights into the writing life.

Where are you from and where do you live?

I grew up in the midwest of the US, mainly in Nebraska and Colorado. When my husband and I retired, we moved to our current home in Groveland, Florida. That’s just an hour’s drive from the theme parks of Orlando.

When did you start writing and when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I started putting stories down on paper in the fourth grade, about age 10. I’ve been writing pretty nonstop since, but it was only after I retired from my day job that I started getting published by other small presses.

What do you write?

Mostly novels. Short stories are difficult for me, because I keep wanting to introduce complications, and before I know it, it’s not a short story anymore. As for what genres I do write, it’s really whatever strikes my fancy. My first two stories published were paranormal, then a fantasy. Then I wrote two romances, and now I’m working on a soap opera romantic science fiction series.

I write under two different names; my own (Trudy V Myers) and a pen name I use for romances (Linda NMI Joy).

Let’s talk about your latest book. What’s it about? What inspired it?

The science fiction series I just mentioned was inspired by Star Trek, the original series. I loved the idea of a spaceship traveling around, having adventures. But with people being people, I was sure there would be some kind of drama between crew members as well. So I introduced a new communications officer on a well-established ship.

She came from a heavy world, so she was stronger than most of the other crew women, and she also had a lot of unusual beliefs about men, due to her father’s heavy-handed upbringing. The crew does have adventures, but she has her own internal adventures trying to fit in with the crew.

Do you have tips for writers who struggle with finding ideas or getting unstuck during certain places in their stories?

I usually start with a character. I give them characteristics that make them ‘different’, and then I start building a world around them. That usually introduces another character or two, and possibly a problem that needs to be solved. If no problem presents itself, I have to complicate the world to create a problem.

As for getting stuck at some point, I’ll try different methods. I’ll re-read the last chapter or two, looking for a place where I can turn the story in a new direction. I’ll wonder if I’ve got the characters acting true to themselves. If I’ve got a hot-headed warrior woman, she wouldn’t suddenly turn tail and run. You have to let the characters be themselves.

And then there’s editing and marketing. Do you have a specific process and/or tips you’d like to share with authors?

I generally put my rough drafts through 3 edits. In the first one, I concentrate on finding inconsistencies and plot holes and fixing them. In the second edit, I study each scene to make sure it’s necessary. A long rambling scene that only introduces one or two facts that are important will be eliminated and those important facts moved to other scenes.

In the third edit, I check my grammar, my punctuation, spelling, word use, etc. It sounds like I’m doing a lot in my third edit, but I’m lucky that I have a pretty strong understanding of grammar and punctuation.

As for marketing, I’m still trying to figure out what works. There are lots of people out there with good ideas. You have to decide what you can do, and ultimately, what will work for you.

Who are your favorite authors? And why?

Robert Asprin, Connie Willis, Esther Friesner

I love some comedy in my reading. I grew up reading for enjoyment, and comedy really appeals to me.

Where can we find your books and writing?

My books that are published by MoonPhaze are on Smashwords.com, which offers several ebook formats. If you are looking for a physical book, rather than an ebook, try MoonPhaze.com. On both of these websites, try both names for me, Trudy V Myers and Linda NMI Joy.

I also have a weekly blog at TrudysUniverse.blogspot.com. It is an eclectic assortment of whatever subject I researched that week. When I retired, I started thinking of writing science fiction and realized my science knowledge was woefully out of date. So I subscribed to 3 different science magazines to try to catch up.

Sometimes I do a little more research on a particular subject and report on it in my blog. Lately, I have been reporting on various animals from the last ice age.

Can you share some non-writing facts about yourself?

I also have hobbies, such as making ‘bumpy foreheads’ for those who want to try being an alien warrior from Star Trek. My husband got me into this, as he wanted to be one, and didn’t know where to get a forehead. It’s a lot of fun, but can be a lot of work.

I also crochet, knit, sew, and do leatherwork, when I can find the time.

I like cats. Dogs are okay, but I’m a cat person. Unfortunately, allergies keep me from having one.

Where can we find you online?

On Facebook, look for Trudy Myers.

I also handle Twitter posts for MoonPhaze, @MoonPhazePub

Any parting words?

Thank you for having me. It was fun to answer your questions. (A couple of them made me stop and think, always difficult early on a weekend morning.)