How to Conduct Interviews That Resonate With Today's Readers

Pick up any consumer magazine or trade publication and it’s highly likely you’ll hit upon an interview or two.
Interviews are popular reads because our natural curiosity as human beings piques our interest in the private lives and inner-workings of others.

Whether it’s the success story behind power players, or Oprah’s beauty secrets; inquiring minds wanna’ know. As writers, we are entrusted with the important task of telling others’ stories, and being the voice of the impoverished, the afflicted, and even those blessed with the “it factor“.

In my professional career, I have had the privilege of both being the interviewer and interviewee, and based on this experience, here’s what I’ve discovered about conducting interviews that connect with today’s reader.

Timely tips to master the art of the interview:

1. Start out with a clear agenda. In other words, what’s your purpose? (It shouldn’t be just to “parrot” information). Is it to increase awareness of a cause or movement? Promote an event? Educate? Entertain? Provide a noteworthy individual with his deserved 15 minutes of fame? Your agenda will establish your approach, direction and the nature of your questions.

2. Resist rookie questions like “Do you have a dog?” Or “What’s your favorite color?” It wastes valuable time, and adds very little depth or value to your piece. Instead, strive for things that delve into the person’s life philosophy, business strategy, or “ah-ha” moments.

3. Do your homework. Before assembling questions, do a little online sleuth work. Many times, you can find interesting facts and tidbits by visiting the subject’s blog, Facebook page, Linkedin profiles, and even quotes from other articles. Consider interviewing someone who knows or has worked with the interviewee for background information too.

4. Inject a little humor when appropriate. Humor is to writing what spices are to cooking. Find a funny angle from an anecdote shared. Or have him reveal his most embarrassing moment, or a hidden talent. For example, I was watching a program that documented the life of Dr. Phil, and discovered that he enjoyed watching cartoons, (even into adulthood). Who would have thought?

5. Decide the best way to capture the essence of the interview, by knowing your strengths and weaknesses. If you’re a poor listener, have a short attention span, or trouble sometimes deciphering your handwriting, it may be wise to conduct the interview via email questions for accuracy purposes. If on the other hand, you enjoy using imagery, then a face-to-face, where you can assess body language, tone, and use your skills of observation might prove more successful.

6. Put yourself in the readers’ place. What would you like to know about the person being featured? What makes him interesting or different? Why should readers care?

7. Enhance your interview with quality images. There’s great truth to the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

8. Watch and incorporate some of the trademark techniques of talented TV interviewers like Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey, and Dianne Sawyer. Oprah, you’ll find, is always personal, witty and compassionate. Barbara is provocative, sharp and unapologetic. While Dianne is no-nonsense and straight-forward. Case in point… Oprah admitted once on her show, that as a young girl she was inspired to become a reporter from observing Barbara Walters decades before.


By following these eight tips you’ll make the most of your next interview and make more money in your freelancing career.

Thoughts? What tips or techniques do you use to ace interviews?

Image: Stock

A Day With Dan...
Writing For Dollars Creator and Editor Extraordinaire

Q. Please tell Pen And Prosper readers who you are (although many know), and a little about your professional background.

A. My name is Dan Case. I am the owner of AWOC.COM Publishing and editor of its flagship publication, Writing for DOLLARS! I’m the co-author of The Complete Guide to Writing and Selling Magazine Articles (AWOC.COM Publishing). I sold my first magazine article in 1981 and have been writing and selling articles ever since. I am the current president of the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI.org), a federation of writers’ groups throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states (Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas).

Q. What was the inspiration behind your popular newsletter/site Writing for Dollars?

A. I was working as a computer programmer for a big corporation in the 1990’s and on the side, I experimented with the Internet. In 1997, I created a database of writer’s guidelines (the first one on the Internet) so I could learn database programming and put it on AWOC.COM. I had this URL registered earlier when I published a cartoon strip on the Internet. The name of the strip was “A Whole Other Country,” thus AWOC. Shortly after I created the database I decided that I needed to collect email addresses of writers so I could keep them informed about new or updated entries in the database. So I started the newsletter, Writing for DOLLARS! in December, 1997 with 109 subscribers. WFD was a monthly newsletter the first couple of years, then a semi-monthly (twice a month) and then three years ago became a weekly newsletter.

Q. What, in your opinion, separates a good writer from a great writer?

A. Discipline. I know many talented writers who aren’t published or who sell very little of their work because they aren’t disciplined enough to sit down and write regularly. I also know many writers who have turned into highly successful writers because they have the discipline to work at it, learn the craft, create business plan, and become successful writers -- even though they weren’t the most talented writer. Does this make them “great?” I think so.

Q. Complete the following sentence: Success is...?

A. Obtaining your goals.

Q. If your life could be summed up in a book or a song, what would it be called?

A. The Long and Winding Road.

Q. What would it surprise others to know about you?

A. I’m pretty predictable so I don’t think anyone would be surprised at anything I do.

Q. Have any favorite authors that you read in your spare time?

A. I have a long list of authors I read for fun… Vince Flynn, Lee Child,
Robert B. Parker, Charles W. Sasser, and Dusty Richards are a few that I grab their new books as soon as they are published. I read 75-100 books per year.

Q. How can writers improve their chances of being published at W.F.D.?

A. Read the guidelines - http://www.writingfordollars.com/wfdguidelines.cfm - and slant an article just right for us.

Q. What's your opinion on the social media craze and writers using it to promote their work?

A. That’s just it… everyone’s doing it. I’m not too sure if this works anymore. Writer’s need to be on the cutting edge. Try promoting in ways that not everyone is trying yet. Author Bob Avey was doing BLOG tours before anyone else. He got his novel reviewed in USA Today as a result. Bob was also one of the first authors to have his book cover completely covering the sides of his car -- he was mistaken for the pizza man when he parked at my house overnight. (Not everything works.)

Q. Any new projects or plans for Dan or W.F.D. fans can look forward to?

A. We have new books coming out to help writers become more successful. The latest, The Instant VIP: Insider Secrets to Fame, Freedom & Fulfillment as an Expert Author by Ronda Del Boccio, will hit the airwaves this week.


Dan left the rat race years ago and now lives on a small farm in North Texas.
He loves zucchini.

To learn more about Dan or Writing for Dollars, visit www.writingfordollars.com/

Pen and Prosper welcomes your comments or questions on this Q&A.

Pen & Prosper Presents a Q & A with Rob and Miranda Walker

Meet Robert W. Walker and wife Miranda Phillips Walker.

They're here today to answer some burning questions, like how they’ve managed to kill off only fictional characters with two crime novelists under one roof.

Rob’s latest is DEAD ON, Five Star Bks., and Mianda's latest and first is The Well Meaning Killer from Krill Press.

Q. In various interviews on the web, both of you have recommended that writers not quit the day job. Is there a story behind this recommendation?

M’s A: As an ER nurse, I get a lot of my most exciting and frightful scenes on the job!
Still, if I had my druthers, I’d happily be writing full-time and retire from that arena as it is extremely taxing, despite how good one is at saving a life -- and I can safely say I have saved quite a few, including a neighbor late one night. However, writing does not offer benefits or a steady income to say the least.

R’s A: As a professor of English one barely gets by in this economy but at least it is a known, a given to see the paycheck at the end of the month, whereas writing has enormous ups and downs monetarily as well as emotionally. Each book is harder and harder to sell in this tough market. One can go two and even three years between contracts even if he has a track record. There are the exceptions, those who are struck by the Oprah or Eastwood lightning or similar good luck, but less than one percent of all authors in this country can support a family on earnings from writing, a sad reality. Now if President Obama were to tell folks he is reading my Shadows in the White City then yeah, I’ve won the lottery.

Q. You are very active in promoting your books. What are some of the toughest lessons you’ve learned about the “art” of self-promotion.

M’s A: You have to throw all caution and shyness out the window; perhaps ladylike-ness, too. You want to be yourself but you also have to find a comfortable sales person lurking within. Sitting behind a desk and failing to make eye contact won’t cut it at a signing, and figuratively doing the same online won’t either, but I am trying at the same time not to sound arrogant or self-important as I am anything but.

R’s A: Oh I have to stop “tossing” books into people’s baskets, especially those in wheelchairs, but darn I just know they will love the book and not regret “discovering” it for themselves. I kid with people online and in person, and the lesson I have learned in this business is that you don’t sell the book, you sell yourself. If folks likes ya, they will open your book and read it, hopefully after purchasing it.

Q. What is your favorite writing-related subject to give advice on?

M’s A: That if I can do it, anyone can. It’s a struggle, not easy, and made harder often by your circumstances--I have four children, and I also have to contend with Rob! But I did it--I got my novel written, shopped around, educated myself on the markets, and found a publisher and now hold my book in my hand with the hope others will be entertained by it. It requires a great deal of research and education about the business.

R’s A: Craft matters, working on elements of style and finding one’s voice that perfectly fit’s the story at hand. I also push the fact every young writer ought to write a mystery as it is the fastest surest way to learn plotting for any type of novel. Finally, how to write one’s own pitch and or back-flap copy or the shortest most important story you will ever write, the story about your story and how it is effectively done. This becomes a useful tool in all marketing endeavor for the book.

Q. List three of your favorite writing self-help books.

M‘s A: Rob‘s recently published DEAD ON WRITING, a kindle book I read in rough draft. David Morrell‘s excellent book on the subject. Tom Sawyer‘s great book on writing.

R‘s A: — Chris Roerden’s book,Don’t Murder Your Mystery and her Don’t Sabotage Your Submission/ J.A. Konrath’s free book, A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing, Robin Carr’s Tips for Writing Popular Fiction, Dean R. Koontz’ Writing Popular Fiction, and Jerome Stern’s Making Shapely Fiction. Oops! I went over three.

Q. Both of you have written about the importance of learning how to write romance and incorporate it in your stories. Why do you feel it is important to include romance? How did you learn how to write romance? And is there a book or course you would recommend to other authors to help them learn how to incorporate quality romance writing into their stories?

M’s A: Romance is at the heart of every good story in my estimation. Characters like people want to find romance in their lives, don’t they? Not sure of any books on the subject or courses on how to write romance except to say Rob writes great love scenes, and I aspire to do the same or at least create an intriguing triangle.

R’s A: I learned what NOT to do by reading a book called The Romance Writers Handbook. Actually it was a complete listing of descriptive phrases for every body part from the nose to the toes--what’s been said and done and done, so I tried to avoid these “clichés” in romance writing or put a new spin on them, use the old wine but put it into a new bottle. I love to pair a hero and heroine and let them go at it as in Moonlighting….I think that ought to be an author’s verb--Moonlight your characters as you would Gaslight a character as in Gaslight. The darkness of a dark mystery or even a horror novel can be balanced by an intriguing romantic development between two characters as in Dead On, and in Miranda’s Well Meaning Killer. I do the same in near about all my books.

Q. You have recently been reformatting some of your stories for use with Amazon’s Kindle. Is there anything you have learnedthe hard way in this process that you can share to help the restof us as we move into this new format?

M’s A: In my case, my publisher took The Well Meaning Killer to a Kindle version, and as it is my only book thus far, I am taking a wait and see attitude. I have learned from Rob, who has had far more experience with it that the cost of a kindle book needs be far less than a hardcopy book or else no sale!

R’s A: The kindle titles I have up are three that HapreCollins put up, and 13 ebooks at Fictionwise.com have been formatted for kindle sales, or kindalized, but more recently, I have placed eight titles on kindle all on my own and I have found it to be an easy process with some glitches in step three, converting your file to html format. Directions I followed are found at dtpamazon.com What is great about it is that you are your own publisher, art director, PR person, and you sink or swim based on your choices and not those of some person in a conglomerate who thinks your title needs be changed to sound more like a Stephen King title or decides it ought to be 90,000 words when it is in fact a 140.000 word book, and so it is in the end liberating and freedom from constraints I have faced for thirty odd years.

Q. What are you currently working on? Will this book also be available on Kindle eventually?

M’s A: I am working on a sequel to The Well Meaning Killer set in Kill Devil Hills/Cape Hatteras area. Having fun with it and I am confident my publisher is anxious to see it, and it will go kindle if it goes Krill!

R’s A: I am revamping some out of prints for the Kindle as my next project. I placed up at the Kindle Store three original novels: Cuba Blue, Deja Blue, Children of Salem, and a number of recycled out of prints horror novels, a how to on writing, a collection of short stories with commentary, and DEAD ON. At the moment kindalizing is my top priority along with working with my clients on their books as I edit and ghost write as well.

Q. You are very giving of your time, rarely asking for anything in return. Why do you enjoy teaching and helping other authors?

M’s A: Pay it forward is just how I operate, and I’ve seen such generosity in other mystery authors, and have been the recipient of it. How can I be otherwise?

R’s A: Ahhh…the teachable moment, and I am a born teacher. What can I say? My and Miranda’s blogs and sites are all about sharing the knowledge and know how, skills and tools to become successful.

The only time I charge for it is when a client seriously wishes for me to copy edit and make developmental changes or suggestions, or to ghost write and this is done at way under market costs.

Brief bios:

Robert W. Walker grew up Chicago, IL but was born in Corinth, MS, and as a graduate of Northwestern University, and the NU's Graduate Masters in English Education program, he has been a lifelong learner and writer, penning over forty novels. Three years ago he met Miranda and he has resided here in Charleston, WV ever since. He teaches at WVSU in Institute and continues to write, speak, edit, and ghost write. In the mid-eighties Rob began writing his eleven -book Instinct Series with Dr. Jessica Coran, ME as his lead, and his four-book Edge Series with Det. Lucas Stonecoat, Texas Cherokee investigator. Rob's most recent original work appears at the Kindle Store on Amazon.com, Children of Salem, and now on traditional publishing shelves, Dead On is available. Rob can be found online at http://www.robertwalkerbooks.com/ and in all the usual places where one finds writers online.

Miranda Phillips Walker a WV born author who lived in Baltimore for some 30 years is uniquely qualified to pen The Well Meaning Killer, a suspenseful mystery and an expose of the corruption and graft in the underbelly of our Nation’s foster care programs and systems. Walker, a Registered Nurse, also holds a Psychology degree with a minor in Sociology and has been a Registered Nurse for over seventeen years. Her life in medicine has been far more exciting and colorful than any program on TV such as ER or Grey’s Anatomy. Miranda says of The Well Meaning Killer, “I understand the demons that drive Crusher, the killer, and I have insights into the Child Protective Services that few possess. Going into the writing of this novel, I was armed with the right tools and weapons to make it work. I trust that the reader will agree. Miranda has enjoyed writing from an early age, using writing and the love of music to comfort her from her turbulent upbringing. When asked about her childhood, Miranda laughs and says “I’d;ve been better raised bya pack of wolves.” But being a positive person, she has used her life experiences to help her patients, and now to hopefully bring entertainment to her readers. She can be found everywhere on the web and at her site website at: http://www.mirandaphillipswalkerbooks.com/

Love Talk--An Interview With Best Selling Author---WILLIAM JULY

“I wasn’t interested in flirting, asking for a phone number, or diving into bed with her. I simply said hello.”---
William July, BROTHERS, LUST, AND LOVE

Meet Dr. William July.

For more than a decade, he has provided relationship rescue to thousands, as a best-selling author, speaker, and relationship coach.
He is to self-help and dating, what “Baby Face” is to romantic music.
His words of wisdom have helped countless readers to love smarter and lead more meaningful lives. I am one of them.

I first became familiar with William many years ago, when we were both contributing writers to Being Single Magazine. Through a chain of events, and “divine order”, we became big fans of each other’s works. And you’ll become a fan too, the minute you pick up one of his popular, insightful titles on love, mating and relating. Open the pages at any point, and it feels as if he’s sitting right in your living room having a one on one conversation.

What’s different in his approach to relationships, is that he challenges us to ask the tough questions---to not look for scapegoats, or quick fixes.
He compels us to look within, and to dig deeply. And he keeps it real.
In this in-depth interview, (originally provided to Online Dating Magazine) Pen and Prosper shares a look at the man behind the message.

Q. Can you tell our readers a little about your background?

A. Wow, how much time do you have? I have a long life story because I’ve had several careers. Basically I grew up in an entrepreneurial family and I have always been encouraged to try for any goal I imagined. My parents also encouraged me to express my creativity and ideas. I guess that’s why I was in my family’s real estate business for many years, then I worked briefly in the political arena, then a police officer, then an author. I could tell you so many great stories about my various careers. I guess one day I’ll be an old man reeling off tales to whomever will listen.
That was a busy time in my life. For example, some days I’d be wearing a suit showing real estate properties to clients one minute, then hurrying back to jump into my police uniform to make it to roll call on time for my shift. Then, getting home from my shift and spending a couple of hours writing an article I was working on for Being Single, Our Texas, Upscale, Today’s Black Woman or other magazines I wrote for at the time. It was fun at that time in my life. It was fun. At the time I was young, single, and full of energy so it was good for me. That busy schedule probably kept me some out of trouble because I really liked the ladies and was a bachelor on a mission!

Q. There are many self-help books on relationships. Why did you feel yours was needed, in an already saturated market?

A. Well, fortunately when I started writing about relationships the market wasn’t saturated yet the way it is today. It was actually wide open. Terry McMillan’s Waiting to Exhale had created such a furor that women and men were both clamoring for some male voices to counter the images of black men in her books. Now I don’t fault her for writing about her experience but those men were for the most part trifling. I wanted to talk about black men in a realistic, yet positive light. So she created an opportunity for new voices like mine through a sort of backlash. Thus, the “tell it like it is” genre was born and I was one of these common sense experts who benefited from it. So, like everything it had a lot to do with timing.

Q. You often give advice on love and life, what’s the best romantic advice you’ve ever received? What’s the worst?

A. The worst thing I’ve ever been told was by a man when I was about 23 years old. He said, “Make sure you never marry someone you love more than they love you.” It smacked of gamesmanship and insincerity. I thought “then why get married?”
The best knowledge I ever received grew from living with my wife through her illness. I realized the importance of really meaning your marriage vows and living them instead of just saying them. More importantly I learned that to love someone is to really love them from the inside out because that’s what you really have that endures time.

Q. Are your books targeted to any particular audience?

A. With the exception of Brothers, Lust, and Love my books are for a general audience. And that’s not to say that Brothers doesn’t have a cross section of readers because it does. It was very popular with non-Black audiences as well. My decision to write for a general audience is both a moral and business decision. The moral side is that I want to help as many people as I can reach. God didn’t tell me just to help one kind of people. I am thankful for the wisdom God has given me and I want to share it. Also, that attitude is good for business. The material I write about is important to men and women of all types. It wouldn’t make financial sense to segment my market and lose sales. Another example is that I do a lot of television work and they aren’t looking for people who can only address one audience.

Q. Do you think that the dynamics in Black relationships are different than in other cultures?

A. I think the general dynamics are universal for the most part. Research shows that too. However, there are definitely nuances that can be very different. However, they don’t have to be as divisive as we tend to make them. I do as many interviews for Cosmo as I do Essence and essentially, the concerns are the same. Just subtle differences exist. It really boils down to the two individuals in the relationship and how they perceive the world. Matching skin tones doesn’t make two people a match. Two Black people can be very different in tastes, class, values, and even culture despite sharing the same skin shade.

Q. To what do you attribute the decline in chivalry these days?

A. Values! Our society’s values are changing and chivalric behavior is falling by the side of the road. Boys aren’t being taught chivalry and girls don’t expect it anymore. Also, some women don’t want doors opened for them and things like that. It’s just becoming out dated. Some chivalric behavior smacked of chauvinism although it looked nice on the outside and we have to realize it’s part of the evolution of society.
But worse than the loss of chivalry is the loss of basic respect and courtesy between men and women. It seems people have less and less regard for each other in the dating and mating game and too many folks are just out to get what they can from others without regard for the other person as a human.

Q. What makes a “successful” relationship?

A. The fusion of romance and friendship. Most importantly a long term relationship has to have friendship as its basis because people are going to change and only a friendship can survive change, not a sexship, or dependentship!

Q. How do you feel about Internet dating? Is it addressed in any of your books?

A. Internet dating, dating clubs, introduction services…all of that makes total sense to me. Why waste your time, energy, and emotions looking and searching all the time when you can focus your efforts in one place and maximize your time while also not having to meet anyone you don’t at least have some basic things in common with.
Yes, I address these things in my books because I think it makes so much sense. One just has to be smart and cautious when using the Internet but you should be that way when you meet anyone in any situation that you decide to date.

Q. What was the inspiration behind writing, “Understanding the Tin Man”?

A. The message for women was to give them a peep inside of our minds. To show women WHY we are not usually open to our feelings and being emotionally expressive. It doesn’t just happen, it’s a process we learn. I wanted women to understand that. For men the Tin Man was written to help men understand that we can be masculine and sensitive and that it is more healthy and fulfilling to be that way.

Q. What would it surprise others to know about you?

A. I draw cartoons. I used to put them on my website. Eventually I’ll put some more of them up after I draw up some new relationship humor. I’m also into reality shows. I like watching Bridezilla.

Q. Is there anything in particular you want readers to take away from reading your books?

A. I want people to walk away with a reality check and a sense of hope and personal renewal.

Q What authors do you enjoy reading?

A. Last year I completed my dissertation and earned my Ph.D. in Psychology. So to be honest I haven’t read anything but research studies and academic books for the past few years!

Q. Do you have any future projects to which we can look forward? How about a website?

A. Big things are in the works at this very moment. Don’t be surprised if you see me with a network television show next year!
I now have a radio show on the Quiet Time radio network. Replays are archived online at Quiet Time radio http://quiettimepress.com/qtradio/index.html
As for new books, my wife and I are going to press in a few weeks with a book we coauthored about how couples can cope with the presence of chronic illness in their marriage. My wife is battling a severe chronic illness. We are publishing it with iUniverse because we wanted to maintain complete editorial control over at least the first version.

My website is williamjuly.com I invite everyone to go there every month or so to listen to the free relationship tip podcasts.

Pen & Prosper Presents a Q& A with Wendy Burt

Today we have a Q & A with Wendy Burt-Thomas. She is a full-time freelance writer, editor and copywriter with more than 1,000 published pieces. Her third book, "The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters" hit stores in January 2009. To learn more about Wendy or her three books, visit www.GuideToQueryLetters.com. If you have a writing-related question, you can also post it on http://askwendy.wordpress.com/.

1. Q: Can you tell us about your book?
The book was a great fit for me because I'd been teaching "Breaking Into Freelance Writing" for about eight years. In the workshop, I covered a lot of what is in this book: writing query letters to get articles in magazines, to land an agent, or to get a book deal with a publisher. Since I'm a full-time freelance magazine writer and editor with two previous books, this was incredibly fun to write because it didn't require tons of research. I was lucky enough to receive lots of great sample query letters from writers and authors that I use as "good" examples in the book. I wrote all the "bad" examples myself because I didn't dare ask for contributions that I knew I'd be ripping apart!
In addition to the ins and outs of what makes a good query, the book covers things like why (or why not) to get an agent, where to find one and how to choose one; writing a synopsis or proposal; selling different rights to your work; other forms of correspondence; and what editors and agents look for in new writers.
It was really important to me that the book not be a dry, boring reference book, but rather an entertaining read (while still being chock full of information). I was thrilled that Writer's Digest let me keep all the humor.

2. Q: Why are query letters so important?
Breaking into the publishing world is hard enough right now. Unless you have a serious "in" of some kind, you really need a great query letter to impress an agent or acquisitions editor. Essentially, your query letter is your first impression. If they like your idea (and voice and writing style and background), they'll either request a proposal, sample chapters, or the entire manuscript. If they don't like your query letter, you've got to pitch it to another agency/publisher. Unlike a manuscript, which can be edited or reworked if an editor thinks it has promise, you only get one shot with your query. Make it count!
I see a lot of authors who spend months (or years) finishing their book, only to rush through the process of crafting a good, solid query letter. What a waste! If agents/editors turn you down based on a bad query letter, you've blown your chance of getting them to read your manuscript. It could be the next bestseller, but they'll never see it. My advice is to put as much effort into your query as you did your book. If it's not fabulous, don't send it until it is.

3. Q: You're also a magazine editor. What is your biggest gripe regarding queries?
Queries that show that the writer obviously hasn't read our publication. I'll admit that I did this when I was a new writer too – submitted blindly to any publication whose name sounded even remotely related to my topic. One of the examples I use was when I submitted a parenting article to a magazine for senior citizens. Oops! A well-written query pitching an article that's not a match for the magazine isn't going to get you any further than a poorly written query.

4. Q: There's an entire chapter in the book about agents. Do you think all new writers should get agents?
Probably 99% of new writers should get an agent. There are lots of reasons, but my top three are: 1) Many of the larger publishing houses won't even look at unagented submissions now; 2) Agents can negotiate better rights and more money on your behalf; 3) Agents know the industry trends, changes and staff better than you ever could.

5. Q: You've been a mentor, coach or editor for many writers. What do you think is the most common reason that good writers don't get published?
Poor marketing skills. I see so many writers that are either too afraid, too uniformed, or frankly, too lazy, to market their work. They think their job is done when the write "the end" but writing is only half of the process. I've always told people who took my class that there are tons of great writers in the world who will never get published. I'd rather be a good writer who eats lobster than a great writer who eats hot dogs. I make a living as a writer because I spend as much time marketing as I do writing.

6. Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions that writers have about getting a book deal?
That they'll be rich overnight, that they don't need to promote their book once it's published, that publishing houses will send them on world book tours, that people will recognize them at the airport. Still, you can make great money as an author if you're prepared to put in the effort. If it wasn't possible, there wouldn't be so many full-time writers.

7. Q: What must-read books do you recommend to new writers?
Christina Katz (author of "Writer Mama") has a new book out called "Get Known Before the Book Deal" - which is fabulous. Also, Stephen King's "On Writing" and David Morrell's "Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing." Anything by Anne Lamott or my Dad, Steve Burt.

8. Q: What's the biggest lesson you've learned as a full-time writer?
Seize every opportunity - especially when you first start writing. I remember telling someone about a really high-paying writing gig I got and he said, "Wow. You have the best luck!" I thought, "Luck has nothing to do with it! I've worked hard to get where I am." Later that week I read this great quote: "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." It's absolutely true. And writing queries is only about luck in this sense. If you're prepared with a good query and/or manuscript, when the opportunity comes along you'll be successful.

9. What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Writing the "bad" query letters. I've read – and written! – so many horrible ones over the years that it was a little too easy to craft them. But misery loves company and we ALL love to read really bad query letters, right?

10. Q: What do you want readers to learn from your book?
I want them to understand that while writing a good query letter is important, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. You can break it down into parts, learn from any first-round rejections, and read other good queries to help understand what works. I also want them to remember that writing is fun. Sometimes new writers get so caught up in the procedures that they lose their original voice in a query. Don't bury your style under formalities and to-the-letter formatting.