Publication - Character Interviews

14 January 2012, Publication - Character Interviews

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, go to my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Here is the list of ideas for advertising--there are more and I'll add to the list as we go along.  I'm certainly not an expert in all these, but I've dabbled in all of them.  I'll try to relate my experience and the degree of that experience to you.

1.  Have a website for your novel.
2.  Write a blog.
3.  Advertise.
4.  Literary awards.
5.  Book cards.
6.  Contests.
7.  Interviews.
8.  Blog tours.
9.  Press releases.
10.  Speaking and teaching.
11.  e-mailing.
12.  Gifts.
13.  Book signings.
14.  Book trailers
15.  ...

You can be interviewed for print media, for radio, for TV, on blogs, Internet general, character interviews, trailers just to name a few. 

I've thought about them a lot, but I haven't done one yet--that is a character interview.  These are really popular and a means to get more interest in your writing and novels.  They are interviews you make up with the characters from your books.  Obviously, these are fictional interviews made with your fictional characters.  They can be engaging and they can excite interest in your works.  Mainly, they make great blog fodder and can be added to your secrets pages.

The main question is what questions should you ask (answer) with your characters.  There are two ways to go here.  You can ask questions similar to those you might use when developing a character, or you can use questions you might use when interviewing a person.  I suggest the latter.  So, the kind of questions you might ask:

1.  Tell us about your early life?
2.  What made you choose your occupation?
3.  Why did you move to your current location?
4.  What are your interests outside of work?
6.  What do you intend to do in the future?

That's a good beginning and covers the gamut of a character from the beginning to the future.  That's the great thing about these interviews, you can make up your questions.
We'll move on to trailers, tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.