Recently, I was in the green room of one of Vancouver’s top TV interview programs with a client. Studio 4, hosted by the affable and talented Fanny Keifer, offers rare extended interview in these days of 30 second sound bites and 140 character blog posts. My author was one of three guests and, as usual, we chatted and made small talk with the show’s wonderful staff and others in the room. What I took away that day were some interesting new acquaintances and, most unusually, an abject reminder of what not to do.
There was another author in the room that day. An “A List” author from a major publishing house. I won’t embarass her or her publisher by naming names but I have to say she was one of the rudest people in the business. (And I worked with Gordon Ramsay for a few days some years ago so its not as though I’m unfamiliar with the potential ways to be rude.) This author simple didn’t understand that even when you’re on the New York Times bestseller list and have had your books made into a TV series, there is no need to be rude. Common courtesy is not optional. Ever.
So, here are my tips to interviewees everywhere:
Be nice to everyone.
Be gracious.
Be thankful.