What Questions to Ask an Author About Their Book
Engaging questions to ask authors about their books to deepen your understanding, show appreciation for their work, and gain insights into their creative process and inspiration.
1What inspired you to write this book?
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What inspired you to write this book?
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Why this works
Reveals the author's motivation and helps you understand the personal or professional experiences that led to the book's creation.
2How long did it take you to write this book?
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How long did it take you to write this book?
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Why this works
Shows the time investment and helps you understand the dedication and effort required to complete the work.
3What was your writing process like for this book?
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What was your writing process like for this book?
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Why this works
Reveals their creative approach and helps you understand how they structured their writing time and methodology.
4What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
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What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
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Why this works
Shows the obstacles they faced and helps you understand the difficulties and breakthroughs in their writing journey.
5What was the most rewarding part of writing this book?
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What was the most rewarding part of writing this book?
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Why this works
Reveals their satisfaction and helps you understand what aspects of the writing process they found most fulfilling.
6How did you research and prepare for this book?
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How did you research and prepare for this book?
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Why this works
Shows their preparation process and helps you understand the background work and research that went into the book.
7What message or theme did you want to convey in this book?
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What message or theme did you want to convey in this book?
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Why this works
Reveals their intentions and helps you understand the deeper meaning and purpose behind the book.
8How did you develop the characters and plot for this book?
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How did you develop the characters and plot for this book?
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Why this works
Shows their creative development and helps you understand how they crafted the story elements and narrative structure.
9What feedback did you receive during the writing process?
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What feedback did you receive during the writing process?
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Why this works
Reveals their collaboration and helps you understand how they incorporated feedback and worked with editors or beta readers.
10What was your favorite scene or chapter to write?
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What was your favorite scene or chapter to write?
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Why this works
Shows their personal connection and helps you understand which parts of the book they found most enjoyable to create.
11How did you choose the title for this book?
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How did you choose the title for this book?
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Why this works
Reveals their decision-making process and helps you understand the significance and meaning behind the book's title.
12What was your experience with the publishing process?
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What was your experience with the publishing process?
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Why this works
Shows their publishing journey and helps you understand the challenges and opportunities in getting the book published.
13How has this book changed you as a writer?
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How has this book changed you as a writer?
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Why this works
Reveals their growth and helps you understand how the writing experience has influenced their development as an author.
14What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
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What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
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Why this works
Shows their reader focus and helps you understand what impact they hope the book will have on its audience.
15What was your experience with the editing process?
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What was your experience with the editing process?
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Why this works
Reveals their collaboration with editors and helps you understand how the book evolved through the editing process.
16How did you handle writer's block or creative challenges?
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How did you handle writer's block or creative challenges?
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Why this works
Shows their problem-solving and helps you understand how they overcame obstacles and maintained their creative flow.
17What was your experience with the book cover design?
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What was your experience with the book cover design?
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Why this works
Reveals their involvement in the visual aspects and helps you understand how they collaborated on the book's appearance.
18How did you balance writing with other responsibilities?
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How did you balance writing with other responsibilities?
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Why this works
Shows their time management and helps you understand how they juggled writing with other commitments and obligations.
19What was your experience with marketing and promoting this book?
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What was your experience with marketing and promoting this book?
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Why this works
Reveals their promotional efforts and helps you understand how they've worked to reach readers and build an audience.
20What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
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What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
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Why this works
Shows their wisdom and helps you understand what guidance they would offer to others who want to write books.
21What questions do you have about my experience reading your book?
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What questions do you have about my experience reading your book?
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Why this works
Shows your interest in their perspective and helps you gauge their engagement and interest in your reading experience.
Best Practices for Author Interviews
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Interview Strategies
Show Genuine Interest
Ask questions that demonstrate your genuine interest in their work and help you understand their creative process and inspiration.
Focus on the Creative Process
Ask about their writing process, challenges, and breakthroughs to gain insights into how they create their work.
Understand Their Intentions
Ask about their goals, themes, and messages to understand what they hope to achieve with their book.
Conversation Examples
The Author Interview
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Don't Ask About Sales or Money
Avoid questions about book sales, royalties, or financial success, as these can be sensitive or inappropriate topics.
Don't Make Assumptions
Avoid assuming you understand their work or process. Ask questions to learn rather than showing off your knowledge.
Don't Ignore Their Answers
Pay attention to their responses and ask follow-up questions that show you're engaged and interested in their answers.