How I media practice my reluctant, ADHD self, one query at a time
I’m properly conscious that launching my debut novel — like launching any sort of product — would require media appearances.
Heaps of them.
Podcasts, blogs, YouTube channels, you identify it — the extra interviews, the extra visibility for my upcoming guide, and the higher its probabilities for achievement.
That might be thrilling, if it weren’t for a tiny downside: I’m a horrible self-marketer. Speaking about my guide and my writing feels awkward; I worry my stress is displaying, and that makes me — you guessed it — much more edgy. On prime of that, I’d overlook what I needed to say and go on limitless tangents (thanks, ADHD!), and even lose focus throughout the interview and miss the query (did I point out ADHD?).
No! — quivers a small, internal voice in my stomach — I can’t do this. It’s scary, surprising, and requires smiling when all I wish to do is conceal.
Not enjoyable.
But, obligatory. And so, I decided to make use of the time I’ve till launch — whereas nonetheless writing the novel — to organize. However how?
What to do?
Any indie writer who has scoured the web in search of launch steering is aware of how straightforward it’s to lose your self in recommendation. Nevertheless, from time to time a worthy thought comes your approach.
In a single such quest — meant to offer me an excuse to keep away from writing, after all — I got here throughout an fascinating suggestion: movie your self speaking to the digicam day by day for thirty days. You’d be struck — mentioned scores of movies — by how a lot your confidence and video-deftness enhance.
Is smart. If speaking to the digicam feels intimidating, practising it inside the security of privateness may assist tame the worry. However what would I speak about — aloud, to myself — each day for a month?
A lightbulb lit in my head, illuminating the phrases in neon: follow one thing helpful; one thing like being interviewed about my upcoming guide.
Why do it?
Earlier in my writing journey I organized my first ever podcast interview. Regardless of the introduction above, I completely loved chatting with the stunning Advert on “Their Story Their Voice”.
The expertise was beautiful, but additionally helped me notice I used to be completely unprepared for interviews of the book-launch sort.
I, for one, have expertise each as a lecturer onstage and as an interviewee on digicam, however solely regarding non-personal matters. Sort out me with questions on philosophy, schooling or ADHD — I can readily clarify what I do know. Certainly, most of this podcast interview revolved round dwelling with ADHD.
In the previous few minutes of our dialog, Advert requested me about my guide. We agreed on this beforehand. I knew I used to be presupposed to say just a few sentences about how I ended up writing a fantasy novel impressed by ADHD, and what it’s all about. And, after all, I knew my guide inside out, so all set, proper?
No.
Placing myself on the focal point was a definite expertise from any I’ve had earlier than. It wasn’t about what I do know; it was about what I do, what I create, about me being me.
I used to be completely unprepared for this.
Why is it so onerous?
Moreover the necessity to see your self in a harshly goal approach and talk this successfully, in addition to highlight your self whereas remaining approachable and genuine — it’s merely a brand new set of abilities. It’s all the time a good suggestion to expertise necessary new issues comfortable, earlier than leaping into chilly water.
Firstly, technical points want addressing: getting used to wanting into the digicam, reasonably than on the interviewer (or your self, within the follow method I’ll elaborate on subsequent); adjusting the lighting; quantity of talking; digicam and audio high quality — all require consideration properly earlier than the primary interview, however can often be tackled inside just a few days, at most.
Some points that require longer coaching embody:
- Physique language: Do we glance bored? Enthusiastic? Will we cowl our mouths when talking? What can we do to suit the best way we come throughout to our wants?
- Formulating concepts: Placing our personal notions, ideas and feelings into phrases takes follow. We could not have even shared them earlier than, which implies we haven’t articulated them clearly and concisely.
- Turning into the subject: Talking of ourselves the identical approach we might about our experience could also be an awesome thought. It requires studying to assume from our viewers’s viewpoint. As an illustration, being too humble may come throughout as boring (why would the viewers hearken to somebody who seemingly finds themselves bland?); however showing self-centered doesn’t assist, both.
Within the frighteningly busy time known as “guide launch”, stopping to blink is a luxurious. Taking the time to organize prematurely will assist us attain the precise interviews skilled and assured, able to face numerous conditions.
Easy methods to go about it?
I settled for a day by day digicam follow, predicting attainable interview questions and responding to at least one or two every time.
Besides, I now needed to assume up thirty to sixty matters which may come up in future interviews on my yet-unfinished guide. Oy vey.
And did I point out I’ve ADHD?…
The overwhelm threatened to kill the entire thought, till I remembered ChatGPT. And Gemini. And Claude. And Perplexity.
I wouldn’t belief an AI engine with necessary solutions, however it might probably actually generate questions. And so, conjuring as many PR “story angles” as I may consider, I queried every of those engines:
Give me an inventory of 100 questions I is likely to be requested in a podcast interview. I will likely be interviewed because the writer of a comfy fantasy novel impressed by ADHD. It’s my debut guide. I’m 54. Earlier than writing, I used to be a homeschooling mother and a tutorial (I’ve a PhD in philosophy). My characters are Jewish.
Your math is appropriate. I now have an inventory of 400 follow questions. And sure, some are sillier than others, however let’s be trustworthy: that occurs often in actual interviews, too.
The Journey
I used to be executed with a lot of the technical assessments and changes within the first two days and located an answer that labored, with my telephone sitting serenely on a tissue field. Whereas not beneficial for precise interviews, this can be a good — and ADHD-friendly — association that I can follow for 2 minutes every morning. It is sufficient to produce one thing worthy of critique and progress.
By Day Six, I lastly realized the morning espresso wasn’t sufficient. My dry throat demanded water to talk clearly with out coughing.
The Enlightenment
It took ten days for me to lastly get snug sitting each morning in my chosen place, speaking to myself on digicam. The Weird turned regular, and I may lastly watch and hearken to myself with contemporary eyes, judging my look.
This gave rise to a revelation: I used to be supplying literal solutions to questions, reasonably than engaging causes to take an curiosity in me and my writing. Sure, I gave the information in reply to “What impressed you to write down cozy fantasy?”; “Are you able to inform us about the primary themes in your guide?” or “How does your Jewish heritage play a job in your tales?”, however none of what I mentioned conveyed neither the keenness with which I consider these points, nor the thrilling methods by which my writing approaches them.
As an illustration: I used to be unaware of the “cozy fantasy” subgenre after I started writing… properly… cozy fantasy. That is primarily because of the time period solely gaining reputation later, and but I discover this a reasonably amusing story. Nevertheless, it says nothing about my view of the ADHD mind as a type of wonderland, that enchants a minimum of it makes life tough, and of the nice and cozy ambiance and the magical really feel of the story. These information, whereas maybe much less humorous, would maintain larger enchantment for my potential readers.
Worse: I heard myself say “I solely function one Jewish folktale within the guide.” Sigh. This was presupposed to be advertising and marketing! In actual fact, alongside that includes cameos of meals from numerous Jewish traditions, the guide vividly brings to life a lovely and humorous Jewish folktale in certainly one of its subplots, which corresponds magically with a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale and an Aesop fable in a whirlwind of cultures and subplots. Now, isn’t this a lot better? True, too!
Going ahead
That is my conclusion, two weeks into this experiment: writing isn’t the identical as talking.
Deep, huh? I wager you’re gasping, studying this!
Critically, nonetheless, I’m content material to have recognized a primary downside with my look. This is a crucial first step in my journey to grow to be a assured, partaking podcast visitor, whereas undertaking my advertising and marketing wants. These abilities will additional assist with different kinds of interviews, media appearances, reside occasions, and so on., each on-line and face-to-face. I imagine this type of advertising and marketing expertise could even assist in private relationships, serving to us current our case extra attractively to these we hope will settle for it.
My concepts for methods to enhance additional relaxation on harnessing my writing talents, which surpass these of talking about myself and my writing. After placing these theories to the take a look at, I hope to share passable conclusions with you in a later story.
Will you do that two-minute day by day problem your self? For those who do, with or with out ADHD, with or with out a tissue field, I’m curious to listen to what you’ve realized. Please share within the feedback!