Live Morning Radio- An Adventure

By Anonymous -
I did my first ever radio interview this morning. If anyone knows of a magic trick to doing interviews and not sounding like you've got a tension bubble in your throat, I'd love to hear it. I sounded incredibly nervous, apparently.

And the minute the DJ Greg Dunker gently reminded me I would be live and asked me to refrain from foul language, I was overwhelmed with this perverse compulsion to start cursing a blue streak. What is that about? I don't curse much in everyday conversation. I hadn't thought about cursing until he said something. But the thought loop of "Don't curse, we're live, don't curse, we're live" made me want drop some f-bombs. Fortunately, I restrained myself, even when a car alarm went off 10 feet away and ended up broadcast across 10 counties.

It was an interesting educational experience and Greg was the consumate interviewer of nervous first-time authors.

Comments

Michelle Rowen said…
I assume I sucked at my one and only radio interview I did for my first book. I assume this because I've never been asked to do another one. I much prefer behind the scenes promo. I remember the interviewer, after finished with me, mentioned that next up he was interviewing Ellen Degeneres, and I believe I said something along the lines of "Oh, say hi to Ellen!"

Loser = Me.

But congrats on getting it done. It's all a learning experience, isn't it??!! LOL
April 2, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Perhaps you missed the part about the tension bubble in my throat. I sounded like a chipmunk!
April 2, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Anonymous said…
I don't think they ask chipmunks back
April 2, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Michelle Rowen said…
Chipmunks are the new black.
April 2, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Kelly Meding/Kelly Meade said…
"Alvin, Simon, Theodore! Do-do do-do-do-do!"
April 3, 2009 at 7:28 AM
Gareth said…
LOL, over the years I have done Radio work and to be honest the best thing to do is to just think of it as a face to face interview. Try and ignore the mikes etc and just treat it as if it were just him and you.

If you're truly nervous about it, ask people for interview questions, sit down with a voice recorder (some MP3 player come with them as standard.) As a friend to collate and print the questions without you seeing them and post them. When you get ready, get comfy, have a drink on hand, set the recorder up, open the envelope and start with number one reading it out and answering it.

You'll find that you have a blast and soon forget all about the recorder as well as finding your voice relaxing. Its a good way to set yourself up and you never know it might help you do the odd pod cast.
April 3, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Nicole Peeler said…
Rather unsurprisingly, I talked my interviewers face off. I talked for like an hour and a half. She nearly died. She couldn't get me to STOP talking. Then she LOST THE TAPE! HA! She was really horrified to tell me she lost it, that I'd be mad. I was like, "YAY I GET TO TALK ABOUT MYSELF AGAIN!!"

And here's the results:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/rrr/.jukebox?action=viewMedia&mediaId=795877
April 3, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Davida Dean said…
I am not an author yet, nor have I been interviewed on air. However I am the child of two public speakers...and the few Times I have had to MC an event at work a speak to huge crowds...i did it pretty well.

the deal is - relax, be your self and mentally imagine yourself sitting with a friend in a coffee shop having a conversation. Swollow the tension bubble (or take a shot of tequila to get rid of it) and just talk to this new friend about your book. as long as you fake something with confidence, people will believe you.
April 4, 2009 at 8:13 AM
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