Promote your book with television interview

As a self-published author, you’d be wrong to think that landing a television interview is out of your realm. There are a number of local and cable programs always on the look for people to interview, so be sure to send them your media kit. You may want to do a little more research, though, about who exactly to target. Based on the book’s topic and genre, some programs will be more ideal than others for you. Seek out television interviews just as you would those for a radio program by sending out your media kit.

Generally, you want to follow the same guidelines as you did for a radio interview in preparing for and conducting yourself during a television interview. But as television is a medium in which people can see you, it poses a few unique guidelines:
• Look neat – Comb your hair and get rid of the dangling jewelry. If possible, opt for contacts over anti-glare eyeglasses. If a male, be shaved and straighten your tie.
• Wear the right colors – Royal blue and pastels, both in solid colors, look good on television screens. Navy blue, black and white tend to look like a blob, and fine patterns tend to create a moiré effect.
• Sit up – By sitting up and leaning slightly forward, you’ll be able to breathe better, making your voice sound better and reducing any nervousness you might have. You’ll also look engaged in the conversation.
• Don’t focus on the camera – To appear natural, that you actually are in a conversation, keep your eyes on the person interviewing you.
• Stay calm – Get rid of the gum, the pen in your hands, and the coins in your pockets. Don’t rock or swivel in your chair. Doing so makes you look nervous.
• Get a good night’s sleep before the interview – Your tired eyes and posture (as well as that mid-interview yawn) will look bad on television, no matter how hard you try to look alert.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.