Radio and Podcast Tips for Authors — Part 1

Congratulations! You’ve been asked to join a radio show or podcast for an interview. This is a great chance to promote your work and share your expertise with a new audience. To communicate effectively and show yourself in the best light, take some time to prepare yourself and your message for the public. Here are some tips on preparing for a radio interview.

Research the show so you know what to expect. Who is the host? Are they representing a larger organization? Is the audience local, national, global? What topics do they cover? A show focusing on politics or history will likely attract different listeners than a show about the craft of writing. All of these factors can influence how you communicate your message.

If recordings of past interviews are available, listen to a few to get a sense of the tone and structure of the show. The host will appreciate that you took the time to learn more about their project.

Determine what your interview will focus on. You will usually already know this from your media pitch or the show’s proposal, but don’t be afraid to clarify so you can prepare properly.

Find out how long the host expects to record. This will be a good guideline for the appropriate number of talking points to prepare. If it is unclear, check to see whether more than one guest will be interviewed in the same show.

Try to anticipate some of the questions you might be asked on the show. Your research will be helpful here, as well as any interview experience you’ve had before. Then plan out some possible responses. You don’t need to write whole paragraphs, just a few relevant points to build on naturally in the moment.

Consider the audience of this show in particular. What will they find interesting about you and your book? Tailor your points to fit the interests of the listeners. Keep in mind that they will probably not have read your book beforehand, so you may need to prime them with context where necessary.

Come up with your sound bites! A sound bite is a short clip from an interview used to summarize and promote the longer piece. They serve as “hooks” for the media to draw in an audience. Most often, they are also the takeaways that will linger with listeners after the interview is over. Try condensing your most important thoughts into their most concise forms. Each sound bite should be somewhere between five and 20 seconds long, averaging out at about 10.

Find a way to make your book newsworthy. How does your book relate to current events, issues, and trends? What unique voice do you lend to topical conversations?

Writing down your sound bites and talking points can be a very different experience than saying them in conversation. You need to practice your verbal delivery too! Find a quiet place and talk through your answers naturally, just like you would on the show. This will be great practice for the real thing.

If you’re having trouble recalling particular points or phrases, you can create cue cards to prompt you during the interview. However, it’s important to use these sparingly— you want to come off as natural and approachable during the conversation.

Sometimes you may be asked to record a radio or podcast show in their studio. In other situations, you’ll be recording remotely. When you call in from afar, you need to create the best possible conditions to capture your conversation.

Find the quietest room in your home or office and stay there during your interview. Ensure your family, coworkers, or anyone else nearby knows that you are on an important call and cannot be interrupted.

Keep a glass of water at hand in case you have a dry mouth or unexpected cough. You may be talking for a while, so stay hydrated!

Silence your phone and other electronics in case you get incoming notifications during the recording. If you’re placing a call to the interviewer, you can disable call waiting by dialing *70 before their phone number.

When recording over the phone, use a landline if possible. If you’re using a cell phone, make sure you are in a stable and quiet location. Don’t use speakerphone— the sound quality will suffer from the added distance and noise.

Be on time to your appearance! If the host will call you, wait by the phone, starting a few minutes before the scheduled meeting time. If you will dial in or join with a link, be there precisely when planned.

A radio or podcast interview can be an excellent opportunity for you and your book. To make the most of your time on-air, put in the preparation beforehand. Your thoughtful planning will help create the best possible experience.

~ Nanda