Who can give me some ideas of questions I can ask an author at an interview?

Question

I am interviewing a writer about her novel, which is yet to be completed, and I'm slightly stuck for ideas. This is going to be my third interview with her, so many of the basic questions that I could ask have already been answered in previous interviews. What kind of questions could I ask regarding developpment of plots and characters, speaking generally about nothing specific?

Answer 1

  WHO DONE IT ?

Answer 2

I'm assuming you are interviewing her for a written article, rather than conducting a radio or TV interview.

Michael Parkinson, the doyen of British chat show hosts, who worked for years in print journalism says that he has always got more interesting answers by keeping his mouth shut and listening and raising his eyebrow occasionally.

Short sharp questions such as "Why?", or "How?" are infinitely preferable to asking things such as "You obviously must have been very upset - were you?".

That boils down to always ask open rather than closed questions unless you are fact checking.

"Who do you think is the most underrated author?" is quite good for writers.

Added: Sorry. This won't apply to you if you are having a third interview with the same author, but just in case any tyro journalists are reading this DO YOUR BACKGROUND RESEARCH. There is nothing less conducive to 'giving good interview' than being faced by somebody who hasn't bothered to even read the press release, never mind the book.

Answer 3

You could ask her what is her favourite cheese or something like that.

I'm being serious! It surely must spark some conversation which will lead to other questions.

Or you could ask if the characters are based on any one inparticular, how she comes up with her ideas, if her settings are based on real places.

Answer 4

Ask them about their writing process. What inspires them to write. What inspired them to write that novel..If they always wanted to write books when they were a child..

Answer 5

(These are questions I would liked to be asked being an author, the book is on the hselfs yet and doesn't have a release date yet so don't ask) What gave you the idea for your character? (hope noone asked that one lol) Do you feel the main character resembles you? How?

What makes the climax the climax in your book? (sorry not very good, if the book was published you could ask where she got the idea for the book and how she got published those are the questions i would want to be asked the other three i made up becouse i didn't look at the whole question till after i wrote what i did at the top)

Answer 6

Are you as good as the hype says you are?

Answer 7

What inspired the novel?

Do you see yourself in any of the characters?

Did you base any characters off of friends or family?

What made you decide to end the book the way you did?

Would you say you know your characters well?

What part of your novel was the most fun to write?

What part of your novel do you like the best?

What inspired the character of so-and-so?

What was the climax like to write?

Do you have any thoughts on so-and-so's behavior throughout the novel?

Who's your favorite character?

Were you aware of how the novel would end when you started it?

What author would you compare yourself to?

Answer 8

How close is your writing area to the fridge and do you gain more weight according to the length of the book?