Right after an interview like the one on Saturday, I usually get the same question from at least a few people: “How do you manage to get these interviews?!” I figure this is as good a place as any to post my “tips and tricks”, so get ready, kiddos. The best thing you can do?
Put yourself out there.
It’s not really that hard to do, and it’s the truest answer I can give –- I just ask the people.
With my first interview, with R.D. Hall, I decided to seize the opportunity over Twitter. R.D. is really down-to-earth, and great about keeping in touch with fans. He started following me on Twitter shortly after I followed him, and was one of the first to send me a condolences message when my stepdad passed.
Some time after that, we started joking back and forth on Twitter, things like making fun of Swine Flu with altered ‘Ghostbusters’ quotes. I mean, tell me that’s not simultaneously nerdy and awesome?
Anyway, when I was thinking about what person to start with on interviews, and had intended to start with some up-and-coming YouTuber (non-partner program), I decided to ‘go big or go home’ and sent R.D. a direct message asking him. Thankfully he agreed, and the rest just happened.
Most recently, with Deanne Bray, all I did was send her an email. Now, this isn’t to say that you should send one that says “OMG CAN I ASK YOO QWESCHUNS?!?!?!?!11?! LOL!!!1!!111!!”. Instead, I tried to be both a fan, and professional –- I told her how I enjoyed her character on Heroes, and about my site, and the interviews I’ve done, and asked her politely if she’d like to be on the site for an interview some time.
Here’s a few tips I can give you, as far as networking, from what practice I’ve had the pleasure and luck of experiencing:
Work on making a name for yourself – When I started Random Ramblings, I had no intention of making it all serious and anything like that. I figured I’d keep going with my blogging about funny/stupid news, maybe write my own random thoughts, etc.
Then, after my second (first finished) attempt at NaBloPoMo, I decided to try and bring in more traffic, work on a set sort of schedule with things. Interviews came to mind as a possibility, and I figured I’d end up starting with names nobody would recognize, and work my way up to people like R.D., Jason, and higher.
Getting Random Ramblings to the point that it was took some time, and I’ll proudly consider it a real accomplishment, even if it doesn’t end up measuring up to much, at least not in ‘real world’ standards (i.e., money-making).
Put yourself out there – Like I said earlier, don’t be afraid to throw yourself into it. A really smart friend once told me a great lesson she’d gotten in one of her law school classes: Ask for things, even if you have no right to them. You might get told no, but at least you tried.
Take some time to think about how you want to phrase things in your request, and then make it known. The worst that can happen is that you’ll get told ‘no’, in which case you pick yourself back up and go for it again.
Start somewhere realistic – I’m going to burst somebody’s bubble right now, but oh well: you almost definitely won’t be able to get through to your hero/idol right from the start. Tough breaks kid, but if that’s all you’re interested in interviewing people for, is to talk to your idol and then be done, you might as well not bother.
Take me for instance. Like I said above, I started with R.D., someone that I’m happy to consider a friend. And that’s why I started with him –- not only does he have a very interesting career, but because he and I semi-regularly talked anyway.
I enjoy doing these interviews. I like the connections it builds, and I love getting to talk to the people that I do. You won’t see me stopping just because I interviewed one of my favorite people (although if it was miss Stana Katic, I might die of ecstasy. =P), and that’s because I do it because I like to.
And that’s all I’ve got for you, as far as tips this time. I could probably write more, but we’re pushing a whopping 800 words now! Been a while since I wrote an entry that big. I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Tech Tuesday! :)
3 comments:
Great article.
I think it helps that the Internet is such a terrific resource for finding people. It gives you a connective point and then, like you succintly note, if you're professional and pleasant then you can make some good headway.
That, and Heroes has the friendliest relationship with the fan base of any show I've ever followed closely.
Heroes most definitely is the greatest at that. Everyone I've dealt with so far has been so accessible and friendly, especially Jason and R.D., who I do occasionally talk to still.
And yeah, with large amounts of actors having websites with their email addresses, or the email and/or street addresses of their publicists, etc... the internet and its use for advertising the stars is so awesome when it comes to this.
Thanks! :)
Yeah, I needed to see this. I spend more time being jealous of the artists going places than actually doing art and promoting myself so I can get places. Awesome and helpful post :D
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