Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Are You Ready To Be A Media Star?


Every writer wants to be a published author.  Every published author wants to be featured in the news media and have a bestseller.  But have writers and authors given a lot of thought as to what they will say if given a media spotlight to shine bright?

Surprisingly, many authors do not always give the best interviews when talking to the media. 

They get nervous.  They forget.  They were unprepared or didn’t get media coaching.  Or they just give off the wrong vibe or a message that lacks impact.

How do you avoid seeing your big chance slip by?  You need to visualize your message, practice presenting it, and always improving it.  Never be satisfied with any media appearance or you’ll become an underachieving, complacent, and ineffective media personality.

For authors, they should know that what their book is about is not necessarily what their media appearance will focus on.  For instance, the media outlet has its own angle to run with.  If you’re a local author then the story pegs you as a hometown hero.  If it’s an issues-oriented radio show, you are expected to debate multiple issues, based on being an expert and author.  If you’re being interviewed on a blog that focuses on books about dogs and your book fits that criteria, be prepared to talk about dogs – yours, those of others, those in your books, those of the blogger.  If it’s a news TV program, be ready to relate your book’s topic to the news of the day.  The news is not that you have a book; you are to provide expert insight on breaking news or current events.

So how do authors prepare for an interview?

First and foremost, anticipate what the questions might be, practice answering them, and then look to tighten your answers so they sound insightful, energetic, current, and edgy or dynamic.

Second, have in mind the core 5-6 points that you want to get across in every interview, no matter what they as k you.  Remember, you are doing media to brand yourself, sell books, get others to take action steps such as click on your site, and to help others with an inspiring message. 

You aren’t really there to answer everything the media wants to know.  It’s your interview – not theirs!

It helps if you know something about the news media outlet, so that you can communicate with it at the level it’s used to functioning at.  You don’t want to speak in a morning zoo radio voice to NPR, do you?

My last bit of advice is for you to speak with confidence and courage.  Act as if everyone needs to hear what you have to say.  Assume others are interested and care about your message.  Don’t be cocky, egotistical, or obnoxious – just be a forceful, charismatic, but humble voice for sanity.

You’ll do well once you convince yourself that you are the star, that you are the one the media wants and has chosen.  Once you understand that you dictate your fate, you will be on fire. 

Good luck!


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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014.

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