Congratulations–that gentle or maybe not so gentle nudge or soft whisper that’s been egging you on to write a book has finally led to this day: you’re a published author! 

You’ve ordered a box of promo copies to share with book reviewers, but what do you do when your publicist calls to say she’s booked your first interview? No really, what is your first thought? 

Excited yet nervous? Worried about how you’ll sound? Or wondering if you’ll experience brain freeze when you go on camera?

If the thought of doing an on air interview–whether it’s for TV, on a podcast, or as a guest speaker at a summit–has the butterflies in your stomach doing cartwheels, here’s five (5) tips to help boost your confidence so you can ROCK your author interview. 

Practice Good Posture

Did your mother ever nag you to stand up straight? Mine used to tell me that if I wasn’t careful, someday I would be permanently slouched over, like Victor Hugo’s Quasimodo. 

Even if you’re not going to be on camera, standing up tall and doing the superwoman pose before your interview is supposed to decrease your cortisol level. This in turn can help you feel more confident as your stress levels start to drop. 

Stand up tall, place your hands on your hips, with your feet opened hip width apart and visualize yourself wearing a superhero cape, ready to conquer the world. OK, ready to slay your interview.

Just Breathe

I often shy away from country music, despite the fact that the first song I learned to play on the guitar was Glen Campbell’s ‘Rhinestone Cowboy.’ Secretly though, one of my favorite country songs is Faith Hill’s ‘Just Breathe.’ 

If you’re getting ready for an interview and your nerves start kicking in, channel your Faith Hill and ‘just breathe.’

Take a deep breath in, counting to three, hold for a second, then exhale slowly for four seconds. Inhale confidence and exhale any self doubt. Rinse and repeat. Your parasympathetic nervous system will kick in, helping to calm your body. 

Be Prepared

You don’t need to memorize verbatim what you’re going to say because you don’t want to sound robotic, but having at least a few bullet points and brief notes will help keep you on track. We cover this more in depth in our Rock Star VIP Media Training where our band members (clients) learn important tools to create their signature sound. 

Hydration, Hydration, Hydration

OK, as in real estate where the key to selling a home is ‘location, location, location,’ the key to sounding great in your interview is proper hydration. Plan on hydrating–water or tea are your best bet–at least an hour before your media appearance. Trust me, your vocal cords will love you! 

Slow Down

If you grew up in the 70’s or 80’s, you might just have a Billy Joel lyric on the tip of your tongue (Vienna). Apologies for the ‘ear worm,’ but in all seriousness, slow down and think before you speak. 

While it might be impossible to completely avoid saying umm, try to avoid filler phrases (like, you know, I mean, umm) by slowing down a little and thinking before you speak. Again, I’m not saying remove these completely because you’ll still want to sound natural, but it’s distracting to your listener if your sentences are heavily peppered with those pesky filler words.  

Conclusion

Speaking with confidence is one of the three pillars of ROCKING your media appearances. The tips above are just a few ways you can get started. If you’re gearing up for the author interview circuit to promote the book you just ‘birthed’ and need additional support, feel free to reach out to my partner and co-instructor, G. Wright or to me to learn more about our signature Rock Star VIP Media Training program.

We designed it for you, the busy author, so that you can confidently connect with your audience and ROCK your interviews. 

Sandi D., “Queen of Podcast Zen” & Host, All Things Relax with Sandi D. podcast.

Originally published on the All Things Relax Studios LinkedIn page.