As a self-published author, you need to market your own book if you want to make sales. And while you’re hand-selling your book, hosting reading events and book signings, and talking about your writing on a podcast or blog—you’re going to be asked questions. Readers will want to know more about you, your writing, and of course, your book! The marketing experts at Self-Publishing Relief know how important it is to practice your answers to interview questions beforehand. You can even use these author interview questions and answers in your book’s back matter and on your marketing materials to build interest in your writing.

Be sure to practice answering these common author interview questions at home before you speak in public so you don’t stumble over your words or seem unsure. And remember, while your fans and soon-to-be-loyal readers want to know more about your book and about you as a writer, they also want to know about you as a person. If you came up with the story’s intriguing setting while visiting an ice bar during a winter carnival—that’s the kind of detail your listeners want you to share!

10 Author Interview Questions You Should Have Answers For

What genre do you most like to read?

What are some of your non-writing hobbies?

Which authors do you admire?

Can you tell us about your book?

Does your book’s title have special meaning?

Where did you get the initial idea for this book?

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?

What was your favorite scene to write?

Who is your favorite character in this book?

Give us a sneak peek of what you’re writing next!

Where To Use Author Interview Questions In Your Book Marketing

Your media kit. A media kit, or press kit, is a publicity package containing promotional information used to help sell your self-published book. Think of it like a business card with bells and whistles! Include a brief synopsis, press release, your author bio—and a sample interview Q&A. Give your press kit to bloggers reviewing your book or bookstores where you would like to host a speaking or signing event.

The back matter of your self-published book. What happens when readers reach The End? They’ll be hungry for more information on you and your book after they finish reading it—so give them what they want! Printing your author interview questions and answers at the end of your book will keep readers interested.

Your author website. Launching a website and keeping it up to date are essential to your success as a self-published author! A Q&A section on your author website will help you stand out and grab the attention of visitors. And having these extra fun facts available on your website will help hook curious readers and turn them into longtime fans!

Your social media. An active social media presence is just as important as an author website for promoting your self-published book. You won’t want to post the entirety of your Q&A on your Facebook author page, Twitter, or Instagram, but you can try teasing your followers with a particularly interesting question or segment. It’s a great tactic for keeping your fans engaged and potentially drawing in new readers.

While it’s smart to have answers ready for the most common author interview questions, you won’t be able to anticipate every possible question. But this can be a good thing! Curious readers will be more likely to contact you or sign up for your newsletter or mailing list. Establishing this type of connection with a reader is a great way to market your self-published book!

Question: What would you ask your favorite author?