If you’re a fellow author or thinking of becoming an author, I hope you’re comfortable doing public speaking. The two kind of go hand in hand.
That’s not as true for short-form writers as it is for book authors. But book authors often do public readings from their books to help get the word out about them, and nonfiction writers in particular (and fictioneers to a lesser extent) also appear on radio and TV.
This can happen in either of two ways. Most often, you, the writer, will initiate the contact. Again, it’s in quest of publicity. You might contact the radio and TV stations in your area to see if you can get on a talk show or news show as an interviewee, talking about your new book. You might also try nationally; although it’s tough to get booked on top-rated TV shows like OPRAH or TODAY, as you work your way down the list in terms of popularity, shows that are less highly rated are relatively easier to get on.
Radio is easier to get on than TV is, and also you can do a radio interview from almost anywhere, either as a phoner or over a platform like Skype. So you can live in Oshkosh and do a local radio show in Ashtabula without having to undertake a long drive or paying airfare.
If you write fiction, mostly you have just your novel to talk about. But if you write nonfiction, you can talk about the subject of your book. This makes you a more attractive guest. You can talk about “10 Ways to ____” or “How to Avoid ____” or “What Do You Do When ____?” You’re not just getting up there and saying, “Buy my book!”
If you’re really lucky (and you write nonfiction), occasionally a broadcast station will seek you out. Some years ago, when “stranger danger” was a particularly hot topic, I wrote a series of six little books for younger elementary school-age kids on the topic of staying safe. Subsequently, there was a kidnapping in California that made headlines across the nation, and the news director of a California TV station contacted me to ask if I could appear via video uplink and talk about safety rules for kids as an “expert.” I was directed to go to the local ABC network affiliate, where I was placed in front of a “green screen” and given an earpiece so I could hear my interviewer on the ABC affiliate station in California that had contacted me. (I lived then, as I still do now, in South Florida.) It was certainly great promo for my books.
I love doing broadcast interviews. Most of the ones I do are radio, but I remember one time, early in my authorial career, when I went on TV and “froze.” I totally blanked. I could not remember one darned thing that was in the book I was supposed to be talking about! That doesn’t happen to me anymore, but I sure made an a$$ of myself that day!
I don’t know why it happened that one time. I’ve always loved public speaking—even as a kid. But fortunately it never happened again. And I’ve done tons of radio, some TV, a little web-based video, and some public speaking personal appearances.
If you enjoy getting up in front of an audience or speaking to an audience via radio or TV, you’ll be a natural at promoting your book!
And it’s fun, too!